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As parents, you know how hard it can be to find "extra" time to get involved in your child's education. But your involvement helps your child tremendously, and enriches your school community. Parents are crucial to education — and you're critical to keeping open communication with teachers and schools. To help you with this, we are providing some tips and techniques for staying in touch and staying involved.

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Inclusive Classrooms
Tips for parents
Self-esteem & your child
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Full-day Kindergarten
Special Education
You & your child’s teacher
Parent Teacher Interviews

Kindergarten: Little Children Big Learning

The current learning model for Ontario’s Kindergarten program, with a certified teacher and a designated early childhood educator (DECE) working together, gives children and their families the start to school that they need.

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Specialist Teachers: A Review of the Literature

This literature review sought to examine the connection between specialist teachers and student achievement, with a specific focus on teachers at the elementary school level and in the context of Ontario, Canada.

Specialist teachers can be found in a range of subject areas such as the arts, physical education and teacher-librarians.

Full-day Kindergarten: Why it works

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario has long been an advocate of full-day Kindergarten. We actively promote play-based learning in Kindergarten and beyond — are proud of the work done by the team of Kindergarten professionals and parents to support the learning of our youngest students.

Research has shown the benefits — students in full-day Kindergarten:

are more ready to move up to Grade one
read better in later grades
demonstrate greater skills in oral language and artistic expression
stay in school longer
are more confident and willing to take risks.

From a broader educational perspective, full-day Kindergarten:

narrows the gap in achie vement among students from different socio-economic groups
leads to better integration of Kindergarten into the elementary school community, making children feel more comfortable with school
provides more opportunities for DECEs (designated early childhood educator) and teachers to work individually with students and incorporate play and social activities into the curriculum.

Kindergarten teachers & DECEs

KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS
Are trained to teach across the grades and across the continuum of learning.
Understand how Kindergarten program expectations link to later elementary grades.
Have ultimate responsibility for evaluation and reporting.
Graduate from university and a faculty of education.
Are registered with the Ontario College of Teachers.

DESIGNATED EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS
Have a specialized focus on the learning needs of young children aged birth to five.
Study child development, socio-emotional skills and developmental psychology.
Have knowledge of developmentally-appropriate practice for play-based inquiry learning.
Graduate from community college or university.
Are registered with the College of Early Childhood Educators.

Full-day Kindergarten: How it works

Every four- and five-year old in Ontario has the opportunity to attend a full-day Kindergarten program.

One of the most valuable aspects of Ontario’s full-day Kindergarten programs is its unique staffing model — where the classroom teacher and DECE (designated early childhood educator) work as a team bringing the program to life, creating a dynamic learning environment.

Children benefit by having both a DECE and a teacher in the classroom — these two professionals work together to give students the best possible start in school.

The Kindergarten team keeps learning child-centred and play-based. Both professionals observe, assess and assist each child in their classroom. Both undertake ongoing professional learning to enhance their skills. Both communicate with parents and caregivers.

Each professional also brings their specials skills to the Kindergarten program.

Understanding the Education Funding Formula

On August 14, 2017, ETFO released Shortchanging Ontario Students: An overview and assessment of education funding in Ontario, a report prepared for the federation by economist Hugh Mackenzie.

The report provides an analysis of the shortcomings of the provincial funding formula that date back to the government of former premier Mike Harris and which adversely affect elementary students in particular.

Full Report: PDF | Word
Executive Summary: PDF | Word

After the teacher interview

We hope your parent-teacher interview went well. In this tip section, we cover what you should think about when you get home from the conference:

Speak honestly with your child about the discussion you had with the teacher. Let them know both the positives and any problem areas that were discussed, as well as plans that you and the teacher made to help your child make improvements.
Start right away on any plans for improvement and be very consistent. This helps show your child that you consider them important and that everyone (parent, teacher and child) can work together to make positive changes. It also models for your child how to take on problems and turn them around.
If you have a partner or spouse who was unable to attend the conference, fill them in on the information as soon as possible.
Keep in regular contact with the teacher. As a matter of course, phone the teacher after two or three weeks as a follow-up to the meeting and to check up on how things are going.
Our thanks to the B.C. Teachers’ Federation for preparing these tips!

During a teacher conference

This tip section is about what to do during your parent-teacher conference. For starters, do your best to be on time for your interview. In order to fit everyone in, teachers have to stick to a fairly tight schedule during the interview hours. If you have to cancel your appointment, phone the school to let them know, and you can re-book for another meeting date.

After that, here are some tips to make the most of your interview:

Begin on a positive note. Mention something that your child enjoys about school or the particular classroom they are in.
Make sure that you check up on your child’s social interactions at school as well as their academic progress. Ask the teacher how your child gets along with others and if there is anything in particular that you should know about their social and emotional progress. Also, ask about your child’s work habits, behaviour, participation, and learning style.
Let the teacher know your child’s interests, hobbies, strengths, and areas where they need extra encouragement.
Refer to your list of questions to make sure that you haven’t left anything out.
Don’t hesitate to make notes while the teacher is talking so that you will remember what they said once you get home.
Ask the teacher about the classroom rules and discipline, homework procedures, and overall expectations for students.
It can be easy to get angry or defensive if the teacher raises problems. But try not to. Talking together about problems is the best way to make sure they are addressed before they grow bigger and that your child has the support they need to make improvements. Ask questions, share ideas that have worked for you at home and be an active part of planning new ways to make things better.
Ask the teacher what is the most important thing you can do at home to support your child’s learning.
End the conference on a positive note.

Special education support varies by board

Special Education supports can look different school board to school board. For example, some school boards have self-contained special education classes while others provide a more inclusive model of education. As well, school boards have a range of professionals beyond teaching staff who assist in supporting students with special needs. Your school board may have access to child and youth workers, itinerant teachers of the blind, deaf, gifted, etc., speech-language pathologists, or psychologists, just to name a few. The board’s Special Education Plan is a good source of information about special education services and supports provided by each board and can be found on the board’s website.

You can find more information about special education on the Ministry of Education website.

Before the teacher interview

One of the best ways to keep the learning partnership strong is to attend parent-teacher interviews and meet with your child’s teacher, face to face. To make the most of those interviews, check out these tips, starting with pre-conference prep.

Before your conference with the teacher:

Make a list of any questions you want to ask.
Ask your child what they would like you to ask or tell their teacher.
Think about any specific information you will need to let the teacher know. This could include home or family changes the teacher needs to be sensitive to, health issues that affect your child, or recent family deaths or dramatic changes that have had an impact on your child.
Consider what special things you would like the teacher to know about your child.

Talk to your child’s teacher

Do you want to know how your child is doing in school? Talk to your child’s teacher.
Classroom-based assessment by teachers is the best source of information about student learning. You have the right and responsibility to keep track of that assessment by asking how your child is doing in the classroom. Ask your child’s teacher:

How is my child being assessed?
Does my child know what to expect?
Does my child understand how classroom work is assessed?
How are test results used?
What support can I provide at home and at school?

Your rights as a parent

As parents, you have a right to know how your child is progressing and to expect early identification of any learning problems.

If you have any questions about your child’s education, don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher. You have the right to know:

what is being taught and how it is taught
what discipline methods are used in a class
what will be evaluated and how
what the teachers’ expectations are for your child, for academic achievement, and behaviour
how the teacher will communicate with you and for what reasons you will be contacted
the best methods to convey any concerns you have to the teacher or school

You also have the right to:

meet with the teacher or school personnel within a reasonable time after making a request
visit the classroom by appointment
bring forward concerns or complaints and have them dealt with appropriately
be kept informed of your child’s progress and any problems which develop

A good relationship

Learning is a partnership between you, your child, and your child’s teacher. Together, you can create a lifelong love of learning.

And you’ll help your child to grow and succeed — not just in the classroom, but emotionally and socially as well.
Here are some ways you can make the most of your partnership with your child’s teacher.

You and your child’s teacher can create a positive relationship by taking every opportunity to meet and discuss your child’s progress. Those discussions will pave the way to better communication and help identify any problems before they become serious.

Teachers make the partnership work by letting you know what your child is learning in school and how your child is progressing, and by listening to your concerns.

Professional judgement

Classrooms change from year to year, depending on the individual strengths and challenges each student brings to the class. For far too long, teachers have been required to administer a number of standardized assessments to the entire class regardless of whether the results would provide useful information for more than a few students. As acknowledged by the Ministry of Education’s policy guideline entitled Growing Success, “Teachers’ professional judgements are at the heart of effective assessment, evaluation, and reporting of student achievement.”

With greater recognition for our professional judgement, we are now better able to determine which assessments correspond to your child’s learning needs. We now have more discretion to decide which students would benefit from a particular assessment. This leaves more time for focusing on regular classroom learning and for individualized programming for your child.

Supporting your child with special needs

Some children have learning difficulties or issues that require special programming and/or additional supports. School boards have an obligation to provide special education programs and services to these students.

If you have concerns about your child’s learning or special needs, your first conversation should always be with the classroom teacher. Contact the teacher to make an appointment to discuss your concerns.

The teacher may also reach out to you to discuss concerns regarding your child’s learning or special needs. Your conversation with the classroom teacher is the first step in ensuring your child receives the appropriate programming and support to meet their needs and has a successful school experience. The classroom teacher may involve the special education teacher, the principal or school board personnel such as a speech-language pathologist to seek support for your child.

Your child’s needs may be met through accommodations (strategies the teacher puts in place in order for your child to be successful at grade level). Some children require modifications, which are changes to the program, either above or below the grade level expectations of the curriculum.

Providing an Individual Education Plan

An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a document that may be created for your child if the learning needs are significant and require modifications or a high level of accommodations. As a parent, you will be consulted in the development of the IEP and will receive a copy.

The school may suggest that your child be identified as exceptional through an Identification, Placement, and Review Committee (IPRC). This is a formal process that is outlined in the Education Act and has regulations school boards must adhere to. For example, a student who is identified as exceptional through an IPRC will have an identification (meaning the student meets the criteria for one or more of the definitions of exceptionalities as defined by the Ministry of Education in Ontario). Placement (the special education level of support a student receives) is also determined at an IPRC.

Any student identified as exceptional through an IPRC must have an IEP. However an IEP may be put in place without an IPRC identification. Regardless of why the IEP is created, parents will be consulted about the development of it.

Play-based learning

Another valuable aspect of Ontario’s Kindergarten program is play-based learning.

Children learn through play and inquiry. They build on their natural curiosity through guided exploration, investigation and communication.

The teacher-DECE staffing model enriches this play-based learning.

“Play nourishes every aspect of children’s development – it forms the foundation of intellectual, social, physical and emotional skills necessary for success in school and in life.”

Helping with math

Communication between home and school is an important part of the mathematics program in Ontario’s elementary schools. Be positive about math and encourage your child to have fun while solving problems. Highlight the math that you do in your everyday activities such as measuring ingredients when cooking and doing mental math when making a purchase. Encourage your child to explain how they solved a problem.

Other math ideas for at home include:
talk about shapes and sizes in your environment
track the weather over the summer and discuss the number of sunny or cloudy days
look for patterns around your neighbourhood (e.g., interlocking bricks or gardens)
measure objects around your home using found objects (e.g., a paperclip) and a ruler
estimate the length or height of objects in your home
compare the length of different objects around your home
count objects around the house – remember to count by 1’s, 2’s, and 5’s
identify numbers everywhere in your environment
play games and do puzzles with your child
Most of all have mathematical fun together!

Read every day

Read every day. Here are some ways to incorporate reading into your day:

become a book carrier everywhere you go — doctor, dentist, grocery store
cook and read recipes together
share quiet time with your child reading a favourite story… again… again… and again
note signs and print around you in the environment
open a board game, read the directions, and play together
play word games in the car
read together — labels, cereal boxes, signs
use appropriate web sites
visit the library often; try attending story hour events.

Raising a reader

Making reading a part of your relationship with your child will help your child at school and establish a life-long love for learning. Reading with, or to your child, can:

give your child a head start
help develop your child’s attention span and listening skills
increase your child’s vocabulary
help you know your child better
make you a reading role model
help develop your child’s confidence in a supportive environment
teach your child that learning is fun
make your child feel secure and valued as you spend time reading together
help your child learn about your family and life as you talk about the book together.

Roots of Equality

As parents, we can be the biggest influence in our kids’ lives, their best teacher and role model. We can help them build positive, healthy friendships and dating relationships free from violence. Each of us can make a difference that will last a lifetime.
Download and print the Roots of Equality brochure in the following language:

English
Mandarin
Punjabi
Somali
Spanish
Tamil
Russian

Get involved in your child's school

Here are some suggestions for how you can get involved in your child’s school and some tips for helping your child enjoy and benefit from school:

Become active in your child’s school: help out at school events, attend school events, volunteer in your child’s classroom, or share an interest of yours with your child’s class.
Speak regularly with your child’s teacher: share information about your child, visit the school regularly, and contact your child’s teacher when you have questions or concerns.
Encourage a positive attitude towards learning: discuss school activities with your child every day, speak positively about education, encourage your child’s best effort, assign home responsibilities your child can learn from, and take the time to listen to your child talk about school.
Encourage good work habits: help your child with challenging assignments without doing the work, review your child’s school work and homework assignments every day, discuss appropriate expectations for your child with the teacher, and provide an opportunity for play and rest each day.

A Way with Words and Images

We say that “words will never hurt me”, but sometimes words do hurt. A Way with Words and Images suggests ways to talk about ability and disability that aren’t hurtful. Check out the list and use appropriate words and encourage those around you to do the same.

Greater independence

Here are a few suggestions to encourage your child to develop more independence in preparation for school.

Have your child spend time away from regular caregivers — an activity at your local library is a good start — check for Story Hours or Crafting
Save some time every day to talk over your child’s day — if you make this a habit now, it will come more naturally when he or she comes home from school
Make sure your child has a set bedtime — your child should be getting between 10 and 12 hours of sleep
Start planning and arranging a homework area in your house — it will show your child the importance of school work
Give your child specific tasks for helping at home — tidying up will be part of the classroom routine
Encourage your child to be responsible for personal care such as dressing and personal hygiene
Attend the school open house
Plan the route to and from school
Visit the school playground during the summer months to make it familiar
Read together every day

As you get ready for the first days of school you should also review safety rules. Don’t over emphasis hazards, but make sure your child knows how to keep safe.
Going to school is a big step and now is the time to start preparing so when September comes you can focus on building your relationship with your child’s teacher and school.

School readiness checklist

Children do not need to have specific knowledge or skills to begin school. But it is helpful if they are able to:

share and know how to take turns
cooperate and play well with others
listen and pay attention for short periods of time
speak and ask for what they need
recognize their own names in writing
help out and put away classroom materials and toys after activity time
dress and undress themselves
use the toilet independently and clean themselves
play by themselves with toys for a period of time without needing adult attention
be away from their caregivers and parents and understand that parents will come back.

Peace Picture Books

Here are some picture books dealing with peace that you can read with your children. These books are part of ETFO’s Social Justice Begins With Me curriculum resource.

Ability/Disability Picture Books

A list of picture books that deal with ability/disability that you can read with your children. These books are a part of ETFO's Social Justice Begins With Me curriculum resource.

Welcome to school

You want to make your child’s first experiences at school positive ones. Here are some tips to help your child with the transition:

Introduce some time away from your child’s caregivers. For example, begin with story-hour at the local library.
Discover the route to and from school. Practice the route several times to build your child’s confidence and establish safety-conscious routines.
Discuss personal safety, busing and block parents.
Raise concerns related to faith and culture with the school’s staff.
Help your child build a positive attitude to school. Find out the teacher’s name and use it when discussing school activities.
Use a calendar throughout the year. Circle the day on which school begins, and other dates important to your child.
Visit the school at every opportunity. Take advantage of open houses, interviews and registration to make the transition easier on yourself as well.

Learn More

Filters

Inclusive Classrooms

Tips for parents

Self-esteem & your child

Homework Support

Full-day Kindergarten

Special Education

You & your child’s teacher

Parent Teacher Interviews

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