Daily Literacy Activities

Learning happens in many ways, especially in our day-to-day activities.  Tasks such as cooking, doing laundry, running errands and surfing the Internet all provide learning opportunities that your family can embrace.

Here are 10 fun and easy ways to make literacy part of your family's daily life.

When making your grocery list, have your child write out the items you need to buy.
At the store, ask your child to count out the money to make the purchase.
Make it a habit to always read a story together at bedtime.
When cooking dinner, involve your children in measuring the ingredients.  This helps them understand fractions and measurements.
Driving is the perfect opportunity to practice literacy.  Read signs, billboards, and licence plates together, and show your children the proper way to read a map.
While on the Internet, make time to research something new that your family is interested in.  Researching skills are important and help with reading and comprehension.
In the car, sing along to songs on the radio.  Singing encourages learning patterns of words, rhymes and rhythms, and is strongly connected to language skills.
When playing a board game, read the instructions aloud to each other or count how many spaces to travel around the board.
Involve your kids when you pay bills.  This will teach them strong financial skills early on in life.
Children follow by example, so ensure reading is part of your daily life too!

For more family literacy tips, activity ideas and information please visit  http://www.familyliteracyday.ca/

January 27th is Family Literacy Day.  Celebrate it!!

Parent Teacher Relationship

Top Ten Things Teachers Wish Parents Would Do

Participate in their children's education.  Parent involvement helps students learn, improves schools and makes teacher's job easier.

Provide resources at home for reading and learning.  Supply books and magazines for children and read with them each day.

Set a good example.  Show your children that you believe reading is enjoyable and useful.

Encourage children to do their best in school.  Help them set obtainable goals and monitor involvement in other activities.

Concern themselves first with academic progress, next with students' preparation to assume adult responsibilities, (work, etc.), then finally, involvement in athletics and activities.

Support school rules, discipline policies, and achievement goals.

Call teachers as soon as a problem becomes apparent so that prompt action can be taken.

Teach basic self-discipline, good manners and other social skills that children need throughout their lives.

Understand that alcohol, tobacco and excessive partying are problems as serious as drug abuse.  All these can cause both a student's health and classroom performance to suffer.

Remember that teachers are people, too.  Many are parents, and share your parent challenges.  Teachers want your students to succeed:  Help Them!