pie_project

Parent Involvement as Educator

Thornwood Public School is participating in another action research project in conjunction with Dr. Sandra Schecter of York University and Dr. Jim Cummins of OISE (University of Toronto).

This project, which will continue to forge a stronger home-school connection, has three main objectives:

to familiarize parents with the Canadian education system and with school and provincial expectations for their children's academic performance and involve them in a participatory and advocacy role
to enhance the learning and achievement of all students through collaboration between parents and schools
to facilitate the ESL/ELD parents' acquisition of English

The project will enable the establishment, support, and study of programs that provide English literacy instruction to ESL parents as well as to their children. The research team will:

focus on creating and supporting the instructional programs and fostering the home-school connection
evaluate the effectiveness of simultaneous inter-generational literacy acquisition and its impact on family relationships

Published article on PIE:
Diversity as a Resource: Multiculturalism in Practice in a Mississauga School

Fall Session
2004

Winter Session
2005

Spring Session
2005

Fall Sessions

Date	Focus	Handout	Web Links
September 28	PIE Information Night Dr. S. Schecter, York Professor Mrs. D. Knowlton, Principal	A Poem to Parents	Parent Involvement as Educator
October 5	Reading With Your Child Dr. J. Ippolito, Projector Director Mrs. P. Chow and Mrs. P. Sastri, Teachers	Recipe for Reading with Your Child and Talking About the Story Why Early Reading Matters	Helping your child learn to read – A parent's guide Link to Learning - Language
October 12	Guide to the Ontario School System Mrs. D. Knowlton Dr. S. Schecter	Teaching and Learning in Ontario Classrooms Available in 18 languages	Newcomers' Guide to Elementary School (Public School Board)
October 19	The Ontario Report Card Diane Knowlton, Mrs. L. Sliz, Ms. B. Wong, and Mrs. P. Chow, Teachers	Learning English The Report Card How the Work of ESL and ELD Students is Evaluated on the Report Card Available in 18 languages Learning Skills Guidelines for Grading	The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1–8 English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development - A Resource Guide, 2001 Guide to the Provincial Report Card
October 26	The Parent - Teacher Interview Mrs. D. Knowlton Dr. S. Schecter	Parent - Teacher Interview Available in 18 languages Three Questions	Working with your child's teacher
November 2	Promoting Your Child's Writing Mrs. L. Coombes, Resource Teacher	Raising Readers and Writers
November 9	Coping with Stress Mr. T. Kopalasingam, Settlement Worker	Help your family develop ways to cope with stress
November 16	Boost Language Skills Dr. Ippolito, PIE project director Video: Booktime	Language Learning in a Multilingual School How to use your first language to help boost language skills	Dual Language Showcase International Languages at Peel District School Board International Children's Digital Library
November 23	Mathematics Ms. T. McNeely Thornwood's Primary Mathematics Lead Teacher Padma Sastri Marilyn Burns' video: Mathematics: What Are You Teaching My Child?	Help your child succeed in math Turn math into family fun Problem Solving Model Problem Solving Strategies Math Bibliography	Helping your child learn math – A parent's guide Link to Learning - Mathematics
November 30	Grade Two Curriuculum Resources - Literacy Across the Curriculum (Fiction and Non-Fiction) Ms. J. Black, Ms. N. Dhillon, Mrs. S. Graham, Ms. M. Puglia Ms. T. McNeely	Celebration of Home-School Partnership (PIE) Participants' Certificates and Feedback Sheets	Lessons from the Geese Publishers: Harcourt Canada Thomson Nelson Pearson Education Canada Scholastics Canada

Winter Sessions

Date	Focus	Handout	Web Links
February 1	EQAO Grade Three Teachers: Mrs. D. Karai Ms. A. Shiraishi Mrs. J. Steen Ms. J. Vsetula Mrs. D. Knowlton		Education Quality and Accountablility Office
February 8	Reading Ms. S. Lloyd Resource Teacher	Peel's Comprehension Posters 1 Poster 2	Helping your child learn to read – A parent's guide Link to Learning - Language International Children's Digital Library Origami Frog
February 15	Mathematics Ms. T. McNeely Thornwood's Primary Mathematics Lead Teacher	Ms. McNeely's Presentation Turning Math into Family Fun	Peel's Fourth Annual Parent's Conference Please see handouts for web sites
February 22	Writing Mrs. L. Coombes Resource Teacher
March 1	The Ontario Report Card and The Parent - Teacher Interview Mrs. D. Knowlton Dr. S. Schecter Mrs. L. Sliz, Ms. B. Wong, and Mrs. P. Chow, Teachers	Learning English The Report Card How the Work of ESL and ELD Students is Evaluated on the Report Card Available in 18 languages Learning Skills Guidelines for Grading The New Provincial Report Card	The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1–8 English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development - A Resource Guide, 2001 Guide to the Provincial Report Card Helping Your Child With Homework Helping Your Child Succeed in School
March 8	CELEBRATIONS	Celebration of Home-School Partnership (PIE) Participants' Certificates and Feedback Sheets	Thomson Nelson Mathematics Grade 3

Spring Sessions

Date	Focus	Handout	Web Links
March 29	Family Matters: Parent Involvement as Educator Diane Knowlton - Principal Dr. Schecter - York University Dr. Ippolito - York University Alison Shiraishi, Patricia Chow	Parent Involvement and Good Communication with the Teacher The Power of a Second Language	Starfall Learn to Read Audio Books On-Line International Children's Digital Library
April 26	Turn Math Into Family Fun Ms. T. McNeely Thornwood's Primary Mathematics Lead Teacher Ms. K. Daoust and Ms. R. Zagakos Floradale Teachers	Ms. McNeely's Presentation Helpful Hints for Parents Turn Math Into Family Fun Explore Math Through Children's Literature Mathematics - Literature Connections Help Your Child Succeed in Math (English) Help Your Child Succeed in Math (Urdu)	Links to Learning - Mathematics Interactive Math Site For All 5 Math Strands PDSB's Math OnLine Fun Activities Reinforcing Math Skills Helping your child learn math – A parent's guide
May 3	Reading Aloud With Your Child Ms. S. Lloyd Resource Teacher
May 10	Supporting Your Child's Writing Mrs. A. Chiacchia Early Literacy Teacher	Mrs. Chiacchia's Presentation	Story Mapping
May 17	Discover the Fun in Science	Discover the Fun in Science How Science Books Are Written Mrs. Chow's Presentation	Science Websites Musical Glasses Air Takes Up Space Lifting Lever Lifting Lever Recording Sheet Whirly Copter
May 24	Use Your First Language to Help Boost Language Skills Dr. Ippolito, PIE project director	Language Learning in a Multilingual School How to use your first language to help boost language skills	Dual Language Showcase International Languages at Peel District School Board International Children's Digital Library Planet Tolerance
May 31	CELEBRATIONS	Celebration of Home-School Partnership (PIE) Participants' Certificates and Feedback Sheets	Scholastics Canada

Cross Generational Interactive Tutoring led by P. Sastri

T.L.Kennedy students/volunteers were trained as reading buddies to help support the grade two students' use of reading and comprehension strategies including:

using cover and illustrations to predict story
shared discussion about story
reading and talking about books in first language
making connections
five finger rule for choosing appropriate text
asking questions
reflecting on possible solutions to problems in story

Results of the previous collaboration are highlighted in:

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