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Do you have some tips for working with parents or some great parent hand-outs and would like to share them with others? You have come to the right place! Just click on the "submit" button below to enter your idea. Parent Participation Links
10-16-00Once a month at my school we have the first Thursday of the month set aside for either Muffins with Mom or Donuts with Dad. This allows for the parents to come and have a small breakfast with their children before school and work and lets them come into their classroom to see what the children have been up to. The parents and children really enjoy it! 10-16-00You're going to love this... We had recipe day, all of the moms cooked there child's favorite recipe and brought it to school. For lunch we had a smorgasbord. It was great, we had potato soup, mac and cheese, noodle casserole, goldfish crackers, etc. The great part is we had the parents to put there recipe on an index card, which will be submitted in our cookbook we will present to the parents as a Christmas present. We are photocopying the index cards making a cover and using prongs to bind the books together We can't wait the moms have no idea they are getting anything in return! 8-21-00Every Monday (this works best for may schedule) I invite my preschoolers parents to come into my room 15 minutes before the families pick up. They are welcome to bring siblings. We all go to circle and sing a song and then I read a book. I make sure the book is appropriate for early el. and try to make sure it is a fun active book. Many parents need to see how to read to their preschoolers. The parents and children love the idea and when some students didn't have anyone coming in they started to ask their parents to come. I have someone for all students by the middle of Nov. coming once or twice a month. This really encourages family participation. 7-9-00Meet with each child one on one and then meet with parents so that you can both discuss how it would be best to teach him or her. I teach Kindergarten in a low socio-economic area and many times it is difficult to get parents to get involved in their child's education. The Kindergarten teachers administer a basic test to get an idea of the level each child is coming in with. The test can be scored quickly and then the parents are brought in to discuss the results. Our principal has made this a mandatory meeting between teacher and parent during the first week of school. At this meeting the parents also receive a "parent pack" which contains crayons, glue, scissors, and a folder with some basic information. The school supplies are to be used at home for homework only. I have found this to work very well at our school, and parent participation has increased.
5-30-00I always carry a small Post it pad and pen in my pocket. This makes it much simpler for me to write short anecdotal as I watch the children working. Make sure you include the following critical information: Name Date Description (example) Jesse 5/25/00 While playing in the block area with Liam, Jesse stacked 18 legos and counted them correctly. These notes make it easier and faster to prepare for parent teacher conferences!
4-19-00I have begun simple picture journals in my pre school class as most of my children will be going on to Kindergarten in the fall. This is my first attempt at this and I am trying to get my parents involved. I have a class mascot, "Mr. Bear". He is just a fuzzy purple bear I picked up for $5.00. Every day Mr. Bear gets hugs and lots of love, but on the weekend Mr. Bear was getting lonely. So each Friday I pick a name out of a hat and one child is picked to take Mr. Bear home for the weekend. There is also a Mr. Bear journal, I have a note that says that I understand weekends are busy but this really could only take a minute. I ask that the child draw a picture of his weekend with Mr. Bear and that the parent write just a few words about the picture. On Monday during Sharing Time we talk about Mr. Bear's weekend with Johnny. My hope is that the children get a better understanding of the journaling process, but that it also opens up a line of communication with the the child and parent about what they are doing in Preschool.
2-17-00"PAWS For Reading" To encourage reading at home, I made a large poster with a dog bowl-shaped pocket on it for each child. I used colorful bone cut-outs to make a border and put the heading "PAWS for Reading" at the top of the poster. Then I sent home a note explaining that any time they read a book at home with their child, they should write the title of the book on a paper bone (provided) and let their child put it in her dog bowl the next day. I also told them that when we fill our bowls with 250 bones (we have a class of 22 children), we will have a pizza party for all of the children and families that participated. So far, the response has been wonderful! I can hardly keep the families supplied with bones!! : D
Date: 2-6-00Our school recently had a family Reading Night. My preschoolers wore pajamas and brought stuffed animals for this event. I supplied hot chocolate with marshmallows. Parents were also invited to a soup supper beforehand. The teachers of classrooms and special's teachers displayed reading information hand outs for parents. In our classroom I had an array of books for the families along with props, such as; Red Riding Hood doll with that book, The Three Bears with that book, Cinderella doll with book, and "reading glasses" (sunglasses with the darkened lenses taken out) for parents and children to wear, if they so wished. All the parents filled out part of a "bookworm" which we hung in our classroom the next day. The children were amazed at how long the "bookworm" was. A fun, educational event!
1-16-00I like to do family art day with my students and there parents. It is a way for all of us to get to know each other better...We all dress in clothes we can mess up. Then be break out paint, crayons, odds and ends of string tongue depressors fuzzy balls, glue and any thing else you can think of...We award each family a prize for their creation, and then display it for the whole center to see. We have tons of fun and laughs during this time. Date: 12-11-99The very best tool we have found to make the parents feel like a team player in the center is to treat them like a team member. Value their ideas and input, and make sure that they see your inner desire to provide what is best for their child/ren by doing all that you can to provide what is closest to what they would want done at home, (within reason). ideaParent involvement is a key part of our Head Start program. To reinforce how important it is, my theme for the bulletin board in the parent room is.."Parents: The Most Important Piece of the Puzzle" Each family has a piece of a cut up poster. When they volunteer, their piece gets to be be put into the "puzzle"... My goal is the "puzzle" will be put together in the next two months. The parents LOVE it! Date: 9-29-99Name: JackieDate: 8-13-99Each month I hand out a paper asking for suggestions and ideas that are age appropriate for our class. This includes art, inside activities, outside play and field trips. I may not always utilize these ideas, but I have incorporated some into the curriculum. It also helps parents feel they have some input in their child's learning environment. I also hand out an evaluation slip on a monthly basis. This paper asks for feedback on the curriculum, classroom management and teaching strategies. It is a very useful tool of assessment for myself and another form of communication for parents. A monthly newsletter that includes the calendar for the month helps to keep busy parents informed. Date: 8-12-99Home/School Connection Folder All Pre-K classes at our school use the same system to communicate with parents through a daily folder. Each child has a duotang folder (folder with two pockets and 3 prongs in the middle) that he/she takes back and forth from school and home daily.The front of the folder is labeled with a "Home/School Connection Folder" sticker as well as the child's name. Our school handbook stays in the middle of the notebook secured by the prongs. It is there for easy referral of policies, etc. for parents. The pocket on the left side is labeled "Notes". ALL notes going home to parents are put in this pockets. ALL notes, lunch money, etc. sent to school should be in this same pocket. The other pocket is labeled "Book". The children choose a classroom library book to take home each day. This system has been great for us. It teaches the children responsibility in bring the folder to school each day. No more digging in bookbags! IT's all in the folder! These folders cost about .20 each. We usually replace the folders mid-year. Date: 4-18-99At my childs school, they put out a parent calendar,instead of a parent handbook and monthly calendars to the parents. Parents can see when most meetings and committees meet throughout the yearand can plan accordingly, espically when they are trying to arrange their work schedule. We rely on parent input at parent meetings and volunteering in the class room, so the parents have really liked the parent calendar. Also, it contains all the info about the program, like when not to send your child to school, storm closing announcements(where to get them)What the children are learning that month and all of the other things that are usually in a parent handbook. It works great!!! 7-5-98 Name: Cathie E-Mail: keillorc@quoin.cqu.edu.au In Australia, we are currently having a very significant focus placed upon partnerships. With parents, as with all partners, we must utilize authentic communication. Do you set aside a special time to talk to parents ? Or do you just focus on the children ? Both parties are part of a whole family and it is important not to forget that. Distance is usually an important factor that we must overcome. Teachers here have found that boomerang books (books that return each day to school) are useful tools for recording questions, comments, newsletters and commendations for each family and for the family to stay in contact with the teacher. 6-13-98 Name: Angie E-Mail: Ang2511@aol.com After the parents have done something special for our class, such as attending a field trip, volunteering to read at storytime, sending in something that we had requested, then we honor them with a "Parent Participation Certificate". It is a very simple certificate that I made by using borders on the computer and it just states: This certifies that ______ has participated in ________on this______day of ______. Thank you for your time, effort, and support. We value you as a parent." This really seems to make the parents feel like what they have done is important to us, and it is!!!! We keep a record at who has received the most certificates. At our end-of-the-year party, we honor that parent with a small token of our appreciation. We try to match that parent's personality with whatever gift we choose. This kind of recognition seems to be appreciated by all and the child of that parent is sooooo proud! :) 3-26-98 Topics For Parent Education Programs A great way to build relationships with the parents in your classroom/school is to hold parent education meetings. These meeting can be a question and answer time, hands-on workshops, or informative. Here are some topics you might use: Separation Anxiety Ages and Stages of Child Development Discipline and Guidance Techniques Dealing With Children's Fears Sibling Rivalry Language and Speech Development Make and Take Art Ideas To Use At Home Dealing With Temper Tantrums Hands-on, Nutritious, Cooking Ideas To Use With Your Child The Importance of Play Good Toys For Young Children How To Make Inexpensive Toys and Equipment Make and Take Math Activities To Use At Home Etc. 3-20-98 Name: Liza E-Mail: RWixom@att.worldnet Be global. Begin with asking parents what they like to do: ie: sew, art, music, classroom, office, with their child or elsewhere, typing, cutting, running meetings, etc. Let them know that WHATEVER they have to offer is excepted and appreciated! Name: Cheryl E-Mail: Tugboat63@aol.com I post a large white paper on the entrance to my playroom. It says " What we did today" It consists of the food the children ate as well as the activities they did. It helps the parents know what their child did and they get so excited upon reading it. Name: Lee E-Mail: tlbclb@aol.com URL: http://members.aol.com/tlbclb I have a test of the learning environment in the home that parents can use to begin a discussion on how they can do better to prepare their children for school. You can get it by sending any message to family@infoback.net or at my web site at http://members.aol.com/tlbclb. Submitted by: Daylene E-Mail: aactchrday@aol.com ABC Collectibles List Here is another list of "beautiful junk" that parents can save for your classroom. A-appliance cartons, aluminum cups (from Crystal Light drink mixes), acorns B-beads, buttons, bells, big boxes, burlap, baby food jars, berry boxes C-caps, cardboard, cotton balls, corks, carpet scraps, coffee cans, christmas cards, cookie cutters, calendars D-dice, decals, dowels, doilies, dryer lint E-egg cartons F-funnels, felt scraps, fabric scraps, frames, floral foil, frosting containers G-gears, gloves, garland scraps, greeting cards H-hats, hinges, halloween costumes I-ink pads, ice trays J-jewelry, jars, juice cans K-keys L-lids, lace, laces M-monopoly money, milk lids, milk cartons, men's clothes, magazines N-newspaper, netting O-oatmeal boxes, old socks P-pie pans, post cards, pinecones, popsicle sticks, paper clips, packing cartons, peanut butter jars, puzzle pieces, Pringles cans, plastic bags (for soiled or wet clothes), paper scraps Q-quilt scraps R-rings, rocks, rope, ribbons, rick-rack, roll-on deodorant jars S-string, straws, stamps (from magazines and holiday seals), six-pack holders, seeds, spools, spoons, spatulas, spice jars, stickers, shells, scoops (from formula and juices), silk flowers T-tubes from toilet paper and paper towel rolls, tins, trim scraps, travel-size bottles and jars, toy catalogs U-utensils, uniforms V-valentines, velvet W-washers, wool, wood scraps, wallpaper scraps, wire, wet-wipes containers (especially the leggo ones) X-x-rays Y-yarn, yardsticks, yogurt cartons Z-zippers Submitted by: Daylene E-Mail: aactchrday@aol.com Ways To Involve Participating Parents In Your Classroom During circle or large group time, encourage parents to:
During centers or work time, encourage parents to:
Encourage participating parents to help with:
Submitted by: Ginny E-Mail: Msginnyedu@aol.com NEWSLETTERS & CALENDARS Most parents appreciate knowing in advance what is going on in your program. This way they are able to adjust their schedules if there is an event they would like to attend. Send home monthly calendars with Theme Info, Birthdays, Holidays and Special Events noted. Put on your calendar a special notes section and add things that are pertinent to that month: for example, "June, Please have your child wear clothes that can get dirty since we will be using outdoor centers more this month....or November, Don't forget to send in canned or packaged food for our food drive". Encourage parents (and the children to tell the parents, they are good at this), to put the calendar on the refridge, bedroom or bath door. Also try to send home weekly newsletters that give info of events that have happened or are going to happen...don't forget to use this as a means to thank parents who have volunteered or done something special for the class. Include childrens artwork or real pictures scanned on to make more personal newsletters. Submitted by: Daylene E-Mail: aactchrday@aol.com Involve parents in your program by sending home a wish list of beautiful junk they can collect for the classroom. Some examples are: Plastic milk jug lids for counting and sorting Wood scraps for wood working Fabric scraps for your art area Old pots and pans for the dramatic play area etc.... Let your imagination run wild! Submitted by: Sara E-Mail: csdavis@mcs.com Activity We have a Lunch Bunch program that meets once a month. Typically on the third Friday of each month. We have had an excellent turn out and the Lunch Bunch runs something like this: We host the program in our classroom. Mind you since we are a self-contained preschool program we have a maximum of 10 students per class. We attempted last year to combine with an EC/Kindergarten Program and use both our classrooms, but it was just too many people and too much for the kids. It is a child/parent and parent/parent interactive program, so during the Lunch part parents get to know one another through the use of name tags, children get to know one another from both classes, and parent and child can work together to make their own lunch. Parents send in one food item for the Lunch so it is a real group effort! Some of the lunches we have are: Let's see... we have made a pizza face, spiders(for Little Miss Muffet= Nursery Rhymes), love bugs(Valentine's Day), Rudolph Sandwiches(Christmas time), farm pbj, and for dessert "mud" (we had learned a song, "Pigs roll in the mud" the kids loved it!)... etc. We use our Boardmaker software and create sequencing picture strips, so children and parents can work together. The Lunch part of the program is first, then we have some sort of workshop for the parents afterward. We send out a survey to find out where their interests lie, and plan the workshops around that. First we have the lunch which takes about 20-30 minutes due to the making of the main part of the lunch. The parents send in their food item the day before so we can set up and be ready by the time they arrive for lunch the next day. We have therapists and assistants who help us prepare the tables and put on the sequence strips. Our whole team is involved: social worker, psychologist, early childhood coordinator, etc. So we have a lot of help to get ready for this major type of activity. It takes a lot of planning, a lot of preparation, and we are pretty much exhausted at the end of the day, but it is worth it to gain parent interaction, parent/child interaction, and an opportunity to educate parents in areas of interest. During the workshop portion of the program, (the parents are meeting in the school library~which has worked out great, because everyone including our librarian is out to lunch during the workshop so the library is a free space), the children stay back with us for activities and fun! Siblings are invited so it really is a whole family event. The workshop starts immediately following the lunch. Usually each Lunch Bunch revolves around a particular unit that we are doing. We plan activities for the children that center around that unit. There is also center time, where children and siblings from both classes have an opportunity to play together. The workshops last any where from 30-45 minutes. It does cut in to the afternoon class a little bit, so the PM children stay at school the rest of the afternoon, and then ride the bus home as usual. We do have some working parents, but nonetheless parents attended, when they had the Lunch Bunch schedule in advance for the entire year. We had a 100% turn out at every single one! It was wonderful! The key is parents get involved when they feel comfortable in the environment.
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