Parents in Parents in Education Education

SpecialisationSpecialisation

““Fostering home-school links, Fostering home-school links, parental involvement and parental involvement and

lifelong learning”lifelong learning”

Sandro SpiteriSandro SpiteriSenior Excecutive, FESSenior Excecutive, FESQualiFLY Malta MeetingQualiFLY Malta Meeting

1414thth February 2006 February 2006

Why ?Why ?

• Principle 14 of the NMC: Principle 14 of the NMC: Increasing Participation in Increasing Participation in Curriculum Development’Curriculum Development’EXCERPTSEXCERPTS

• School councils have set the stage for School councils have set the stage for greater parental involvementgreater parental involvement

• Schools are requesting more training Schools are requesting more training and technical assistance for parental and technical assistance for parental involvementinvolvement

• State schools are set to become more State schools are set to become more autonomous through School Clusteringautonomous through School ClusteringFACTSFACTS

Parental Involvement in the Parental Involvement in the NMC NMC (excerpts)(excerpts)

• An effective educational system recognizes the link between An effective educational system recognizes the link between the home environment and differences between children. the home environment and differences between children. When possible, the education of children should be When possible, the education of children should be linked to educational and participatory programmes for linked to educational and participatory programmes for their parents or guardians.their parents or guardians. Students who are denied a Students who are denied a support system outside the school should be given special support system outside the school should be given special attention. attention.

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• The NMC, encourages schools to include: The NMC, encourages schools to include: programmes of programmes of parental education and school involvementparental education and school involvement in their in their development plan (SDP).development plan (SDP).

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• Parent education undoubtedly provides an important Parent education undoubtedly provides an important foundation for the education of children. The National foundation for the education of children. The National Minimum Curriculum not only encourages Minimum Curriculum not only encourages educational educational programmes for parents of children who are attending programmes for parents of children who are attending schoolschool, but also urges schools to organize meetings and , but also urges schools to organize meetings and educational programmes for educational programmes for parents whose children are parents whose children are not yet attending the school.not yet attending the school.

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Parents in Education Parents in Education Specialisation…Specialisation…

A Pro-Active Response toA Pro-Active Response to

present and future school present and future school community needscommunity needs..

AimsAims• Understand and Understand and appreciate the role of the parentsappreciate the role of the parents in in

the educational development of their children, the school the educational development of their children, the school and their communityand their community

• Implement systems and strategies that Implement systems and strategies that support and support and strengthen parents’ role in educationstrengthen parents’ role in education whilst the latter whilst the latter are strengthening their children’s educational are strengthening their children’s educational development, and that development, and that empower parents to become empower parents to become lifelong learning adultslifelong learning adults

• Learn how to organise and run Learn how to organise and run family literacy family literacy programmes and parent-to-parent programmesprogrammes and parent-to-parent programmes

• Support and encourage parents to have a central role in Support and encourage parents to have a central role in the educational development of their children, the school the educational development of their children, the school and their community, including and their community, including participation in school participation in school councilscouncils

• Become Become key resource and reference personskey resource and reference persons for their for their teaching colleagues and for the community as regards the teaching colleagues and for the community as regards the parents’ integration in the school’s educational life.parents’ integration in the school’s educational life.

What ?What ?• Not studying ‘about’ parentsNot studying ‘about’ parents• Learning from and with parentsLearning from and with parents• Problematising own perceptions and present Problematising own perceptions and present

practicespractices• Celebrating good practice and mastering specific Celebrating good practice and mastering specific

strategies and skillsstrategies and skills• 2 major strands:2 major strands: Working with ParentsWorking with Parents Strengthening Basic Skills in the FamilyStrengthening Basic Skills in the Family• Hands-on skills acquisition, observation of Hands-on skills acquisition, observation of

programmes, meeting and working with parents programmes, meeting and working with parents ‘in the field’ ‘in the field’

• 8 units over three years:8 units over three years: 2004-05: 2 units2004-05: 2 units 2005-06: 4 units2005-06: 4 units 2007-08: 2 units2007-08: 2 units

2004-2005 Programme2004-2005 ProgrammePRE 1202 Working with Parents 1PRE 1202 Working with Parents 1• Our perceptions and stereotypes, and our positive and Our perceptions and stereotypes, and our positive and

negative experiences of parental involvement in schoolnegative experiences of parental involvement in school• Range of experiences of school participation of parents in Range of experiences of school participation of parents in

Malta and internationallyMalta and internationally• Meeting parents in Parent to Parent programmes in MaltaMeeting parents in Parent to Parent programmes in Malta• We visit Parent to Parent programmes - What are the We visit Parent to Parent programmes - What are the

benefits and risks of such programmes ?benefits and risks of such programmes ?

PRE 1203 Strengthening Basic Skills in the Family 1PRE 1203 Strengthening Basic Skills in the Family 1• Role of the family in the strengthening of the children’s Role of the family in the strengthening of the children’s

basic skillsbasic skills• Literacy and numeracy strategies already present in Literacy and numeracy strategies already present in

families before children even start school families before children even start school • Experiences, research and perspectives on the role of the Experiences, research and perspectives on the role of the

family in strengthening basic skillsfamily in strengthening basic skills• We visit family literacy programmes - What are the We visit family literacy programmes - What are the

benefits and risks of such programmes ? benefits and risks of such programmes ?

2005-2006 Programme 2005-2006 Programme (1)(1)

PRE 2307 Strengthening Basic Skills in the Family 2PRE 2307 Strengthening Basic Skills in the Family 2• Development, delivery and evaluation of a family literacy Development, delivery and evaluation of a family literacy

programme.programme.• Critical reflection: how do such programmes bring about:Critical reflection: how do such programmes bring about: - The children’s educational development- The children’s educational development - Parents’ lifelong educational development- Parents’ lifelong educational development - Integration with school work- Integration with school work

PRE 2308 Working with Parents 2PRE 2308 Working with Parents 2• Forms of parental participation in education, especially school Forms of parental participation in education, especially school

councils and similar entities in the non-state sector. Their councils and similar entities in the non-state sector. Their present and future say in the life of the school; how do they present and future say in the life of the school; how do they lead to enhanced parental empowerment?lead to enhanced parental empowerment?

• Assessing the effectiveness of parent education participation Assessing the effectiveness of parent education participation programmes, with special reference to participants’:programmes, with special reference to participants’:

- lifelong educational development- lifelong educational development - commitment to their families, school community and local - commitment to their families, school community and local

communitycommunity - Impact on their families, school community and local - Impact on their families, school community and local

community.community.

2005-2006 Programme 2005-2006 Programme (2)(2)PRE 3305 Strengthening Basic Skills in the Family 3PRE 3305 Strengthening Basic Skills in the Family 3

• Development, delivery and evaluation of a family literacy programme Development, delivery and evaluation of a family literacy programme that is adapted and personalised for children with severe basic skills that is adapted and personalised for children with severe basic skills needs.needs.

• Possibilities for parental involvement in the case of children with Possibilities for parental involvement in the case of children with special needs.special needs.

• Critical reflection: how do such programmes bring about:Critical reflection: how do such programmes bring about: - The children’s educational development- The children’s educational development - Parents’ lifelong educational development- Parents’ lifelong educational development

- Interaction with school work- Interaction with school work - The role of the day school- The role of the day school

PRE 4302 Strengthening Basic Skills in the Family 4PRE 4302 Strengthening Basic Skills in the Family 4• Other forms of parental participation in the strengthening of their Other forms of parental participation in the strengthening of their

children’s basic skills, such as keeping a home-school journal for joint children’s basic skills, such as keeping a home-school journal for joint parent-child reading and/or writing.parent-child reading and/or writing.

• Practical tips that teachers may give to parents to help their children Practical tips that teachers may give to parents to help their children in reading, writing and maths, and concrete ways how to maintain in reading, writing and maths, and concrete ways how to maintain parent-teacher communication throughout the scholastic year.parent-teacher communication throughout the scholastic year.

• Critical reflection: how do such programmes bring about:Critical reflection: how do such programmes bring about:- The children’s educational development- The children’s educational development- Parents’ lifelong educational development- Parents’ lifelong educational development- Interaction with school work- Interaction with school work

2006-2007 Programme2006-2007 ProgrammePRE 3407 Working with Parents 3 PRE 3407 Working with Parents 3 • Development, delivery and evaluation of a parent to parent Development, delivery and evaluation of a parent to parent

programme.programme.• Critical reflection: how do such programmes bring about:Critical reflection: how do such programmes bring about: - Participants’ lifelong educational development- Participants’ lifelong educational development - The children’s educational development- The children’s educational development - Advantages for the school community and local - Advantages for the school community and local

community.community.

PRE 4405 Strengthening Basic Skills in the Family 5 PRE 4405 Strengthening Basic Skills in the Family 5 • Assessing the effectiveness of family literacy and parental Assessing the effectiveness of family literacy and parental

empowerment programmes, with special reference to:empowerment programmes, with special reference to:• The children’s educational developmentThe children’s educational development• Parents’ lifelong educational developmentParents’ lifelong educational development• Effect on the school’s teaching-learning dynamic: Effect on the school’s teaching-learning dynamic: How can How can

these programmes fit in the FACTS Reform ?these programmes fit in the FACTS Reform ?• Adapting the various types of parent education participation Adapting the various types of parent education participation

programmes for different socio-cultural contexts, for social programmes for different socio-cultural contexts, for social and educational emancipationand educational emancipation..

Programme OutputsProgramme Outputs

Parents 1Parents 1 •Reflective JournalReflective Journal

Family 1Family 1 •Reflective JournalReflective Journal

Family 2Family 2 •Family Literacy ProgrammeFamily Literacy Programme

Parents 2Parents 2 •Interview to Parent LeaderInterview to Parent Leader•Parental Lifelong Learning PortfolioParental Lifelong Learning Portfolio

Family 3Family 3 •Family Literacy Programme for children at Family Literacy Programme for children at severe risk of educational failuresevere risk of educational failure

Family 4Family 4 •Portfolio of ResourcesPortfolio of Resources

Parents 3Parents 3 •Parent-to-Parent ProgrammeParent-to-Parent Programme

Family 5Family 5 •ExamExam

Useful Websites related to Family Useful Websites related to Family Literacy and Parental Involvement Literacy and Parental Involvement

in Educationin Education

• http://www.famlit.orghttp://www.famlit.org• http://www.read2kids.orghttp://www.read2kids.org• http://www.famlit.cahttp://www.famlit.ca• www.epa-parents.orgwww.epa-parents.org• www.cppp.org/kidscount/education/www.cppp.org/kidscount/education/

parental_involvement.htmlparental_involvement.html• www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/

parentalinvolvement/parentalinvolvement/• www.pta.org/parentalinvolvement/index.aspwww.pta.org/parentalinvolvement/index.asp