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Transitions from middle to high school
Transitions from middle to high school
Transitions from middle to high school
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Curriculum Night Reflection
Reflection
On Thursday, August 13, 2015, Nash Central Middle School hosted a Curriculum Night for all rising 6th grade students and parents. The evening took place from 5:30-7:00p.m. with a tremendous turn-out. Historically, few EC students and parents attend this event; however, this year 11 of the 36 EC students attended.
The evening began with a very brief address from our principal in the gym, followed by time for parents and students to meet the teachers in the classroom setting. In an effort to facilitate a smooth transition from elementary school to middle school, the purpose of curriculum night included acquainting students and parents with their teachers and providing useful information regarding the learning environment. The evening included a looping Powerpoint presentation outlining the schedule, classroom expectations and procedures, first week expectations and a general information about Nash Central Middle School. The evening also afforded time to review schedules, discuss the first week expectations, reassure worried parents and nervous students and share the supply list as well.
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Compared to similar events the previous 2 years, this year’s attendance likely doubled. As an educator, I recognize the importance for parental involvement. Additionally, showing up to this event with your child signifies a level of commitment and investment in education which can only positively impact student performance and behavior. “Children with actively engaged and supportive parents receive a strong message about their level of motivation and commitment” (Heacox, 2012). Furthermore, the parents expressed a desire to help their children bridge the transition to middle
National Coalition for Parental Involvement in Education is responsible for ensuring that the parents learn about why this integration is necessary. As the old saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child; it takes the school along with the parents, to make these changes happen. The parents have to motivate their students to want to do better, to want to increase their test scores and their overall school performance. Some parents do not realize that they’re their children’s number one key to their success. Getting their children to develop their attitude and motivate them to do better. The schools can help communicate this need to the parents
Warren, Hong, Rubin and Uy (2009) encourage teachers to take a slow approach to engaging with parents/carers and do it in a more authentic way through meaningful conversations. Even a short, five-minute conversation can help “1. Make a personal connection 2. Share your hopes and concerns about the student 3. Leave a lasting impression” (Major, 2008, p. 318). Major (2008) offers another way to engage parents/carers, by holding a ‘gala’ night with awards, food and an exhibition of student work and including other classes or even the whole
Working with district personnel and curriculum specialist to ensure that teacher have the correct curriculum can provide foundational concepts of the standards. Through conversations of data teachers and leaders alike can visualize and analyze strengths and weakness. With grade level and department meeting the conversation of curriculum mastery need to be taking place to understand the foundational expectations of that subject for the students. As an educational leader, I must ensure that these conversations are taking place to promote the rigorous and well-rounded programs within the school.
A planning committee of school staff member’s needs be put into place for planning family engagement events. Committee members need to keep in mind the culture, ethnic, socioeconomics, family work schedules, and transportation options. Engagement events should vary in its time of day, and cost (if there is one) through the year to allow families to attend that may not have the typical work hours or income to patriciate in events that would have a cost.
Many parents have multiple children, while working a nine to five job, attending family activities and meetings, and staying on top of bills and home duties. Family life can get hectic and parents may not take the time to realize their importance in their child’s academics. Some parents may be too busy, and others may simply not care, but their involvement in their children’s life is essential. Whether parents or children realize it, involvement of parents in children’s lives positively affects their children’s academic success at all grade levels, including elementary, high school, and even college.
As the semester finally approaches the finish line, I revisit my past work to compare and contrast how this class has developed me into a successful writer at the college level. Throughout the year my writing style has developed and become broader as I have learned how to incorporate more of my personal views as well as reliable, unbiased information. This portfolio is a representation of how many things I have learned along the way while being an English 102 student.
This is when we need to step up and help the parent and the child so they don’t fall through the cracks of the education system. We need to increase parent involvement in each child education. Increasing parent involvement, begins with education the parents. Parents don’t realize or know how to get involved with their child’s education. There are many ways families can be involved in the education process. The parent is the child’s most valuable teacher for their whole life. The most benefit this will bring to the families is confidence. Teachers need to help the parents know that they can assist in their child’s education and can help them at home. There are workshops and training to help families get involved. The key is to offer incentives to the training to help increase the parent’s attendance, Communication is the one key with the parents. In today’s socially they are many ways to stay in contact with parents because of technology by email, text, or social media. Invite parent to come to the classroom and volunteer and see firsthand what a day look like for their child in the classroom. Have different events that will increase parents interest and eventually great participation. Another idea could be to send home activities that encourages family involvement. This can be activity that have the parents engage with each other and can be short and dynamic. The
Looking back over the course of the semester, I feel that I learned many new and interesting uses for technology within the classroom – both for classrooms that have a lot of technology and for classrooms that are limited with technology. For the majority of the class, we utilized William Kists’ book The Socially Networked Classroom: Teaching in the New Media Age (2010), which provided multiple modes of instruction that both utilized and/or created technology. One of the first things that I remember, and consequently that stuck with me through the course’s entirety, is that individuals must treat everything as a text. Even a garden is a text. The statement made me change the way that I traditionally viewed Language Arts both as a student and as a teacher, as I very narrowly saw literature and works of the like as texts only; however, by considering nearly anything as a text, one can analyze, study, and even expand his/her knowledge. Kist (2010) states that society is “experiencing a vast transformation of the way we “read” and “write,” and a broadening of the way we conceptualize “literacy” (p. 2). In order to begin to experience and learn with the modern classroom and technologically advanced students, individuals must begin to see new things as literature and analyze those things in a similar manner.
Wilson, G. (2011, March 1). Parental Engagement- Oxford School Improvement. Retrieved March 20, 2012, from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqxYooapk6k
Recent studies on parental involvement in education have found that there are many benefits for both the student and the adult when parents become involved in their children’s education. Without parent support, it is very difficult for a child to be motivated. From what I have seen growing up, only a small percentage of students are self-motivated, so it is absolutely vital that parents assist in the motivation process. I found this table to be particularly interesting and important.
The support of a parent is the single most important factor in predicting success in school for young children (Bourquin). Parents who make it a point to get involved with the child’s education are communicating the importance of education to their child (Heffer). There are a variety of ways in which a parent can get involved. This can range from at home help and encouragement with homework, attending athletic ...
Since then, Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction has been a standard reference for anyone working with curriculum development. Although not a strict how-to guide, the book shows how educators can critically approach curriculum planning, studying progress and retooling when needed. Its four sections focus on setting objectives, selecting learning experiences, organizing instruction, and evaluating progress. Readers will come away with a firm understanding of how to formulate educational objectives and how to analyze and adjust their plans so that students meet the objectives. Tyler also explains that curriculum planning is a continuous, cyclical process, an instrument of education that needs to be fine-tuned.
Parent involvement is one of the most influential aspects of student motivation. The parents are the initial teachers of the child before the child goes to school and encounters education through a teacher. If a parent is completely engaged in the learning process with a child, there can be growth between the child and the parent simultaneously. The parents set an example for the child, so that the child understands that help is in the classroom and at home. Alma Wright, a first and second grade teacher, believes that parents in the classroom are a good way to stimulate children. She says, “Their active participation is a positive influence. The school is open for parents to share their talents and motivate their children” (Drew, Olds, and Olds, 1974, p. 71).
Involving parents with school activities will benefit the school parent and the child. Teachers will have more help and will know the children closely if the parents are involved. Children feel happy and secure to see their parents around and it makes them confident too. We can start the involvement by inviting parents as volunteers for story reading and school outings. The importance of parental involvement is stressed in Lev Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory which states parents, caregivers, peers, and the culture at large were responsible for developing higher order functions. On the other hand, parents will also have a sense of inclusion in their child’s development process. Parents will share more family time and bonding with their young kids which supports the child’s psychological needs
Overall my experience of being in Lingleville ISD was a great experience that allowed me to learn a lot not only about the students in the classroom, but also helped me learn a lot about myself. Going in to this classroom I expected to only learn things about classroom management and maybe a few strategies. After spending a few days in this room I learned many other things. I did learn about classroom management but I also learned about content, strategies, organization, lesson planning, and inclusion adaptations. I learned that an inclusion special education student can really thrive being in a mainstream classroom, not only academically but also socially. It was a wonderful learning opportunity to get to be a part of that. My mentor teacher