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stories from three centers Hilltop YMCA CUL Moeller Hilltop Preschool
Literacy as an Avenue for Family Engagement
What do you know or notice about children whose families are involved and engaged with school activities?
“Increases in family involvement in the school predict increases in literacy achievement.”1
“Family involvement in school matters most for children at greatest risk.”1
“Lack of parental involvement is the biggest problem facing public schools.”2
What does research say about family involvement?
If lack of parent involvement is a big problem in schools, what can we do about it? What are ways we can get families involved to help with student success?
Hilltop YMCA Katrina Hacker
Columbus Urban League – Moeller Suzanne Schwartz
Hilltop Preschool Marianne Mitchell
Stories of Family Literacy Day/Night from Three Centers
Hilltop YMCA Preschool
Center Demographics
Center Times are 2 ½ hours /day either 2,3,or 5 days per week
Total enrollment from 2013/2014 school year 56 children
3 different classes Funding is all private pay with subsidy
available through the YMCA or United Way
Fall Literacy Night
Every year we bring the families together for a family night. This year we decided to hold a family night dedicated to sharing some of the current research
and best practice around language and literacy development.
Teachers wanted to model quality, intentional interactions with children focusing on some specific
literacy strategies- Interactive reading and writing, letter identification, and hearing sounds
in words. Mostly we wanted the children and families to engage in literacy rich activities and enjoy
being together as a way to reinforce the important partnership between parent, child and teacher.
Communication
EMAILS
NEWSLETTERS
Community Outreach
Email local Kindergarten Teachers
Evening Literacy Plan
Interactive writing Letters to Santa
Interactive Reading with a Written Response
Letter Identification
Letter Sound
Reflections
“The part that I enjoy most was seeing caregivers interact with their children” –Ms. Jenny
“I was writing letters” – Reese “I was writing” – Fritz “When I think back to Literacy Night the image
that stands out most is of Dilon sitting in the train with his Grandmother listening to the Polar Express” – Ms. Connie
We're sorry that we will miss this, but we have a Christmas party that night...I hope you have a good time and thank you for doing this for everyone. It's really nice that you guys offer so many activities for the kids and families. Thanks! - Scott
Changes
{Suzanne Schwartz
Columbus Urban League – Moeller
{
Family Literacy Day
Hilltop Preschool Columbus
Total enrollment of 58 students for 2013/2014
2.5 Hours per day, Tuesday – Friday Funding through private donations, Grants
and ODE Expansion Grant 90% of Families are under 100% of poverty Average educational level of mothers is
10th grade 68% of students scored below average on
GRTR Assessment Average income of families is less than
$10,000
Center Demographics
Have Fun Family Engagement Empowerment for Families Improve Basic Literacy Skills and
Foundations
Goals of Family Literacy Day
Logistical Details
Morning and afternoon class attended at separate times
5 stations with a teacher or literacy coach at each Parents and extended family invited Enjoy meal together Send activities for parents & children to do at home
Bingo Cards
Fun activities! Repeatable activities- rhyming cards vs.
worksheet Relational activities- something parent
and child can enjoy together Big picture ideas and practical tips
Take Home Folders
Rhyming Memory
Rhyming Memory
Directions for playing Rhyming Memory Additional rhyming picture cards Ideas for extension & Individualization
Odd Man Out Rhyming Go Fish Guess My Card
Take Home Folder
ABC Bingo
Additional Bingo Cards & Call sheet ABC Book list Ideas for teaching letters
Start with name Sing ABC song Sensory ideas for learning letters like in
sand, with play doh, finger paint
Take Home Folder
Read Aloud ~ Interactive Reading
Read Aloud ~ Interactive Reading
Ideas on how to reference print Long words, short words, upper case and
lowercase letters Pointing to each word
Ideas to extend reading Retell story Draw favorite part of story Discuss what happened in the beginning,
middle, and end of the story.
Take Home Folder
Make Your Own Valentines
Make Your Own Valentines
Continuum of children’s writing Ways to support writing at home
Making a writing box that includes materials for writing
Draw a self portrait and pictures of family Keep a simple journal. Discuss what your rules are at home. Have
your child help you write them down. Ask them what they think the rules should be and write them down.
Write a note to a friend or family member
Take Home Folder
Your Name in a Heart
Your Name in a Heart
Your Name in a Heart
Prizes!
Lots of Books! Writing tablets, note pads, construction
paper Markers, crayons Pencils, colored pencils Play doh Finger puppets Stuffed Animals
What we learned…
Fun and Smiles High Family
Engagement High Family
Participation Since then, held a
Super Science Day, Math Madness, Easter Family Day
Informal opportunities for parents to come and read with children at the end of the day
Take a moment to jot down the strengths of your center/class.
Jot down also the areas of weakness related to literacy.
How could you adjust what you’ve heard about today to meet the needs of your center?
What ideas/experiences do you think your students could benefit from?
Who could you recruit to help? Teachers? Parents? Volunteers?
Now what?
Planning Resources
http://www.readingresource.net/ “Dedicated to helping children learn to read”
http://www.pre-kpages.com/familynight/ Low-Cost Pre-Made Family Night Printables Many other Pre-K resources too!
http://www.fcrr.org/for-educators/sca.asp Florida Center for Reading Research
Rhyming Memory Match Cards are from this website http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2011/0
7_Jul_css/index.html
Dr. Jean’s Parent Pak and Related Resources http://www.getreadytoread.org/
Skill Building Activities related to the GRTR Assessment
1 http://www.hfrp.org/family-involvement/publications-resources/family-involvement-in-school-and-low-income-children-s-literacy-performance
2 http://michigan.gov/documents/Final_Parent_Involvement_Fact_Sheet_14732_7.pdf
References
