September brings a level of hope for every parent/guardian as they want their child to be happy and successful in school.
Aspirations are high, anxiety levels are heightened, and for most, the new school year brings various levels of anticipation, excitement and hope. Children want to do well and they want to be a part of something that makes them feel valued and included.
In general, children look forward to school and want to learn, but this is also a time of cautious optimism.
Teachers, having just completed one or two days of professional development (PA days), also share a feeling of cautious optimism, coupled with a few unknowns. One of those unknowns is a new expectation the Ministry of Education has recently announced — a “back to basics” agenda.
But what does this mean? When we hear this phrase, teachers, and most parents, automatically reflect on their experiences as a student. For some, this may be music to their ears — there is comfort knowing their child will receive a type of instruction that was positive for them. For others, there is a feeling of dread as their memories of school may have been less than positive.
For boards of education, this newly announced government agenda raises questions and concerns as they want to facilitate training for teachers as soon as possible. It is important to note that any change introduced by the Ministry of Education takes months, if not years, to make its way to the classroom. Training thousands of teachers takes time and resources.
John Hattie, a research analyst, has identified a list of the most effective educational strategies to achieve student success. Suffice to say directors, superintendents, co-ordinators and consultants are cognizant of the most effective strategies, as ranked by Hattie.
So, while teachers, students and parents adjust to the implementation of the “new” curriculum, principals and teachers already have many effective strategies at their disposal that can be used to facilitate any old or new directives. And there is a way for parents to help.
Four areas that I have found to be very successful, from Hattie’s list for effective teaching and learning include programming that encourages a focus on:
- Vocabulary Development .62, ( written and oral)
- Comprehension .47 (understanding and problem solving)
- Spaced Practice .60 (developing automaticity/recall)
- Clarity of Purpose .75 ( sometimes referred to as the why)
A note on Hattie’s ranking: He indicates any activity rated .4 or better is very effective for student learning. When combining two or more foci, the effect on student ability is much greater.
Suffice to say, these elements should form the basis for the delivery of curriculum at every grade. For most parents, it’s not about knowing all the details of the inner workings of evidence-based research; it’s about what they need to know to support their child with Hattie’s findings in mind.
Questions parents may consider posing in the days and weeks ahead when meeting with their child’s teacher may include how programming for their child will incorporate these four areas.
The next question might be, “How can we support our child at home to reinforce foundational activities, specifically in literacy and math?” In essence parents want their child to practise, day to day, what has been taught in school and reinforced at home so the knowledge becomes ingrained.
Under Hattie’s rankings (as seen above) parental involvement has a .50 effect size on student ability, which is significant.
By the end of September, curriculum goals should be well established and parents will be able to see the features noted above in their child’s work. Until this happens, it would be beneficial to establish routines to ensure children reap the benefits associated with reading (preferably shared with mom/dad/guardian) every night for a minimum of 15 minutes.
As children proceed through the school system, each grade will be charged with nuances and challenges of learning that require literacy/math skills that are fairly sophisticated. This will necessitate a focus on vocabulary and comprehension development in order for children to be competent, confident and successful in their academic abilities.
Establishing reading times, a review of daily work and encouraging reflection on the school day before or after supper will go a long way to enhance your child's educational development and reinforce the effective strategies noted by Hattie.
In weeks and months ahead, I will expand on the importance of these four areas, as well delve into the politics and practices that drive and influence education in Ontario.
Until then, be an advocate for your child, take an active interest in your child’s education and be the support that will help establish a love for learning.
For more information on John Hattie’s work, check out his website, Visible-Learning.org.
Norm Blaseg is the former director of education with the Rainbow District School Board.
