Background

Throughout all my teaching positions, I have had many parents ask for ideas, advice, and suggestions for things to do with their child at home. Why are they asking this? This has encouraged me to try to close the gap between home and school. I feel that there are many occasions where the success of my students could be improved, rather than hindered, if I had more opportunities to work along with their parents, I would like to improve the communication and create a team approach with parents. I need to look at how I can further the success of my students by providing ideas for activities at home.

At a Kindergarten Conversation meeting, Christine Stewart asked if there might be anyone interested in working with a team of other teachers to look at improving literacy skills and homebased activities. I knew at that point I wanted to join the group. I began working with Sandra Hedley and Patricia Smith, under the leadership of Christine Stewart with the Grand Erie District School Board. We each are completing our own research projects.

My Steps Taken

I began journaling my thoughts and ideas before developing a plan of what I needed to do. It was necessary to get together with my team of colleagues for support and discuss what we wanted to do in our own classrooms. At this point I was able to develop an approach I wanted to take.

I initiated a parent-volunteer opportunity within my classroom. Each willing parent had the chance to sign up and volunteer in my classroom. The schedule permitted each parent to come in once a month in the morning. Each parent would be introduced to a variety of activities and be given the chance to work with children other than their own. It allowed them an opportunity to see how their child compared to the class, but more importantly, to see the wide variety of strengths and weaknesses that all children have. They could see from one visit to the next how each child had progressed and what the children needed to practice.

Parent Feedback

One parent said, "I left yesterday depressed when I saw how far behind my son was. Then I realized that he is only four years old and I don't need to expect him to print his name and do all that stuff."

One parent questioned, "Does my daughter act like that all the time?"

Another parent stated, "I noticed that my son is not at the same spot as others. Should I be doing something at home?"

"I don't know what you talked about in class yesterday, but my daughter came home and wanted to write down all the upcoming events on our calendar. You must have been excited about the activities too."

After listening to the feedback from parents, I felt that my excitement was overflowing onto my students and to their parents. It was important to me that the parents were able to see how their child was doing compared to the whole class. I didn't have to preach at them to continue to work at home. They could see the proof. Practice and reinforcement is very necessary for the development and success of their child.

I began adding a section in each monthly newsletter entitled, "What can I do to help at home?" Each month I suggested activities that would review and supplement the topics and discussions we would be having in class. My principal made a point of letting me know that she felt it was a great idea and replied, "Those are wonderful tips to the parents. It is simple and yet useful to them. We know this stuff but they may not." I have not received any verbal feedback from the parents on how useful my newsletters were to them. I felt it was a useful procedure even if I didn't get verbal encouragement from the parents. I have taken the extra initiative to provide helpful tips and communication to equip parents with meaningful activities and ideas to help bridge the gap between home and school. I plan to continue this endeavour next year.

I sent a survey home to parents to complete. It was a very quick and simple survey informing them that I am part of an action research project and would appreciate their comments on a few items. I asked them specifically to rate the effectiveness of my communication links between school and their home(i.e. our school newsletter, classroom newsletter, phone calls, notes, bookbag, etc). I asked for their suggestions on where I could do things differently to help them more. I received five of twenty-two surveys. Most said they had tried a few of the suggestions sent home via class newsletter, but did not expend beyond that. One parent mentioned that the school newsletter does not take into consideration some things that get missed i.e. the upcoming theme day and special days. These special dates were not always placed in the newsletters but just announced at bus time. Her comment was, "Kindergarten children do not always remember to share these types of tidbits when it is only announced at bus time". Another parent suggested that there could be more flash cards and books sent home. Three of the five said they read something with their child every night.

I provided a free lunch for my ten parent volunteers to come in and chat and review volunteer information. Five stated they would be coming but by lunch only one parent came. It was a very busy time of the year(December). The only parent was very nervous and concerned that she was the only one. No feedback was received during this session. If I would try this again, I would do it in a less hectic month for all involved. I would provide more verbal and printed notice to the parents. I would be more inclined to do it during an after school session rather than at lunch.

I developed a "Student Star" homework/book bag for all the students to participate in. Most of the Senior Kindergarten students enjoyed their book bag homework. They loved getting a new book to take home and being able to read it to an adult. After they felt confident and had practiced it at home, they would bring it back, read it to an adult and get a sticker. The Junior Kindergarten students had a fun bag that was circulating each night with a different student. Inside was a music CE, a book on tape, fun activity booklets, books, tracers, and a variety of fun stuff. Inside the bag was a journal notebook in which they could write and/or draw about something they wanted to sare with the class. They were asked to return the bag and read their journal page to the class. In both homework bag projects, it allowed me to see if the parents watned to sahre in a sit-down time with their child. It was a way to help busy parents have a "Grab bag of fun stuff" to use and have good quality time with their child without wasting time to collect materials. The children's excitement lures their parents to participate in their activity, with no preaching done on my part. It proved to be a useful tool that all students enjoyed and shared with the class. This was another link I was able to make between home and school to encourage learning and review concepts taught in class.

Parent Feedback

• After taking home the "Student Star" bag, one mother stated, "Thank you for letting my daughter bring the take-hone bag last week. We had a great time exploring and doing the activities together. My daughter went to bed with the bag on her back. She walked around like a little princess the whole day and evening."
• Another reply given was, "We enjoyed trying the activities in the bag and spending time together."
• "What a great idea," another parent explained.

I felt that this became one of the favourite activities that the students, parents, and I enjoyed. It didn't take long to gather the supplies and organize a fun bag of curriculum challenge. I plan to continue this again next year, with theme bags that can circulate throughout the school year. I would like to try a parent bag to support the parents. I would fill it with informational books and videos with helpful tips in raising children that will have popular authors and tricks/games to help parents.

My Personal Learning

I have consulted with fellow colleagues, guest speakers, and administrators this school year. During these times I would listen for feedback, advice, ideas, and suggestions, that would be beneficial to my students. I have had the opportunity to attend a one-day action research seminar with Jack Whitehead, University of Bath. I enjoyed the ideas and enthusiasm shared. I was also able to attend the Ontario Educational Research Council's Annual Conference in 2001, cosponsored by the Grand Erie District School Board and acquired a joy and an enthusiasm for research and improving my personal teaching practices. I joined a group of Dunnville kindergarten teachers. We encouraged each other by sharing handouts, frustrations, and receiving feedback/suggestions from one another.

I have been able to collect resource materials from other teachers, sign out resource books from libraries, and search the internet for ideas and strategies that have been educational and very helpful. The only discouraging part was finding the time to sit and read these helpful tips and keep up with my teaching demands.

My action research group had the opportunity to share our action research projects with a group of approximately thirty primary teachers at a professional development day at the end of the school year. Pat, Sandra, and I shared the things we had tried and tested this year in our classrooms. We received a lot of positive comments from this workshop.

Workshop Feedback

• "I can't wait to try these ideas out. Great workshop."
• "I always expect to find one new idea to try in my classroom, but you gave lots of neat ideas. Thanks for the great workshop."
• "Don't get discouraged about your only volunteer parent coming out to your luncheon. It was their loss."
• "How many years have you been teaching kindergarten? I can't believe all your ideas. This is my first year and I am just trying to stay afloat with everything. You had a lot of great ideas."

I wasn't excited about sharing my techniques with fellow colleagues, but I found it beneficial for my own self-confidence and reassurance. It was useful to me to know that my ideas were making a difference and other teachers wanted to try them too. We have been asked to present our presentation agin for the Summer Institutes and the Professional Development Day in October next year. I am actually looking forward to sharing my research findings. If it helps my fellow colleagues save time and have valuable tips and handouts to give to their parents, then this has been well worth the time and effort for me and them.

Conclusions

Can/Do I facilitate communication between home and school by involving home-based activities for the success of my students?

Yes! I have discovered that there are all kinds of ways to share and communicate with parents but I can only do so much and trust that they will grab the baton and carry on the home-based activities. It is only when both home and school are working together with the child that we will have the greatest success. I can only hope that as the parents talk and share their excitement of what is happening in their home, that it will spur on another parent, also.

My wish is that the ideas shared with the parents will spread to other parents so that they also seethe importance in it. I want to provide them with the tools to support them and encourage them.

There are so many after-school activities and things going on at home, it challenges all parents to find the time to spend together reading and doing homework. Their child's development and growth depends on them encouraging a "togetherness" between home and school.