Appendix A
HOME-SCHOOL
CONNECTIONS
Exploratory Time in the Kindergarten to Grade Two Classrooms
Number
And Types Of Home-School Connections
The
first home-school connection is each of our correspondence home to
the parents. These take different formats but each lets the families
know we are beginning Exploratory Time and hope for their interest
and support of the students’ interests.
In Deanne’s AM Kindergarten class there
were 11 students (out of 14) who engaged in research outside of the
classroom with their parents. These children brought in Public Library
books, Internet research, sculptures and drawings. Her PM Kindergarten
class had less home based support, seven out of 17 students were
able to bring materials from home (The reason for this may be that
many of these parents work full time and their children attend daycare).
However this class did benefit from the involvement of two parents
who volunteered their time to help with the children’s projects.
In Gary’s class there were 14 examples
of home-school interaction directly related to this project. Some
of the students were responsible for more than one report of home-school
interaction. Eleven different students showed evidence of interaction
with home. The work done with big buddies suggests home-school interaction
as well but it is not directly related to the findings.
In Valdine’s class there were 8 students out of 19 who continued in
one way or another a connection with their research topic from school
to home but there are 15 incidents of extended activities beyond
the classroom.
Type of connection
|
Notes
|
| Teacher written
newsletter or some sort of information about Exploratory Time asking
for family support and interest |
Deanne and Gary sent home a newsletter giving their child’s
topic, the starting date and time, and asking parents to help their
children find information from a variety of sources including books,
internet, expert visitors, etc. Parents were also invited to come
in to assist.
Valdine sent home a
4 page letter modelling the sheet she will use with students (My
question/What I know/What I wonder/ What I need) |
| Student takes books
from school home to work on topic |
Kris (2) is so enthusiastic
about his topic and the 3 books he found in the library he has to take
them home for the weekend |
|
Public library books
|
AM Kindergarten—over
half the class brought books from the Library.
PM Kindergarten—Jeremy
brought books from the Library.
Craig (1) took books
on his topic from the library while on a project related visit.
Jasmina (2) reports
that she got books but did not bring them in.
Ty (2) showed books
he borrowed on rocks and minerals.
Asmeeta (2) took books
on her topic while on a class visit to the library.
|
|
Books from home
|
AM Kindergarten—Robert
and Amundeep brought books from home.
PM Kindergarten—Janice,
Ellen, Nate and Issac brought books from home.
Grayson (1) brought
several books from home on crystals.
Sophia (2) brought a
book on minerals from home.
Jensen (2) desk is full
of additional space books he has brought from home.
|
|
Bring supplies from
home
|
Maria (K) brought a
collection of rocks from her home to study during her rock Exploratory
Time.
Kris (2) brings pictures
he has cut out to make poster at school.
Jasmina (2) brings socks
from puppets.
Frida (2) bird seed
for feeder she has built.
Pierre
(2) brings in badge, uniform hat and picture of grandfather who was
a policeman in his previous country.
|
|
Students do extra
work at home
|
Jason (K) made a mini
poster with his Mom using information that he found on the Internet.
Clark (K) made a 3D
sculpture of a volcano labelled and coloured (with parental help).
Jessica (1) brought
in a poster done at home but obviously greatly influenced by parent.
Salina (2) brought in
three separate reports on her topic which she had put together mainly
from internet resources at home.
Amina (2) made her own
report at home and brought it in.
Kris (2) brought in
seven different kinds of boats he made out of different materials
(Mom said at first she tried to stop him but realised that was a
mistake and let him do what he needed to do).
Mandeepa (2) made list
of notes of things still to do.
Jasmina (2) wrote notes
from library books on weekend before actual Exploratory Time begins “to
get a head start and be prepared.” She stayed up late one night thinking
and planning project presentation (so is tired and upsets easily
that day!).
|
|
Internet use
|
AM Kindergarten—Anika,
Jessamyn, Jas and Brent bring information their parents helped them
find on the Internet.
PM Kindergarten—Jemma & Maria
bring information their parents helped them find on the Internet.
Roland & Navid (1)
bring in internet info from home as the week progresses.
David (2) downloaded
info on topic with mom’s help and brought it
in ready for the start of the explorations.
Velma (2) downloaded
info on topic with dad’s help.
Arlan (2) revisits a
fossil website he found in computer time at school.
|
Direct parental help
|
Barry’s (K) mother, who was very interested in observing what would
happen during Exploratory Time, spent the afternoon helping Kindergarten
students research their individual topics using an encyclopedia on
our classroom computer.
Steven’s (K) father,
who is a biologist, spent the afternoon working with his son and
another student who had chosen to learn about Scientists. He brought
in a microscope and many scientific samples from his lab at a local
College. The children were thrilled with this real world example
of scientists in action. It was difficult to contain the rest of
the class who suddenly wanted to become scientists!
Sophia’s (1) mother
took morning off work and came in to assist us. She then spent a
half hour discussing the project with me and sharing her thoughts
and opinions.
Cam’s (2) mother spent
5 mornings with us to assist the children with their projects.
Pierre’s (2) mother
helped organize items to be brought from home for presentation.
Velma’s (2) dad helps
find penguin websites.
Jasmina’s (2) dad making
a bug video at museum on a family trip.
|
Buddy class involvement
|
Deanne’s grade 6/7 buddies
helped the Kindergartens on the first two days of Exploratory Time.
They had clear instructions to only answer questions and help the
Kindergarten by reading information when the student requested help.
This was a great help initially as it ensured that each child would
receive the support they needed and learn how to use their books
to research their topic.
Gary’s class buddies
brought in information which they gathered as a homework assignment.
This touched more than just the homes of his students.
|
|
