The Parents Learning About Education (PLAE) initiative at James Culnan Catholic School seeks to support the involvement of parents and partnerships in the learning that occurs at school. School Principal Persad is working on this initiative, which includes monthly informational sessions focusing on topics which are directly related to the school and the classroom, which parents may want to know or learn about, and which are relevant to student success and achievement at James Culnan. This initiative helps to support parents, and educate them on how learning occurs in schools.
Principal Persad presented the first session on helping parents learn about math strategies, with a focus on Number Talks and Social Emotional Learning. Nicole Peckham, a Math Resource Teacher, collaborated on planning and development of the session to support this initiative. Parents had the opportunity to not only listen to information but to work through problem solving questions with the use of manipulatives. Parents were also exposed to types of scaffolding methods and rich learning activities that students are part of in school.
At James Culnan Catholic School, we are committed to providing opportunities for for parents to understand and complete tasks as students do in the classroom, and to clarify how learning occurs in the classroom. We are always seeking staff voices when looking at ways to educate our parent community.
As per Principal Persad:
"The importance of parent learning and partnership in schools cannot be overstated. It creates a synergy between home and school, promoting an environment where a child's educational journey is supported comprehensively, leading to improved academic performance and personal development. When parents are actively engaged in understanding the curriculum and educational goals, they can provide meaningful assistance to their children with homework and projects, reinforcing the lessons learned in the classroom."
