November 19, 2009 Topics with Thompson 7:30 p.m.

Build a Partnership with the Teacher  Develop an open, honest line of communication.  Think solutions, not blame.  Share information- what motivates your child, how does your child learn best.  Listen.  Write down questions before you meet.  Ask the teacher what the children should know by the end of the year.  If you have academic concerns, communicate early.

Know the Expectations  Start with the teacher, ask about the expectations of your child in reading and mathematics by the end of the year.  There are state guidelines called the Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) for students in K-8. These outline what each child should know by the end of the year.

Know the Expectations- GLCEs  You can access the parent guides to the GLCEs at m_B_Intro_138683_7.pdf These will give you a baseline for conversation in areas of concern. m_B_Intro_138683_7.pdf  Conversation with the teacher is still critical as Birmingham may have expectations in some areas that exceed the state expectations.

Know the Expectations-GLCEs How to use the parent guides to the GLCEs -  Use the parent guides as a tool for parent- teacher communication, or to help you help your child.  Examples:  If you believe reading is difficult for your child, look at the GLCEs to help determine what your child should be doing in reading.  If your child is soaring in reading, you may look at the expectations of the next grade level to help with enrichment activities.

Parent Involvement is the Key- At Home:  Make sure your child reads daily.  Don’t know what type of book to help your child pick? Read the brochure What Kids Really Want to Read from the International Reading Association. /pb1073_want.sflb.ashx /pb1073_want.sflb.ashx

Parent Involvement is the Key- At Home:  Connect school concepts to real world experiences. Examples: ○ Asking your child to notice shapes in the environment, i.e. the rectangular billboard, the triangular yield sign. ○ Allow your child to calculate the tip on your restaurant bill. ○ Allow your child to help you cook, use this as an opportunity to talk about measurement or changes in matter (solids, liquids, and gas).

Parent Involvement is the Key- Homework:  Homework is practice that should be done primarily by the student with guidance from the parent.  Completing your child’s homework may send inaccurate messages of your child’s present knowledge. Your child may be unable to complete the independent tasks in school.  Contact the teacher if your child is experiencing a lot of difficulty in completing the homework.

Parent Involvement is the Key  Develop a strong work ethic with your children by making sure that he/she attends school on time; it sends a message of importance.  Volunteer to work in the classroom on academic activities. It will help you understand how to better help your child.

Check It Out  Elementary EduGuide- A Road to Student Success has more tips on how to make sure that your child stays on the right track from Kindergarten to College. It is a quick read and can be accessed by EduGuide_252917_7.pdf EduGuide_252917_7.pdf

Check It Out NAEP, National Assessment of Educational Progress, is the only measure of student achievement in the United States where you can compare the performance of students in your state with the performance of students across the nation or in other states. This assessment is given in 4 th, 8 th, and 12 th grades.

Check It Out  Each state is able to adopt their own curriculum. However, the NAEP assessment is based on a national framework. If you are interested in seeing the comparison of what they expect all students to know in 4 th grade, a hard copy has been provided.  If you are reading this presentation on the blog and you would like this document ed to you, please contact The documents are two large files.

Advocating for your child starts with…  Building a partnership with the teacher.  Knowing the expectations.  Getting involved at home and at school.