A. Introduction
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... Advisory Panel, 2008).
There is also research that shows that parental involvement is directl…
...
Advisory Panel, 2008).
There is also research that shows that parental involvement is directly proportional to a parent’s educational level. Well-educated parents are more likely than less-educated parents to help students complete math homework and projects and will also help their children be placed in higher-level, more demanding classes (Useem, 1992). Although the research shows less-educated parents may not always be able to assist their children in their math learning teachers and schools can provide support to these parents to teach them what they can do at home to help further increase their children’s math knowledge. Training, workshops and events like parent math nights demonstrate for parents fun and easy activities that can be done at home as a family to help increase their children’s math skills and also help parents feel more connected to what their children are doing in school. Tonight we have set up a mock parent math night which may be beneficial for some of you to do in your own schools. Each group will have a chance to complete a math activity appropriate for elementary, intermediate and secondary grades. At the end of the activities they will be an opportunity to ask us any questions you may have. Have fun!
Parental involvement has been publicized for years as a very important predictor of student achievement in schools. Strengthening parents' roles in the learning of their children has been identified by teachers as an issue that should be a public priority. The pursuit for effective parental involvement is not easily accomplished without understanding obstacles and how to overcome them. It is important to define parental involvement, to identify types of effective involvement and to identify barriers to parental involvement. Only then can we succeed in overcoming those barriers and increasing the quality of parental involvement.
Research indicates a strong link between parental involvement and student achievement (Hoover-Dempsey & Sandler). However, a definition of effective parental involvement is not the same for everyone. Staff of some schools wants parents to be involved only in specific ways and at times determined by the staff. This total control of parental involvement by the school represents one extreme. Another extreme is represented by parents who want to run the school, including control over all spending, hiring and firing of staff, and curriculum selection. The bottom line is that parents really do want their children to be in good schools, and educators want to teach in those schools. Unfortunately, varying perspectives often get in the way of this happening. Parental involvement has two independent components: parents as supporters and parents as active partners (Hoover-Dempsey & Sandler). Focusing on one of these components alone is not a sufficient approach to parental involvement. Parents can be active, yet not supportive of the education process. They also can be supportive but not active at the school. Of course, the ideal parent is both supportive and active; but this often is difficult when both parents work outside the home, or when there is only one parent in the home. Whether in a supportive and/or an active role, parental involvement can mean very different things, depending on one's perspective. Teachers may want parental involvement in the form of helping children with homework. Parents may see parental involvement as making major decisions in the school. The truth is that parental involvement can and should take many forms. Parental involvement is reading to preschool children. It is getting children ready for school every morning. It is volunteering at the school. It is participating in math and literacy nights. It is serving on collaborative decision making committees, and it is lobbying legislatures to advocate for children.
Parents tend to be more involved with kids during the primary grades. These are the most important years of school because the attitudes and routines of school are formed. The mere presence of parents in the school, actively involved shows their kids the importance of education.
4. Write the answer next to the card number on your worksheet.
5. Keep choosing cards from your set until all of them are completed. You must draw hands on the clocks for numbers 11 and 12.
Jenna's information here.A Fun Math Game to Play at Home for Lower Elementary
Tick-Tock Math
Objectives:
1. The students will be able to read time accurately on an analog clock.
2. The students will be able to record time accurately to the nearest hour, half hour and quarter hour on an analog clock.
3. The students will be able to determine elapsed time to the nearest hour, half hour and quarter hour from an analog clock.
Materials: clock card set, worksheet, pencil
Directions:
1. Choose your set number of clock cards, a worksheet and a marker.
2. Write your set number at the top of your worksheet.
3. Choose a card from your set and read the question.
4. Write the answer next to the card number on your worksheet.
5. Keep choosing cards from your set until all of them are completed. You must draw hands on the clocks for numbers 11 and 12.
Jenna's informationParental Involvement in Lower Elementary
How Parents Can Contribute to be added here.their Child’s Success in School
Make sure your child gets enough sleep each night to ensure readiness for the following day in school.
Stay in contact with your child’s teacher via phone, email, or parent-teacher log.
Attendance is key. Your child will not learn if they are frequently absent.
Check your child’s homework for completion and neatness.
Ask your child’s teacher for any additional materials, books or supplies you need at home to practice math skills.
Introduce number sense to your child by sharing any household item that involves numbers (i.e. measuring cups, TV remote, the oven, microwave)
Engage yourself in conversation with your child about what they learned in math class.
Practice rote counting by 2’s, 5’s, 10’s while driving in the car, walking to school or taking bath.
Motivate and encourage your child every day to try their best in school and take risks.
Attend parent-teacher conferences, math and literacy nights, visit the county library to gain access to the internet for fun, educational math games.
Always display a positive attitude about school and explain the importance of a great education.
Angie S. (PM High School; lower and upper level math courses; Department Chair)
Teaching career prep students, I always had them take home a letter with the course outline, classroom rules, and grading procedures that the students had to return with parents' signatures. Also, I used the students' hand books and had them record HW assignments and asked for the parents to sign that to verify they were aware of the HW. The obvious is that I made many, many phone calls - to report not just what was bad, but, I surprised the heck out of many parents when I called to say good job! The(The parents of
INFORMATION FROM WEBSITES:
Scholastic.com:
...
Things to Do at Home
Keep your student organized: It's helpful to hang a weekly schedule on the fridge to keep track of upcoming tests and project due-dates. At the end of each week, go through your kids’ binders and file away tests and past assignments in an accordion folder.
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Professional Series: Involving
Involving Parents and
Parental Involvement
Parents teach their children all the time. They teach language to their infants, and they teach their young children not to talk to strangers. They read to their sons and daughters and, in the process, help them learn how to read and write. They even teach their children how to count and use basic arithmetic facts.
Value education and reward accomplishment.
In the secondary level setting, I interviewed teachers in both the middle school (grades 7-8) as well as high school (grades 9-12). I found a variety of responses from the teachers, all whom work for the PM School District. Information from:
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7 & 8)8 lower level math courses)
-introduction letter with course description
-textbook letter
...
Calls are made when students show consistent improvement in course work.
Letters are sent home to parents regarding their child's strengths and weaknesses relating to state tests and given ways that they can help encourage their student's success on these exams.
...
level math classes)courses; Department Chair)
Teaching career prep students, I always had them take home a letter with the course outline, classroom rules, and grading procedures that the students had to return with parents' signatures. Also, I used the students' hand books and had them record HW assignments and asked for the parents to sign that to verify they were aware of the HW. The obvious is that I made many, many phone calls - to report not just what was bad, but, I surprised the heck out of many parents when I called to say good job!
The parents of the AP students always wanted to be involved through e-mails, calls, and actually showing up for Parents' Nights:)
Calls are made when students show consistent improvement in course work.
Letters are sent home to parents regarding their child's strengths and weaknesses relating to state tests and given ways that they can help encourage their student's success on these exams.
Angie S. (PM High School; lower and upper level math classes)
Teaching career prep students, I always had them take home a letter with the course outline, classroom rules, and grading procedures that the students had to return with parents' signatures. Also, I used the students' hand books and had them record HW assignments and asked for the parents to sign that to verify they were aware of the HW. The obvious is that I made many, many phone calls - to report not just what was bad, but, I surprised the heck out of many parents when I called to say good job!
The parents of the AP students always wanted to be involved through e-mails, calls, and actually showing up for Parents' Nights:)
INFORMATION FROM WEBSITES:
Scholastic.com:
