- Making links with the elderly in the community
- A parents / grandparents day at school
- A "dads and lads" activity.
Upper school pupils have already visited several residential homes within around the local area, and performed small singing concerts for the residents within the homes (see this post on the school website: Visit to the Renee Porter Day Centre), and so we've been planning for parents and grandparents to visit the school and see just what their children / grandchildren learn each day.
On Wednesday and Thursday this week we held the events. Lower school parents and grandparents were invited in on Wednesday, with Upper school on Thursday. We set aside the whole afternoon for this idea, and planned three 40 minute sessions during the afternoon (with a coffee and cake break too). Class teachers (except for me - I had supply cover) took two of those three sessions in their classrooms, with the third session being held in the computer suite.
This was where I came into the planning. I took each of the 40 minute sessions with a different class on each day, and introduced the website to the parents / grandparents, during which I was able show them how staff post articles about the learning that has been taking place in classes. I also showed them how to post a comment on an article, as well as showing them some of the 24/7 learning resources we have available (Purplemash / Sherston Channels / Interactive Resources / etc).
This went down really well. They were really pleased to see that their child could create work at school, save it online and then open the work and continue at home. They loved the fact that maths worksheets were available to print off at home (and especially the fact that the sheets had a random feature meaning a never ending supply of questions for their children!)
I also had time with some of the classes to set a quick 2DIY multiple choice quiz challenge too. This worked really well with the children showing their parents what to do - and giving me an unexpected chance to perform some assessment on their ICT skills.
At the end of both days I was tired, but I was also elated that so many parents had come into school, seen their children learning, discovered more about the school website, and gone home with a better understanding of how they could become involved with the website themselves.
It's obviously worked - because in the last two days we've had nearly 200 comments left on the website - taking our total to currently over 2,600.
- I really enjoyed coming into school today. It's great to see all the children in that environment ; relaxed and happy. I particulalrly enjoyed their comments in relation to each others abstract art. Thanks for the invite; can I come again;
- ICT Suite and equipment is very impressive! Was especially pleased to see extra homework available on website !
- I wish my school was this interesting!! We do look often on the website and find it very very useful also its nice to hear the children too...thanks for the tea and cakes!!
- a really enjoyable afternoon, both children and teachers very well behaved!!!!!!!!
- Enjoying today very much. It's nice to spend time...at school in the classroom and nice to see what everybody gets up to. Thanks for giving us the opportunity!
Some parents have already asked when the next event will be, and I'm hoping that we can set aside some Wednesday morning ICT training sessions for parents to drop in and learn even more. I suggested a "coffee and computer" morning theme. We'll see whether it's possible after half term and before we end the school year.
There is a wonderful Animoto of the event to view on the school website showing just how much it was enjoyed by all.
Next up - the 'dads and lads' activities I guess. I wait to see just what that will involve.
