And if the teacher has concerns about the student, they can use the sandwich feedback technique to voice concerns sandwiched between strengths-based praise that is concrete and genuine. A culturally responsive approach and appropriate, equity-minded language convey trust and respect. Focus on StrengthsĪ teacher who enters the home with a nonjudgmental attitude views the home through the eyes of the family living there and sees the family’s strengths.

Home visits planned in advance allow teachers to pair up strategically to coordinate visits when they have students who are siblings or who live in the same neighborhood. Being flexible may also mean meeting on weekends, before schools begins, or at the end of the school day. Alternative locations such as a local library, a quiet café, or even a fast-food restaurant may be appropriate venues for family-centered visits. Parents may not always feel comfortable meeting in the home. For transparency and safety, the home visit schedule (including location, time, and date) should be provided to school staff. The first visit should focus on building a relationship, extending support, and actively listening to parents’ concerns and insights. Some home visit models emphasize the benefits of teachers pairing up, traveling together to students’ homes, and introducing themselves to parents during the summer. Teachers who regularly conduct home visits advise establishing contact with parents before the school year begins. Investigating how others have conducted home visits is important if you want to create a process that is doable, realistic, and beneficial to students and their families. Being culturally responsive when conducting home visits communicates respect while demonstrating genuine interest in families’ rich heritages. One consideration is learning about students’ families, their communities and neighborhoods, languages and/or cultural differences, and work schedules. Once teachers commit to making home visits, they can take steps to research, plan for, implement, and document the process. There are many testimonials from teachers and families about successful home visits, but without systemic school and district support, a teacher’s ability to carve out time during the school day to conduct home visits is limited.įor those who are determined, being well-informed about the benefits and rewards as well as the challenges of home visits is important.

Teachers may be reticent to implement home visits because of the time commitment and effort involved. Referral Form (PDF) - Please fill out the referral form and fax it to 26.For teachers interested in conducting home visits, here is some guidance for getting stated. The forms are listed here in the order in which they are used in our program.įollow-up Home Assessment Form (PDF) - Documents intervention maintenance The following are some of the database forms used for the Community Asthma Prevention Program of Philadelphia's Home Visiting Program. The Community Asthma Prevention Program currently serves the West, Southwest, South and North Philadelphia areas of the city. In this program, trained lay-educators, or 'home visitors,' visit families of asthma patients in inner-city Philadelphia.

CAPP's Home Visitor Program helps address the home environments of asthmatic children. If your child is between 2 and 16 years of age, and lives in Philadelphia or Montgomery counties, we may be able to offer home visits to your family.