Parent Communication and Education Enriching Immersion Education: Tips for your Teacher Toolbox August 4-5, 2010 Glendale Spanish Immersion Elementary School Mabel Ramos, Liliana Nuñez, Becca McBride

Parents can be your greatest support or your worst nightmare…

Parent Tips Establish positive rapport. Exceed expectations. Avoid problems before they happen.

Parent Tips Communicate, communicate, communicate. Establish a positive reputation. Learn how to say “I’m sorry.”

Establish Positive Rapport Phone calls before the start of school. “I love you” pictures after the first week.* Remember names.* Positive body language. Oreo approach.*

Ethan – We’re so glad you’re in our class this year. We love you! Sras. McBride and Martinez

Name Memory Activity 1.Pay attention (look at them for 3 seconds) 2.Imagine name written in bright letters around their head (3 seconds) 3.Write their name with free hand

Oreo Approach

The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people. Theodore Roosevelt

Share Time Options Share an idea about establishing positive rapport on a post it. OR Reflect with a teammate at your table. OR Add something to your toolbox.

Exceed Expectations Encouraging calls during 1 st semester Encouragement tracking Under promise / Over deliver

Share Time Options Share an idea about exceeding expectations on a post it. OR Reflect with a teammate at your table. OR Add something to your toolbox.

Avoid Problems Before They Happen Parent feedback forms Class website* Provide ideas and resources for parent help Frequent meetings Goal setting –Student for student –Parent for student –Teacher for student

Share Time Options Share an idea about avoiding problems before they happen on a post it. OR Reflect with a teammate at your table. OR Add something to your toolbox.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate Parent list-serves / groups Newsletters* reminders Informative parent videos* Post relevant documents to website Parent teacher conferences –Student adjectives* –Progress reports

NEWSLETTER – Sra. Nuñez: 5th grade Parents, Please see the link for homework, instructions in English and Spanish for the Native American Project along with links with information on tribes. There is a geography test this week! See link for details (both are the same). This week’s overview Social Studies: last week we created a web of what the kids knew about Native Americans and students created questions of what they wanted to know. This week students will select tribe and will start the research process. This project is a combination of class work and homework so it is very important that we work together in making sure your child is gathering the information required for the project. Students need to have information on their tribe to work at school. -Test on the US physical map and we will possibly start working with latitude and longitude concepts this week. Students will receive their grade on their map on Tuesday and Wednesday so they can show you. If they do not have it, they did not turn it in. Spanish: we will start reading together “Tonweya y las águilas” a Lenape story which is tied to our Native American unit of study, students will work with vocabulary, grammar concepts (plurals, plurals with í-ú). Usually these readings take us about 2 or 3 weeks. -Students will have their priority list of Spanish words (this means words they always have to spell correctly ALL the time). -Daily Language Review: We will finish it this week and we will have a test next week. -Reader’s Workshop: While reading “Tonweya y las águilas” we will work on Spanish vocabulary and problem and solution. -We will continue reading “Marianela” and will start character analysis. -Writer’s Workshop: we will work on planning the plot of the story. Students will start writing their first story in Spanish. AR books: I have seen a few students who do not have their AR books. I have told them it is part of their reading grade to be prepared (have a book). We will finish presentations about our own families this week.

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Share Time Options Share an idea about communication on a post it. OR Reflect with a teammate at your table. OR Add something to your toolbox.

Homework Homework helpline Accommodations / time homework Planners Parent signatures Homework calendars* Online support*

Provide Extra Support Homework club Reading club Tutoring Summer remediation

Establish a Positive Reputation Learn How to Say “I’m Sorry”

Share Time Options Share an idea about homework, apologies, or establishing a positive reputation on a post it. OR Reflect with a teammate at your table. OR Add something to your toolbox.

Teacher needs to fully understand and communicate program and benefits so parents will be committed Share research Share long-term outlook Back to school night Information night –Initial –Follow-up Validating the Program

Parent Volunteers Organizational strategies –Point person –Volunteer calendars –Volunteer information packet for routine tasks

Parent Volunteers Possible tasks –copies –assemble books and packets –vocabulary cards –bulletin boards –cutting laminating –send home items for prep –classroom makeovers

Web Resources Check

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