2. Thornleigh West Public School

3. Getting to know us Agenda Welcome Welcome Shared book Shared book Parents are the first teachers Parents are the first teachers My vision – What is your? My vision – What is your? Best Start Best Start

4. Starting School can be an anxious time for parents too Parenting is one of the most challenging ‘jobs’ This is a role to be proud of and is certainly valued by your child’s first school teacher

5. Children develop much of their capacity for learning in the first 3 years of life, when their brains grow to 90% of it’s eventual adult weight. You are your child’s first teacher!

6. What have you taught your child? To…. walk walk talk talk dress themselves dress themselves feed themselves feed themselves go to the toilet go to the toilet count to ten count to ten turn the page of a book turn the page of a book say the alphabet say the alphabet play games play games have good manners have good manners

7. You have taught your child so much To read…they can all recognise signs and symbols such as McDonalds and road signs To read…they can all recognise signs and symbols such as McDonalds and road signs To count…a child always knows when their brother or sister gets more of something than they do To count…a child always knows when their brother or sister gets more of something than they do Colours and counting…”please pass me 2 red pegs to hang your t shirt on the clothes line” Colours and counting…”please pass me 2 red pegs to hang your t shirt on the clothes line” Routines and reactions…the phone rings…your child knows to answer it Routines and reactions…the phone rings…your child knows to answer it To share To share To socialise and interact with others To socialise and interact with others Can you think of more ? Can you think of more ?

8. Is your child ready to Start School?

9. Skills that will help your child transition to school smoothly… Encourage your child to attempt these things…but don’t worry if they can’t do them all… Encourage your child to attempt these things…but don’t worry if they can’t do them all… Teachers are experts at teaching your child to write, read and count (and much more) and it will make learning these things so much easier if your children have developed social and self help skills such as: Teachers are experts at teaching your child to write, read and count (and much more) and it will make learning these things so much easier if your children have developed social and self help skills such as:

10. Social and Self Help Skills Uses the toilet independently Uses the toilet independently Can say own name Can say own name Adapts to unfamiliar settings and new experiences Adapts to unfamiliar settings and new experiences Can finish a task and tidies up afterwards Can finish a task and tidies up afterwards Plays cooperatively with other children – shares and takes turns Plays cooperatively with other children – shares and takes turns Can sit and listen to a story for at least 10 minutes Can sit and listen to a story for at least 10 minutes Can share an adults attention with several other children Can share an adults attention with several other children Participates in imaginative play Participates in imaginative play Recognises own possessions and packs them away eg lunchbox, clothes Recognises own possessions and packs them away eg lunchbox, clothes Can put on and take off jumpers, shoes, socks independently Can put on and take off jumpers, shoes, socks independently Can tie shoe laces Can tie shoe laces

11. What can you do to help prepare your child for school? You have done so much already, but here are a few more ideas…. Allow opportunities to socialise with other children Allow opportunities to socialise with other children Encourage independence Encourage independence Be positive about school and learning Be positive about school and learning Visit the school with your child Visit the school with your child Talk to your child about school Talk to your child about school Read to your child in your home language and in English Read to your child in your home language and in English Share many different experiences Share many different experiences Provide a variety of play materials Provide a variety of play materials Encourage your child’s curiosity by asking questions and by encouraging questions Encourage your child’s curiosity by asking questions and by encouraging questions Start a daily routine. Encourage your child to help lay out clothes and make lunch. Start a daily routine. Encourage your child to help lay out clothes and make lunch.

12. So, your child is starting school… You have taught them so much already… You have taught them so much already… You have enrolled them at school… You have enrolled them at school… You are attending the transition program… You are attending the transition program… You have talked a lot about school… You have talked a lot about school… You may have bought their school uniform You may have bought their school uniform You may have bought a school bag and lunch box… You may have bought a school bag and lunch box… You have worked hard and done a great job…

13. A new journey begins! When your child starts school, it is not a time to step back and be less involved in your child’s learning. It is, in fact quite the opposite, a time to be involved, supporting, helping and learning together When your child starts school, it is not a time to step back and be less involved in your child’s learning. It is, in fact quite the opposite, a time to be involved, supporting, helping and learning together

14. The research tells us… The most accurate predictor of a student’s achievement in school is not income or social status, but the extent to which the student’s family is able to create a home environment which encourages learning, communicate high yet reasonable expectations for their children’s achievement and future careers and become involved in their children’s education at school and in the community. Anne Henderson and Nancy Berla (1995)

15. How to be a partner in learning… Take an interest in school events by reading newsletters and attending functions Take an interest in school events by reading newsletters and attending functions Get to know your child’s teacher. Join in with classroom activities if possible or offer to help at home Get to know your child’s teacher. Join in with classroom activities if possible or offer to help at home Volunteer to help in anyway you feel comfortable Volunteer to help in anyway you feel comfortable Take part in any opportunities offered to help increase your own skills or understanding of ‘how schools work and why’ Take part in any opportunities offered to help increase your own skills or understanding of ‘how schools work and why’ Join a parent organisation such as the P&C, School Council or Parent Group Join a parent organisation such as the P&C, School Council or Parent Group Attend ‘Parent Teacher Interviews’ Attend ‘Parent Teacher Interviews’ Use all communication options to ensure you know what is going on at school, and the school knows what is going on at home Use all communication options to ensure you know what is going on at school, and the school knows what is going on at home

16. Working together….

17. Why Vision ? A vision is a picture of the future you seek to create described in the present tense, as if it were happening now. Vision statements show where we want to go and what we will be when we get there. Vision gives shape and direction to the school’s future. It helps people set goals to take the school closer to its desired future.

18. It builds trust, collaboration, interdependence, motivation, and mutual responsibility for success. Vision helps people make smart choices, because their decisions are made with the end result in mind…. Vision allows us to act from a proactive stance. Moving forward what we want…Vision empowers and excites us to reach for what we truly desire.

19. My vision 21 st century skills are paramount: Collaboration: discuss and issue, solve a problem and create a product Knowledge construction, interpret, analyse, synthesise and evaluate Self regulation: learning task is long term students are in task Real world problem solving and innovation: investigate, generate and design The use of ICT for learning: use directly to finish a task Communication: extended communication linked to connected ideas, not just a single thought.

20. Goal 1: Australian schooling promotes equity and excellence Goal 2: All young Australians become: Successful learners Confident and creative individuals Active and informed citizens Australian Curriculum www.mceecdya.edu.au/mceecdya/melbourne_declaration,25979.html (accessed 16/10/2010) 19 Our Ed Purpose as captures in the Melbourne Declaration

21. MINDMAP: What skills, attitudes, understandings and knowledge would you hope these students have acquired when they graduate from your school?

22. Best Start

23. Best Start assists children to move from informal to formal learning Parents and prior to school service providers lay the foundation for learning that school education will build upon in a more formal setting. Parents and prior to school service providers lay the foundation for learning that school education will build upon in a more formal setting.

24. What is Best Start? Best Start is one component of a NSW Government initiative to increase literacy and numeracy learning support in the early years.

25. Who is involved? All Kindergarten children in public schools participate. All Kindergarten children in public schools participate.

26. Best Start Best Start Identifies children’s literacy and numeracy skills and understandings at school entry. Identifies children’s literacy and numeracy skills and understandings at school entry.

27. Best Start: provides important information that supports teachers in meeting children’s individual learning needs provides important information that supports teachers in meeting children’s individual learning needs provides parents and caregivers with feedback on what their child can do and how they can best support their child’s learning provides parents and caregivers with feedback on what their child can do and how they can best support their child’s learning assists teachers to monitor children’s learning assists teachers to monitor children’s learning

28. Best Start in action Best Start begins with the teacher interviewing each child. Best Start begins with the teacher interviewing each child. At TWPS, each family attends an individual appointment in the first three days of school. At TWPS, each family attends an individual appointment in the first three days of school.

29. What are children asked to do? Teachers ask a series of questions to gather information about children’s early literacy and numeracy knowledge. Teachers ask a series of questions to gather information about children’s early literacy and numeracy knowledge.

30. What information do parents receive? Feedback to parents is provided as close as possible to the completion of the interview. Feedback to parents is provided as close as possible to the completion of the interview. Parents and carers receive clear, Parents and carers receive clear, accessible feedback on: accessible feedback on: their child’s learning at school entry their child’s learning at school entry the next steps in the learning process the next steps in the learning process how to support their child’s learning how to support their child’s learning

31. Pattern and the repeated unit Uses groups of objects to create simple patterns. Ask your child to make a pattern where each part consists of two or more objects. Ask your child to describe the pattern to you. Counting Sequence ­Play board games where your child has to read numbers up to 100. Numerical identificationAsk your child to read the numbers on road signs. Recognises the numerals from 1 to 20. Counting Sequence ­Read and talk about stories and rhymes that use numbers. Forward number wordAsk your child to tell you the number after a number in the range of sequences1 to 10. Correctly counts from 1 to 10. Is learning to say the number after a given number from 1 to 10. Early arithmetical strategiesCount objects into a bucket with your child, saying each number as Is learning to correctly countyou put the object into the bucket. the number of objects in aPlay dominoes with your child and count the number of dots. group. Feedback on your child’s progress In Numeracy your child Ideas to use at home

32. Feedback on your child’s progress Phonics Make lists of interesting words with your child, e.g. a list of jungle Names most letters in words.animals. See how many letters your child can point to and name in Says some of the sounds foreach word. letters in a word. Use old magazines or advertising brochures. Ask your child to cut out letters for the sounds they know. Help him/her to learn three new sounds and their letters. Phonemic awarenessRead books to your child that have rhyming words in them. Can sometimes identifyEncourage your child to join in reading the words that rhyme. rhyming words.Play I Spy with your child. That is, say, I spy with my little eye Can sometimes identify wordssomething that starts with /p/. Can you guess what it is? Your child that start with the same initial sound tries to guess the thing that begins with the sound. In Literacy your child Ideas to use at home

33. Counting Sequence-Forward Number Word Sequence Count with your child Read and talk about rhymes with numbers, for example, Alice the camel, 5 little ducks, 1,2,3,4,5 Ask your child to tell you the number after a particular number

34. Counting Sequence- Numeral Identification Play card games where your child has to say the number on the card or find pairs of numbers.

35. Counting Sequence- Numeral Identification Ask your child to point to numbers in story books and tell them the name of the number. Read the numbers on a clock face Ask your child to read the numbers on road signs.

36. Early Arithmetic Strategies Count the number of eggs in a carton and again after some have been removed. Play dominoes with your child and count the number of dots.

37. Early Arithmetic Strategies Use empty plastic bottles and a ball to make a game of skittles. Let your child arrange the bottles and encourage your child to tell you how many bottles were knocked down and how many are still standing after each bowl.

38. Patterns and number structure Ask your child to create other patterns using everyday objects such as beads, stones, or pegs and describe the pattern.

39. Reading Text Share books with your child. Encourage him/her to join in as you read. At the supermarket or on outings talk about words - their look, sound and meaning. Point to and read labels on packets/products.

40. Phonics Use magazines or junk mail from your letterbox. Ask your child to find letters that they can name. Help your child to name three new letters. Use a set of alphabet cards to play games such as Memory and Snap where the aim is to have your child match letter cards that are the same. Use an alphabet chart or an alphabet book to talk about the shapes and names of letters. Teach your child to name the letters in his/her name.

41. Phonemic Awareness Sing and recite rhymes and jingles with your child. Help him/her identify the words that rhyme. Encourage your child to use a describing word with the same initial letter of a friend or family member, e.g. smart Sally, kind Kale.

42. Concepts about Print Before reading a book to your child, ask him/her to show you where to start reading. Ask your child to follow with their finger as you read Ask your child to point to a letter, and to point to a word

43. Comprehension Look through a book with your child before reading and talk about the main events and characters. As you read the story to your child, pause at key events and ask him/her what might happen next.

44. Aspects of Speaking After reading a story, encourage your child to discuss the events, characters. Encourage your child to talk to a variety of people while with you when you are out shopping.

45. Aspects of Writing Write a word then ask your child to trace over the word. Encourage name writing as a fun activity, e.g. finger painting on butcher's paper, writing in dirt, painting with a wet paintbrush, etc.

46. Planning 2015 - 2017 Management plan Management plan Strategic Strategic Annual School Report Annual School Report

47. Focus Areas 2015 Literacy and Numeracy Literacy and Numeracy 21 st century learning and teaching 21 st century learning and teaching Leadership capacity building Leadership capacity building Curriculum and Assessment Curriculum and Assessment Student Engagement Student Engagement

48. Your child Your camera Tissues Your child’s lunch