MegaSkills Leader Training provides comprehensive programs to train teachers, administrators, community leaders, and parents to conduct a series of parent involvement workshops in their community. The workshops are designed for families to help their children succeed in school and beyond. Bilingual Spanish materials are available.
Q: What are MegaSkills?
A: MegaSkills have been called the "inner engines of learning." They are the qualities, skills and attitudes needed for success in school and beyond. The eleven MegaSkills (Confidence, Motivation, Effort, Responsibility, Initiative, Perseverance, Caring, Teamwork, Common Sense, Problem Solving, Focus and Respect) identified by Dr. Dorothy Rich, founder of The Home and School Institute, in her book MegaSkills, are based on the study of report cards, personnel records, and interviews with educators and employers.
The workshops are designed to help parents help their children succeed in school and afterwards by helping them learn the basic values, attitudes and behaviors that determine success.
Q: What is included in the training?
A: Instructional training includes background information, research, content for all MegaSkills workshops, and complete directions for the management of the program. Home Learning Activities for parents to do with their children are provided and are grade coded pre-K to secondary.
The training includes concepts, content, and strategies to conduct twelve MegaSkills workshops. It provides opportunities to observe workshops and to conduct demonstrations. Participants prepare a back-home Action Plan for their own MegaSkills workshops.
To preserve program integrity, only participants completing the MegaSkills training can conduct the parent workshops. To ensure that the MegaSkills Program is conducted as designed, a letter of agreement, outlining both HSI's and leader responsibilities, is signed by leaders prior to receiving their certificate of training. Workshops may be conducted in a team of two MegaSkills trained leaders. Trained MegaSkills workshop leaders have access to the Home and School Institute for support, problem solving and networking opportunities.
Q: What materials are provided?
A: Each leader receives a copy of the book MegaSkills, the MegaSkills Workshop Kit which contains a MegaSkills Workshop Guide for eleven workshops and a Management Guide,
A complete packet of Home Learning System Activities Handouts (camera-ready sheets, grade-coded) plus additional supplementary materials. A Spanish translation kit is provided to trained leaders at a nominal fee. It includes translation of the workshops, all Home Learning System Activities and supplementary management materials.
Q: What is the evidence that the MegaSkills program is effective?
A: Memphis State University researchers, evaluating the impact on families participating in the MegaSkills Workshop Program in Tennessee, found:
- Homework Time: Children spending six hours a week on homework doubled to 24% from 12%, while those spending less than one hour decreased to 4% from 12%
- TV Time: Average time children spend watching TV during the school week decreased 31 minutes per week. Time not spent on TV was spent on homework
- Parent/Child Time: Average time parents spent with children each day increased after the workshop to 2.25 hours from 2.02 hours
- Parent/Child Relationship: Parents reporting working well with their children increased to 75% from 50%
The Austin, Texas Independent School District tracked 1196 students in grades pre K-6 and found students whose parents attended MegaSkills workshops had:
- Higher scores on statewide achievement tests
- Higher attendance rates
- Fewer discipline problems
- Higher test scores than the national average
See Parent & Essentials Training Survey Results
Q: What will the MegaSkills program do for your student's parents?
A: The MegaSkills program provides a tested system for parents to teach valuable behaviors and attitudes necessary for their child to succeed.
Reports indicate that parents who participate in the MegaSkills programs spend more enjoyable time with their children, learn new ways to problem solve with their children, support their children's efforts in school, and participate in more school functions.
Q: What will this program provide for Workshop Leaders?
A: The MegaSkills Parent Involvement Leader Training Program has involved more than 100,000 families and over 11,000 trained MegaSkills leaders.
- Academic achievement for students is raised
- Attitudes and performance of children in school are improved
- Parents better understand the work of schools
- Parents and children communicate more and show their caring toward each other
- Parents make greater use of community resources
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