Parent Education
Note: For most Parent Education events and meetings there will a morning session, which will be held in-person in the gazebo on campus, and an evening session, which will be held virtually on Zoom.
In order to help our parents, students, and teachers work together as a “family unit,” we offer a Parent Education program that spans the Oak Grove experience from 1st grade through 12th grade. Parent Education events are led by teachers as well as outside professionals, covering topics like Growth Mindset, social media wellness, college readiness, inquiry-based dialogue, diversity & equity, teen sexuality, and more. In addition, the program emphasizes building relationships and support networks among parents, teachers, and community members.
Our Current Parent Ed Workshop:
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice – Benjamin Mertz Residency
Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee is excited to co-sponsor with Parent Council an on-campus residency with musician and racial justice activist Benjamin Mertz. He will be meeting with students of all ages, staff, and parents during his time with us on Tuesday–Thursday, February 22–24.
Benjamin Mertz is a human rights and racial justice activist who leads workshops on racism and diversity with a thoughtful, non-dogmatic approach. In our session, he was warm, sensitive, approachable, and open-hearted; he listened deeply and met us where we are. He seems to have a gift for helping participants understand and deconstruct issues of racial and economic justice through knowledge of historical context and deep compassion, as well as empowering, spicy and provocative, open-minded discussion.
Dates and times:
- On-Campus Session – Wednesday, February 23 : 8:30-9:30 am in the Gazebo (Please RSVP if you plan on attending)
- Zoom Session – Thursday, February 24 : 7:00 to 8:00 pm. Open to the Public—REQUEST ACCESS. Invite your friends; Space is Unlimited!
Our Parent Education program takes a two-pronged approach
First, the program is designed to support parents in raising children and adolescents through workshops on subjects such as child development, communication strategies, harm prevention, and academic support. As students advance to the secondary level, we also include sessions on college readiness and the transition into adulthood. The second goal of the program is to build relationships and support networks among parents, teachers, and community members. Oak Grove is a close-knit community, and we seek to create a healthy dialogue between staff and families in order to best serve the needs of our students.
You can refer to the button above to see the current Parent Education schedule.
On February 11, 1974, the day the school was officially announced, Oak Grove School founder J. Krishnamurti said:
And this school here, we have been discussing with the teachers, with the parents, and with the architects for the last two years. This school is entirely different from the other schools in India and England. Here the parents are involved in it, which is a new kind of experiment because if the children are going to be different then parents must also be different, otherwise there is a contradiction between the child and the parents, and there will be conflict between them. So to avoid all that we thought it would be right that the parents as well as the teachers and the students work together as a family unit.”
Friendship in Early Childhood
Blog, Parent Education, Parent UpdateLearning how to make and be a friend is one of the major developmental tasks of early childhood. It’s like learning to read – it’s a foundational skill for building later competencies that depend on this.
Benjamin Mertz
Blog, News, Parent EducationOak Grove is thrilled to support an on-campus residency with Benjamin Mertz, composer, performer, and song leader who specializes in music of the Black Spiritual tradition.
Parent Ed – Social Relationships & Health
Blog, Events, News, Parent EducationHumans are social animals. Does the quantity and quality of our social relationships impact our state of health, future risk of disease, and our life span? Are the effects of relationships via social media the same or different from those of in-person relationships? Please join our presenter Dr. Pathik Wadhwa in a discussion that will touch on the biological and behavioral science behind social relationships, both in-person and virtual.
Embracing The Agile Mind
Blog, Events, News, Parent Education, Staff & FacultyFormer Head of School, Meredy Benson Rice, now the Director of Teaching and Learning spoke about her personal journey as an educator and how students experience education at Oak Grove School as part of the 2015 Do Lecture Series.
Parent Ed – Unplugging in Pandemic Life
Blog, Events, News, Parent EducationIf you were not able to join us for this timely Parent Education event, or would like to review, we have provided this recording of parenting expert Dolly Klock’s special presentation on the challenge of finding a balance between screen life and real life. The recording includes attending parents’ Q&A.
Talking About Confusing World Events
Blog, News, Parent EducationAs educators and parents, we have an important role in contextualizing disturbing world events like the recent violent takeover of our country’s capitol. After a year of challenge after challenge, this will require reaching into our deepest reserves of energy and resilience. But we must do what we can to provide a sense of understanding and stability amid chaos. We are obligated to take an active role in building a healthier, more just future.