Family Voices Panel Discussion Guide

Purpose

Engage families and students in an authentic conversation about effective home-based support strategies. Hearing real stories builds understanding and inspires action.

Setup (5 minutes)

• Arrange 3–4 family panelists in front of the room (or prepare 3–4 curated quotes if no live panel).
• Provide each panelist with these guiding questions in advance.
• Display the Key Insights slide from the Home vs. School Impact Charts to anchor the discussion.

Moderator Introduction (2 minutes)

1. Welcome panelists and the audience.
2. Briefly restate the session objective: “We’re exploring concrete ways families support learning and well-being at home.”
3. Explain the flow: panelist responses, audience reflection, and Q&A.

Core Panel Questions (15 minutes)

Use the following prompts. After each response, invite 1–2 audience members to share reflections or ask a follow-up question.

1. Homework & Study Rhythms
   • Question: “What routines or habits in your home have most helped your student stay on top of homework or studying?”
   • Follow-ups: “What challenges did you encounter setting up this routine? How did you adjust?”Audience Reflection/Question:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Emotional Check-Ins
   • Question: “How do you regularly check in on your student’s emotional well-being?”
   • Follow-ups: “Can you share a specific moment when that check-in made a difference?”Audience Reflection/Question:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. School Communication
   • Question: “Describe one way you’ve communicated with teachers or school staff that helped support your child’s learning.”
   • Follow-ups: “What advice would you give families nervous about reaching out?”Audience Reflection/Question:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Tailoring Support
   • Question: “How do you adapt your home support to fit your student’s unique needs and learning style?”
   • Follow-ups: “What surprised you most as you tried new approaches?”Audience Reflection/Question:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Closing & Transition (3 minutes)

• Thank the panelists for their insights.
• Summarize 2–3 key themes that emerged (e.g., consistency, communication, personalization).
• Prompt participants: “Which strategy resonated most with you? Jot down one way you can adapt it in your home.”

Personal Action Note:

Next up: We’ll move into writing specific commitments during the Reflection & Action Planning segment.

Impact Brainstorm Worksheet

Instructions

Take 5 minutes to brainstorm and list examples of how your home environment supports your learning in each category below. Be specific!

Academic Support at Home:

Emotional Support at Home:

Study Routines & Habits:

Physical Environment & Resources: