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The WorkshopsThe Workshops

1. Families and Schools: Listening and Learning

2. Families and Schools: Working Together

3. Helping with Homework4. Understanding the

Provincial Report Card5. Provincial Testing:

What’s it all About? 6. Summer Fun

7. Positive Discipline8. Juggling Time9. School System10. Healthy Children11. Making Math Fun12. Getting Along at School13. Growing Pains14. Healthy Relationships15. Transitions: The

Intermediate Grades

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Workshops for ParentsWorkshops for Parents

1. Families and Schools: Listening and Learning

2. Families and Schools: Working Together

3. Helping with Homework

4. Understanding the Provincial Report Card

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Workshops for ParentsWorkshops for Parents

5. Provincial Testing: What’s it all About?

6. Summer Fun

7. Positive Discipline

8. Juggling Time

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Workshops for ParentsWorkshops for Parents

9. School System

10. Healthy Children

11. Making Math Fun

12. Getting Along at School

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Workshops for ParentsWorkshops for Parents

13. Growing Pains

14. Healthy Relationships

15. Transitions – The Intermediate Grades

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GoalGoal

Meet the needs of all parents Good for all but necessary for some

Parents with literacy challenges

ESL parents

School Council participants

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Delivery of WorkshopsDelivery of Workshops

One day training session is provided for teachers and principals

Workshop Package provides workshop materials

Workshops are delivered in schools by teachers and principals

Each workshop lasts 1½ - 2 hours Workshops are held in the early evening Workshops are a team effort

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Listening and Learning – QuestionsListening and Learning – Questions Does my child like school? Does my child get along with school friends? Do I feel welcomed in school? What makes me feel welcomed? What could our school improve? What can I do to help at my child’s school? How can I help my child with homework? How can I help my child at home? How can I work with my child’s teacher? How can my child’s teacher work with me? What concerns do I have?

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Working Together - ActivitiesWorking Together - Activities

Responsibilities of parents and schools

Communication – families and schools when, what, how?

Preparing for parent-teacher interviews open questions

Communicating about problems scenarios

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Working Together – ScenarioWorking Together – Scenario

Day after day, your child does not want to go to school. She is upset in the mornings, often pretends she is sick and refuses to get ready for school.

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Helping with Homework - ActivitiesHelping with Homework - Activities Reasons for homework General guide for homework time Homework routines Setting the stage No homework – think again! Barriers Parent as coach Scenarios Helping children plan and organize

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Homework IcebreakerHomework Icebreaker

How do you feel about your child’s homework?

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Provincial Report Card - ActivitiesProvincial Report Card - Activities

Understand the Ontario report card better

Discuss rubrics and how they are used in the Ontario report card

Talk about writing comments on the report card

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Plain Language Report Card

Level What does the level mean?Letter Grade

2 If your child gets a level 2, he shows that he knows and uses some of the ideas. Your child is getting close to meeting the provincial standard.

C+, C, C-

Plain Language Report CardPlain Language Report CardExcerpt from Provincial Report Card

Letter Grades Achievement of the Provincial Curriculum Expectations

C- to C+ The student has demonstrated some of the required knowledge and skills. Achievement approaches the provincial standard (Level 2)

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Sample LettersSample Letters

In the group, write a letter to the teacher. Use the flipchart so participants can copy it if they wish.

Your child’s marks were not as good as they were in the last report card period.

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Provincial Testing - ActivitiesProvincial Testing - Activities

Provincial Testing - What does it really mean?

Review information about the Ministry of Education

Discuss the EQAO (Educational Quality and Accountability Office) and what it does.

Talk about rubrics and the different levels/grades

Brainstorm how to help children do better in school

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Summer Fun - ActivitiesSummer Fun - Activities

Look at free, local activities for children

Discuss attitudes to learning and share memories of learning

Talk about how children learn by doing

Discover ways to help children learn at home

Share ideas and learn from each other

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Games to do at HomeGames to do at Home

I See an Animal in the Sky: Ask your child to point out animal shapes they

see in the clouds or stars. Get them to make up a story based on what they see. You can have them begin the story, and each person can add another piece.

You should take part, too, and soon you will have a whole story. You might want to write the story down as you go. Then you can all add pictures by cutting up magazines or drawing your own.

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Summer Fun ActivitiesSummer Fun Activities

Imagine What Would Happen If…. Start with, “Imagine what would happen if

people didn’t have cars?” or “Imagine what would happen if houses had ears and could talk?”

Try to get them to think creatively by asking questions like, “What would be different about our city (town) if there were no cars?”

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Positive DisciplinePositive Discipline

Discipline isn’t what you do when children misbehave. It’s what you do so they won’t. fair, simple rules to guide behaviour

teaching, not punishing

setting limits and consequences for inappropriate behaviour

children learn self-discipline

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Positive DisciplinePositive Discipline

“If … then …” statements give the child a choice

when there isn’t one.

Don’t say:

If you fight, then you will go to your room

Instead, say:

No fighting

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Juggling Time - The Morning StruggleJuggling Time - The Morning Struggle

Does this sound familiar?

I’ve just got to finish my homework.

I can’t wear THAT!

I don’t want THAT for breakfast!

It’s not my job to set the table!

Should I wear my sweater or my hoodie?

I can’t find my homework.

I HAVE brushed my teeth!

You always nag!

Where’s my backpack?

I’m just going to change my jeans.

But I want to watch the cartoons!

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Juggling TimeJuggling Time

Talk about the stress of juggling time

Discuss the importance of daily routines

Discuss ways of teaching responsibility

Talk about writing fun notes to your child

Discuss some fun family activities

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Juggling Time - NotesJuggling Time - NotesDear Ben,

I haven’t been out since this morning.

Your dog, Bud

Notice:

Story time tonight is at 7:30 p.m. All children who have brushed their teeth and are in pyjamas are invited.

Dad

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The School System - ActivitiesThe School System - Activities

different parts of the school system procedures in schools organizing information from school current teaching methods speech and language development special needs programs ESL and ELD programs

Answer questions about the school system

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Healthy Children – ActivitiesHealthy Children – Activities What To Do About Food The Vegetarian Child Choosing Healthy Snacks Snacking and Dental Health Getting the Most Out of Lunch Guiding Gaming Habits Encouraging Good Television Habits Discussing Television Programs Encouraging Physical Activity Kid’s Guide to Being Fit Scenario

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Math FunMath Fun

Discuss math fears and how to lessen them

Brainstorm how to help children enjoy math

Discuss simple activities to explore math at home

Play some math games

Talk about getting help to understand the curriculum and helping with math homework

Discuss meaning of key words in math curriculum

Explore some math websites

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Math Fun – ActivitiesMath Fun – Activities

Find things to do in and around the house

Read stories with math themes

Play board games

Play cards and dice games

Solve tangrams

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Math Fun – TangramMath Fun – Tangram

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Math – When Your Child is StuckMath – When Your Child is Stuck

Get your child to: read the problem out loud highlight important information look for similar examples (books / notes) break problem into parts discuss different ways of doing it take a break and try again later phone a friend look for information on the internet

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Getting Along at SchoolGetting Along at School

Discuss what makes a child feel good

Talk about: a positive attitude

making and keeping friends

negative peer pressure

bullying

problem solving, assertiveness and decision making

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Getting Along at School – Body ImageGetting Along at School – Body ImageWhat’s the first positive message you got about your body?

Did you get any negative messages? How did they affect you? How old were you?

What messages do you wish you had received about body image and self-esteem as you were growing up?

What do you like best about your body?

What do you compare to an “ideal” the media portrays?

Do you try to alter your body to meet this ideal? If yes, how?

What do you think about diet, exercise or plastic surgery? How does this influence your behaviour? How do you express these thoughts to others?

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Growing PainsGrowing Pains

Discuss differences in the teenage brain teen brain is still growing

teens can’t act like adults because they don’t think like adults

teens are so busy thinking about themselves that they think everyone else is too

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Growing Pains – True or False?Growing Pains – True or False?

Q: Teens are ruled far more by their emotions than by logic.

A: The part of the brain used by adults to make decisions is not fully developed in teens.

Instead, they use the part of the brain that creates emotional reactions.

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Healthy Relationships - ActivitiesHealthy Relationships - Activities

Getting along with your teen

Quiz – How well do I know my teen?

Scenarios

Teens and grandparents

The importance of friends

Peer groups

Teen Quiz: Is this a healthy relationship?

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Healthy RelationshipsHealthy Relationships

Some examples from the quiz for parents I know the best time of day for my teen

I know which adults my teen admires and why

I know what my teen hates most

I know my teen’s favourite movie

I can name my teen’s top 3 priorities

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Transitions: The Intermediate GradesTransitions: The Intermediate Grades

Parents discuss: School’s transition plan

Questions about transitions

Advice from grade 7 students

Parental concerns

Friendships / meeting new people

Misconceptions about peer pressure

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Transitions: The Intermediate GradesTransitions: The Intermediate Grades

On the Spot: A game for teens and parents Discuss, practise and role play situations

before they happen, such as:skipping classes

lying

drugs

going to forbidden places

cheating