My class is a part of the Smart Start program in Wake County. Students in this program attend school free because of criteria they meet such as; the child is considered to be at risk, the family is considered low income or the family is considered ESL. Often times these children start off behind their more affluent peers when they enter kindergarten. Being able to attend NC Pre-K will give them a head start in emergent literacy and school readiness skills. But in order to truly close the achievement gap, it is important for students to experience literacy activities at home and at school. According to Home School Relations by Glen Olsen when there is a home learning environment, students have been proven;
*To have higher self-esteem and motivation to do well in school.
*And to be able to achieve and make academic growth at a faster rate regardless of race and economic status.
Olsen also stated when parents are active participants in their child’s learning that,
*Parents perceptions of the school strengthen and their commitment to education improves.
*And that parents become more knowledgeable about what their child is learning in school and they have a better understanding of a child’s development.
With this in mind, I wanted to create take-home activites for parents to use and implement with their children at home. The goals I would like to achieve with these actvites are ;
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1. To help build parents confidence in their abilities to play an integral role in their child’s literacy development.
2. To provide parents with the knowledge and tools necessary for them to implement meaningful literacy activities at home.
3. To make trainings and information available online so that parents are able to access information in a convenient manner.
Abstract and Rational