JK/SK JK/SK. Your Child s Success JUNIOR INTERMEDIATE. DURHAM DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD Quality Education Today For Tomorrow

Transcription

1 JK/SK JK/SK Let s Talk About... Your Child s Success JUNIOR INTERMEDIATE DURHAM DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD Quality Education Today For Tomorrow

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3 JUNIOR Let s Talk About Homework Ask the teacher how you can help... Does your child need extra work with reading? spelling? math? Help your child find resources; library, encyclopedia, Internet. Homework is important! Show an interest! Get involved! Work Place... Pick a fairly quiet place Have a supply box available: pens, pencils, erasers, paper, ruler and dictionary. Be available in the same general area for help if needed. Homework can happen anywhere... Quiz each other on math facts while driving in the car. Practice spelling while dinner is cooking. Try to set a regular homework time. Don t do it for them... Cheer them on. Coach and teach your child to solve his/her own homework problems: using resources calling friends rereading assignment asking teacher for help Resistance to homework is normal... Help your child to divide homework into manageable chunks. Reward each completed section with a break. Constant battles should be discussed with the teacher for help or ideas. Projects... Be involved with planning. Teach your child how to budget time. Help your child avoid the last minute rush. Plan to obtain materials and resources. Beyond Homework... (when there is no assigned homework) Play a card or board game to develop math skills. Discuss the news as your input helps the world make more sense. Read aloud to your junior child and listen to him/her read too!

4 JUNIOR Let s Talk About... Communication Talk to the teacher early... To start the year off positively. Before problems arise. Keep in touch throughout the year. Communication is the key to a positive school experience. Parents, students & teachers may use a number of tools: agenda, notes, communication book, phone, interviews, after-school appointments. Make use of agenda... For daily information For tracking assignments and events For positive comments to your child and the teacher Some issues can t wait... Call immediately about: bullying stealing fears family matters that might affect your child s learning or behavior. Encourage your child to communicate directly with the teacher... If your child is shy, help him/her to plan what to say. Pave the way with a brief note but let your child do the talking. Share Information Use a note or telephone message. For longer discussions make an appointment so the teacher can give you his/her full attention. Listen to your child... Remember he/she may not always have the full story. Be open to all sides. Keep Communication Positive - Teachers and children like good news Pass on compliments in both directions. A friendly note can make a teacher s day. Bring both concerns and positive comments to parent/teacher interviews.

5 JUNIOR Let s Talk About... Developing Responsibility Make Education a Priority... It s your child s main job. Help your child choose a sensible number of activities. Leave enough time for homework and friends. Teaching your child to be responsible takes time. Children develop responsibility by taking responsibility. Provide many opportunities to help your child grow in this area. Setting Goals - One day at a time... Help your child set attainable daily, weekly, monthly goals. Discuss how this will help with long term goals. Repeat and review often. Try these ideas... Have your child record assignments and events in an agenda and refer to it daily. Your child can check with friends to clarify homework. At home... Set up a place for school belongings. Have your child be in charge of this spot. Items should always be here unless in use. Missing Stuff? Help children label belongings. When things go missing your child can: check lost & found, office, hall, classroom or classmates If the problem is lack of responsibility, consider having your child pay for part or all of replacement. BUT everyone else did it... Your child is accountable for his/her behavior. Praise your child for resisting peer pressure. Let your child experience the consequences of good or poor choices. Be patient... The road to responsibility is a long one. Reward small steps along the way with increased trust, responsibility and lots of praise!

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7 INTERMEDIATE Let s Talk About... Homework Plan Ahead Know what s on schedule for the day and have your child plan to do homework as it fits in around practices, chores, appointments and leisure time. Plan to Work/Work to Plan Discuss with your child an appropriate place to work with supplies close at hand. Help to keep distractions minimal. Be available for help if needed. Expect homework on a regular basis. Homework at this level can be more demanding and continues to prepare the student for lifelong learning. Resource tools for homework help... Public Library CD Rom Internet Encyclopedias School Library Textbooks Parent & Family Members TV & Videos Newspapers and Magazines Read, Read, Read Encourage the use of a variety of reading materials: magazines, newspapers, comics, puzzle books, novels. Encourage your child to read to others. Be Creative Make use of wasted time such as driving to or waiting at lessons. Have your child pack a study kit and lap board for the car and take your child s backpack to appointments. Time It Set a timer for minutes and have your child work steadily for that time, then take a short break. Get Energized Provide your child with a healthy snack and lots of water to help with energy and concentration. Chunk It Help your child plan out large projects by doing smaller, more manageable segments and help to set a timeline to get the work done.

8 INTERMEDIATE Let s Talk About... Communication Emphasize the Positive... Help your child to recognize successes however small. Progress might include a better mark, trying out for a team, talking out a problem before it becomes a conflict. Communication means keeping each other informed. Parents, students and teachers can use a number of tools: agenda, notes, communication book, phone, interviews, after-school appointments. Connecting with your child Find a special moment to be with each child separately while enjoying an activity or accomplishing a task or errand. Take that time to talk and listen. Quiet Time... Take time to sit one on one with your child and listen with no other distractions. You are his/her audience. Talk it out Encourage your child to talk to the teacher about any problems or concerns before small issues become bigger. Parent-Teacher Interviews... Come prepared. Bring questions, examples of work, test papers and your child s report card. Ask your child for input on what to discuss. Include your child in a portion of the interview if possible. Mentors and Support Assist your child in knowing who to contact for help: teachers, tutors, librarians, Kids Help Line, doctor, friends, coaches, community leaders. Keep the Teacher Informed Help your child s teacher to understand if there is something happening that may interfere with concentration, completion of homework or success at school. Examples include illness, conflicts with friends, a late night or stress at home.

9 INTERMEDIATE Let s Talk About... Developing Responsibility Organization... Many schools have agendas, monthly planners or calendars. These can help organize your child s busy schedule. Put the calendars up where they can be seen and use them to track upcoming events. By the age of 12 or 13 your children probably have many responsibilities such as chores at home, preparing for sports or music or maybe even a job. Being responsible at school and home is essential for future success. Are there some things you are doing for them that they can do for themselves? Budget Time... Encourage your child to prioritize after school and evening activities such as homework, talking on the phone, visiting friends, chores and television. AGENDA Problem Solving Encourage two-way communication to help problems from getting out of hand. Share your own experiences as they relate to the problem. Allow for Mistakes Sometimes your child will forget homework, forms or lunch. Don t be too quick to jump to the rescue. We all learn from our mistakes. Things to remember- Commitment... Help your child to avoid becoming overloaded. Involvement in too many sports groups, music lessons or jobs leaves too little time for homework, rest and relaxation. Set Goals... Help your child set one or two specific goals relating to school and personal life. Help to write, revise and review his/her Annual Education Plan (A.E.P.). Homework & Projects Your child needs to do the work and see the results. Be supportive; provide resources and space to do the work but don t do the assignments for him/her.

10 Let s Talk About Teacher Talk 1. Accommodations Change made to assessment and delivery of curriculum expectations for at risk students 2. A.E.P. Annual Education Plan - planning for students Gr to identify goals and personal growth 3. Consent for Service Informed consent by the parents for outside services to support their child 4. E.A. Educational Assistant - non-teaching support for identified students 5. Expectations Set of knowledge and skills a student must display for his/ her appropriate grade level 6. I.E.P. Individual Education Plan - developed for students with special needs - addresses and monitors program delivery 7. Identified Student A student with special learning needs who has been formally recognized by an Identification Placement Review Committee (IPRC) 8. Learning Skills Skills needed for success, i.e. organization, homework, career planning 9. Modifications Change in curriculum expectations for students who are formally identified 10. O.S.R. Ontario School Record - an official record for each student that contains achievement results, credits earned and other information important to the education of the student 11. Portfolio A selection of student work showing best practices 12. Rubrics Tool for assessing student s work with clear criteria and four levels of performance 13. S.E.A.C. Special Education Advisory Committee - representatives of various parent support groups for special needs students 14. S.E.R.T. Special Education Resource Teacher - support for identified students and preparing support of at risk students for identification 15. S.C.C. School Community Council - an elected body consisting of parents, community members, administration, teachers and students - role to support school programs and initiatives JK/SK

11 School Name: Teacher s Name: Telephone: Principal s Name: Secretary s Name: Vice Principal s Name: Other staff providing support to students, school personnel and parents include: speech language pathologists, psychometrists, attendance counsellors, social workers, instructional facilitators and special education facilitators. S.E.R.T. s Name: DURHAM DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD (905) Phone Numbers: (905) Notes:

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