Standard 4

It is important to acknowledge that our students learning goes beyond the walls of the school. For optimal success, learning requires the support of a surrounding community. When everyone is involved and invested, our students are more likely to succeed. Parents and guardians are extremely significant stakeholders in the education system therefore it is essential for them to be kept in the loop when it comes to their child’s education. The parents and guardians offer a perspective on our students that we as teachers do not have and we must take it into consideration to create the best possible learning experience for the student. Throughout the education program, we have discussed the importance of collaborating with other educators and colleagues, but collaborating with the parents and gaining some insight from them is also important. In doing so, we want to ensure that our communication and collaboration is intentional and clear to maintain a good relationship with the parents and to ensure that the student comes first at all times.

This semester we participated in a “Math Games Night for Parents” which was designed to supply students with math games so students can continue to progress with their number sense at home. As teacher candidates individually or in pairs we adapted or curated a math game to give out to parents. I worked with a classmate and we adapted the addition and subtraction game “Bump” and made it ice-cream themed and called it “Scooping Sums”. We had a great time interacting with students from K-7 and meeting the parents. The students often wanted to play the game with their parents. The comfort and connection that the students have to their family members created a different learning experience than the students would have received playing the games with an unfamiliar person.

There was a communal element of the Math Night that was evident. There were many teachers that attended and members of the school district. The event was well attended especially for being the first time it was ever put on. There was also community built among our cohort in getting to see the games that we all came up with to help students with their numeracy skills. It was a great event for relationship building and building connections with students across grade levels as well as those who are actively involved in the community that supports them in their learning journey. When parents would ask us about our game it was our responsibility to inform them on how to play and how they can adapt it to meet their student where they are at. It was great practice for clearly communicating with parents to support the student at the point they are at in their learning journey. Even communicating in a setting where there is a high volume of people in the room was a valuable element that can be applied to our practice. When I was in elementary school our teachers went to great lengths to plan class trips which took a great deal of collaboration between teachers and families to create a memorable learning experience. We would often put on family fun nights and community events similar to the Math Games Night, but for fundraising purposes. Down the line in my practice I would love to create that for my students and parent/guardian support and collaboration is a key component in making those learning experiences happen. I look forward to creating a welcoming classroom culture that includes all of my students and extend that unto their families.