Supporting Success

1. Supporting Success Practical Strategies for Parents LKDSB School Council Conference October 24, 2009 Ruth Mattingley rmattingley@cogeco.ca

2. Preparing Our Children for the Future The literacy demands that children will face as 21st century workers and citizens far exceed what has been required in the past (Moore, Bean, Birdyshaw & Rycik, 1999).

3. We are living in exponential times. There are 31 billion searches on Google every month. In 2006 this number was 2.7 billion. (Source: You Tube: Did You Know? Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod)

4. The top 10 in-demand jobs in 2010.... did not exist in 2004! (Source: You Tube: Did You Know? Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod)

5. The amount of new technical information is doubling every 2 years. For students starting a 4 year technical degree this means that..... ....half of what they learn in their first year of study will be outdated by their third year of study. (Source: You Tube: Did You Know? Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod)

6. “First and foremost, I look for someone who asks good questions…We can teach them the technical stuff, but we can’t teach them how to ask good questions – how to think”. Tony Wagner, “The Schooling Students Need”. Educational Leadership. Volume 66. Number 2. October 2008.

7. Employability Skills 2000+ Conference Board of Canada

8. Parents are a child’s first and most important teacher.

9. A Proven Fact When parents are actively involved in their child’s education student achievement improves.

10. Research shows..... Research has highlighted a correlation between parental involvement and student achievement in school, however the "how" of parental involvement continues to be a challenge (Greenwood & Hickman, 1991; Seefeldt, 1985; Voydanoff & Donnelly, 1996, in Peña, 2000; Gutman & Midgley, 2000).

11. Research Shows..... In schools where student achievement was reported, Loucks (1992) found that parent involvement was a significant factor in both accelerated and sustained student academic performance. Parent Involvement: The Key To Improved Student Achievement Steven R. Hara and Daniel J. Burke School Community Journal, Vol. 8, No. 2, Fall/Winter 1998

12. Research Shows…. Parent involvement has been linked with student outcomes including increased achievement test results, a decrease in dropout rate, improved attendance, improved student behavior, higher grades, higher grade point average, greater commitment to schoolwork, and improved attitude toward school. Parent Involvement and Student Achievement at the Middle Level, Research Summary #18, 2000 National Middle School Association, 4151 Executive Parkway, Suite 300 Westerville, Ohio

13. Research Shows… Studies of districts that have narrowed the achievement gap identify family and community engagement as paramount.

14. How to Get Involved • Communicating • Helping at Home • Attending School Events • Volunteering • Participating in Decision-Making

15. The Parental Role in a Child’s Education – Research Shows… • Family participation in education is TWICE as predictive of students’ academic success as family socioeconomic status • 86% of the general public believes that support from parents is the most important way to improve schools • School age children spend 70% of their waking hours outside of school Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario

16. Strategies that Work

17. Reading books with their children is one of the most important things that parents can do to help their children become readers.

18. Strengthening Literacy Skills • Discussing ideas and sharing points of view are central aspects of literacy. • As a parent or guardian you can engage your child in conversations that encourage them to share their thoughts and opinions.

19. What is Literacy • Literacy is more than the ability to read materials in print. • Literacy is the ability to read and write, to listen and speak to others, and to view and to represent ideas and images in various media. It is also the ability to think critically while doing all of these. Knowing how to read and write paves the way to success in school that will build self-confidence and will motivate your child to set high expectations. (“Helping Your Child With Reading and Writing: A Guide for Parents”. Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2007)

20. Reading with your child every day is the most important thing you can do to help him or her learn at school.

21. Tips to Support Literacy Development • Talk with your Child • Make Reading and Writing Fun • Read Every Day • Talk About Books • Listen to Your Child Read • Set an Example for Your Child Adapted from: (abc123 - www.edu.gov.on.ca/abc123)

22. Critical Literacy Critical literacy is the practice of examining and discussing the underlying messages in print or in other media to better understand the world in which we live.

23. Getting our Boys Excited about Literacy • Have the right stuff available for boys • Choose texts with positive male role models • Let them choose • Read together • Use graphic organizers • Let them talk • Keep it real • Get the net (Me Read, No Way: A Practical Guide to Improving Boys’ Literacy Skills, Queen’s Printer of Ontario, 2004)

24. Supporting Your Child with Mathematics Children learn mathematics best through activities that encourage them to: • Investigate • Think about what they are investigating • Gather information, organize it, and act on it • Use information that they have gathered from a variety of sources to solve problems; • Explain how they reached their solutions • Adapted from: • abc123 - www.edu.gov.on.ca/abc123 • Helping Your Child With Reading and Writing: A Guide for Parents”. Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2007)

25. Tips to Support Mathematics Development • Be positive about mathematics • Make mathematics part of your child’s day • Encourage your child to give explanations

26. Supporting Your Child with Homework

27. Challenges • Busy schedules • Student doesn’t want parent involved • Student would rather watch TV • Student’s friends don’t value school work • Not sure how to help

28. How to Help Your Child with Homework • Communicate • Set Realistic Goals • Establish a Routine • Help Your Child Get Organized • Never do your child’s homework! • Expect and praise progress and effort • Focus and build on your child’s strengths

29. Questions to Ask at A School Conference • What are my child’s strengths and weaknesses? • How are my child’s work habits? • What areas should my child focus on for improvement? • Could we examine an assignment my child has completed with the rubric for assessment? • What subjects does my child enjoy most? • How does my child get along with the other students? • Are there any issues of which I should be aware? • How can I assist my child at home?

30. Advice for Parents: “How can I help my child do better in school this year?” • Communicate effectively with your child’s teacher to address any issues or to advise the teacher of any challenges that your child faces outside the classroom • Keep informed • Stay positive • Be pro-active when you have questions or concerns

31. Resources for Parents • LKDSB website – www.lkdsb.net/parents • Ministry of Education – www.edu.gov.on.ca • abc123 - www.edu.gov.on.ca/abc123

32. Triangulated Influence “Where do children learn and grow? At home. At school. In the community. Students develop in all contexts simultaneously and continuously. Thus, the bridges of home, school and community are inevitably interconnected.” Joyce Epstein, 2001, pg.161 http://www.curriculum.org/leadingandlearning/main.html#Main

33. Parents sew the seeds of greatness!

34. Parents are like shuttles on a loom. They join the threads of the past with threads of the future and leave their own bright patterns as they go. - Fred Rogers

35. There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children ... one is roots, the other wings. -- Stephen Covey