1. How we prepare our kids for big school. Dana Smith Bader & Hannah Young, authors of Rainbow Readiness Engaging parents in the school-readiness process.

2. Welcome! Dana Smith Bader and Hannah Young Authors of Rainbow Readiness – The complete guide to getting your little ones ready for school.

3. Parental Engagement higher pupil engagement lower drop-out rates higher achievement Home learning environment confidence, sociability, cooperation

4. The Parental Engagement Problem in the UAE Parents are confused about their role Parents feel the school is solely responsible Children move schools often Some schools are not active in parental engagement Parents distance themselves from educating their children Cultural differences in expectations Reliance on maids/nannies

5. Why Does Parental Engagement Matter for School-Readiness? Parental engagement is a chance to support parents to help their children get ready for school Language acquisition Social skills Motor skills Wellbeing and confidence Personal care

6. How Does Better Parental Engagement Help Teachers? Children are better prepared when they enter your early years classroom Parents are better able to support their children at home and supplement/reinforce classroom education

7. What’s the Solution? We need to convince parents that getting involved in school-readiness is: Fun! Easy! Accessible! Effective!

8. The Role of the School Schools must support their prospective parents in preparing children for entry into school. Build confidence Build familiarity with the curriculum and useful resources Reassure parents GET CREATIVE!!!!

9. What is Rainbow Readiness?

10. Activities!

11. Moving Forward… Talk to us about how we can help your school engage parents in the school-readiness process. www.rainbowreadiness.com

12. Any Questions?

13. Thanks!