Transcript Slide 1

Engaging Families and Communities
in Students’ Education: Examples
from Ontario
Dr. Hélène Grégoire
May 12, 2012
Overview
Examples of parent engagement in learning:
 Parenting and Family Literacy Centres
 Parenting Circles
 Pathways to Education
Examples of parent involvement on committees
And some lessons learned…
Parenting & Family Literacy Centres
(PFLCs)
School-based programs
where
parents/caregivers and
children, birth to six
years of age, participate
together in a range of
play-based learning
activities that focus on
the optimal
development of the
whole child.
Purpose
 to support children’s early learning and
development, and lay the foundations for
successful transition to school; and
 to help engage parents/caregivers
positively with the school system.
Access
 Located in elementary
schools in high-needs
urban areas
 The program is free-ofcharge, ensuring
universal access by all
families.
 No pre-registration is
required.
Background
 The PFLC program model was developed by Mary
Gordon in Toronto in 1981
 Initially: five inner city schools of the Toronto District
School Board
 The government began funding PFLCs in 2007-08 and
has expanded the network of Centres each year
since.
Government Commitment
 As part of its Poverty Reduction Strategy (December 2008) the
government committed to increase the number of PFLCs to
300 across the province over time.
 The Parent Engagement Policy reiterated the commitment to
expand the number of PFLCs in high-needs communities.
 In the 2010-11 school year, there was a total of 475,000 visits
by children to 145 PFLCs.
 In 2011-12 the government invested $10.6 million to support
155 PFLCs
Distribution
 155 PFLCS in:
 10 English-language public boards;
 5 English-language Catholic boards;
 1 French-language public board; and
 1 French-language Catholic board.
 District school board and site selection is based on
socio-demographic census data (low income and
level of parental education).
Program Goals
 Provide a program that promotes positive parentchild interaction and supports the health and well
being of the whole child;
 Offer a family literacy program that develops early
literacy and numeracy skills which are foundational
for learning at school;
 Increase parents’ knowledge, involvement and
comfort level with schools;
 Help children transition more easily to kindergarten
by having PFLC staff, parents/caregivers and
kindergarten teachers work together;
Program Goals - Continued
 Promote discussions and share parenting
information that help to build
parents’/caregivers’ confidence and
competence;
 Provide support to parents/caregivers of
children with special needs; and
 Collaborate with the community to link
families with appropriate community
resources for special needs, health and other
related services.
A Warm and Inclusive Environment
Operations
 20 hours a week during the school day
 Funding for managerial staff, a Parent Worker,
administrative support staff, professional
development and supplies.
 Staff are hired, trained, directly supervised by, and
accountable to the district school board.
 PFLC manager’s network
Typical Day in a PFLC
8:45
– 10:00 a.m. Learning Materials and Play to
Learn*
10:00 – 10:10
Tidy Up Time
10:10 – 10:30
Snack Time
10:30 – 10:45
Gym Time/Outdoor Play
10:45 – 10:55
Shared Family Reading
10:55 – 11:15
Family Story and Music Time
11:15 – 11:45
Learning Materials
11:45 – 12:30 p.m. Kindergarten Pick Up & Lunch
Time
12:30 – 12:45
Family Story & Music Time
12:45 – 1:30
Play to Learn
1:30 – 1:45
Tidy Up Time
1:45 p.m.
Home Time
Family Story and Music Time
Program Structure
Ministry of Education provides ongoing
support, monitoring and resources to school
board personnel, including:
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Training for new centre staff and other personnel
Parent Worker Handbook
Signage and other communication materials
Regular communications with the network of
managers
 Professional development opportunity
Research Conducted by Toronto DSB
Long-term, multi-faceted positive impacts:

The odds of children who attend PFLCs with their parents/caregivers
receiving low Early Development Instrument (EDI) scores in the five
developmental areas are significantly smaller than their school peers
who have no exposure to the program (2005 & 2009).
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Young children who attended PFLCs were much more prepared for
schooling than their peers in the same schools who had not attended the
program (2005 & 2009).
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After 3 years of schooling (JK, SK and Grade 1) students who attended a
PFLC, especially those who participate regularly, are likely to perform
above the expected reading and writing levels in their mid-term grade
one report card (2009).
Findings Continued
 Students who attended PFLCs did better than their schoolmates, and than
students of the same age in other TDSB schools, on social skills (cooperation and conflict resolution), and learning skills (taking initiative,
independent work, homework completion) when assessed in Grade 1
(2009).
 Parents found their Parent Workers particularly helpful in educating and
offering them valuable information and knowledge for positive
involvement in child’s growth and education.
 Parents/caregivers who were isolated and new to the community became
more confident and comfortable:
 to form friendships and develop support networks with other parents
at the Centres;
 to interact with Parent workers, school staff, teachers and principals,
which helped to get them involved in school.
Examples of
Parents Reaching Out Regional Grants
 Spanish Speaking Education Network: Second Congress of
Education in Spanish
 Portuguese-Canadian National Congress: Parents for
Student Success
 Nishnawbe-Gamik Friendship Centre: STRIVE
 Durham District School Board: Project to remove barriers
for newcomer parents
 Ryerson University: Parenting Circles: Preparing Minority
Parents to Support School Success
Partners in Parenting Circles Project
 Dr. Judith Bernhard, Ryerson University
 Centre for Spanish Speaking Peoples
 Organization of Parents of Black Children (OPBC)
Goals of Parenting Circles
 Introduce practical strategies to help parents
effectively support and prepare their children for
success in Canadian schools;
 Foster development of parent support networks.
Examples of Strategies Used
 Authoring of books for and about their children (e.g.,
The Story of My Name, A Special Person in My Life,
and Hopes and Dreams for my Child)
 Discussion of challenges to participation; and
 Assigning of tasks that involved engagement with
school personnel
“In the Parenting Circles Project, participating
parents came to recognize that the act of expressing
their thoughts, feelings and knowledge in writing had
far-reaching benefits that they could not anticipate
for their children and went beyond the immediate
reaction they may have had. As the parents
witnessed the positive feedback from their children,
they began to fully comprehend how this was a new
tool for positive communication.”
(from Judith Bernhard’s webpage:
http://www.ryerson.ca/bernhard/research/early-authors-gallery/)
Continued Importance of Family
Engagement at the Secondary Level
Supports for fresh starts...
 Ongoing caring adults
 Ongoing engagement of families
 Community of helpers
Pathways to Education Program
Student/Parent Support Workers
A bridge between the school, the student and
the family…
More at:
http://www.pathwaystoeducation.ca/sites/default/files/pdf/Adv
ocacy%20Support%20%2021_10_10.pdf
Pathways to Education Program
Involving Parents in DecisionMaking and Advisory Roles
“Providing equitable opportunities to influence
the school’s decision making by those whose
voices typically have not been heard will lead to
significantly improved educational experiences
for diverse and disadvantaged students”
(Leithwood, 2012).
Some Examples
 Parent Involvement Committees (PICs)
 Safe School Strategy
 Urban Priority High Schools
Parent Involvement Committee (PIC)
 Acts as a direct link for parents to the director of education
and the board of trustees;
 Participates at the board level to support, encourage, and
enhance the engagement of parents in improving student
achievement and well‐being, by:
 providing information and advice to the board on parent engagement
 communicating with and supporting school councils
 undertaking activities to help parents support their children’s learning
at home and at school.
PIC Membership
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Director of Education
Trustee member
Parent members
Community members
PIC Supports
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Annual PIC Symposium
Handbook for PIC members
Base-funding
Eligible to apply for PRO grant
Safe Schools Strategy
Alternatives to suspensions and expulsions:
 Meetings with parents
 Referrals to community agencies
Safe Schools Action Teams:
 At least one parent and a community partner
 Results of school climate surveys
Urban & Priority High Schools
 34 secondary schools in high needs urban neighbourhoods
• In addition to EDU’s three priorities, the goals are to:
– improve student engagement and achievement;
– promote a safe and positive school climate; and
– improve community engagement
 Provides supports for students and their families, such as
after-school recreational programs, peer mentoring
opportunities and community information and events
 School-Community Steering Committee
Still learning about how to build a culture that
values parents as partners and sustain systemic
efforts to foster parent engagement in a
continuous and more comprehensive way.
Engaging Parents who Face Barriers:
A Few Lessons
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Beyond “deficit” thinking
Specific information and feedback
Peer-to-peer communication and networking
Communication in parents’ first language
Outreach materials in which families see themselves
Meeting parents where they live and work
Outreach through community organizations
Help navigating the education system
Addressing social, economic and physical barriers
Connecting families to services
Strengthening understanding of teachers
Acknowledgements
Learning Environment Branch, Ontario Ministry
of Education