AG teachers hold homework workshop for parents
FAIRCHANCE – The final school bell rings and students head for home. They may have left the classroom, but the school day often continues with a homework assignment or study for a looming test.
A.L. Wilson Elementary School teachers in the Albert Gallatin Area School District have some advice for parents to help their children do a better job with their lessons.
The teachers recently held their first parent workshop at the school, addressing the state’s academic standards and related Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests, homework and study skills.
Several of the teachers talked about the academic standards that state officials have prepared for subjects, including the language arts and mathematics. The students must meet certain benchmarks each year.
They are tested specifically on the standards through the PSSA in third and fifth grades in language arts and math at the elementary level, eighth grade at the middle school/junior high level and in 11th grade at the senior high level. This school year is the first time third-graders will take the tests.
The teachers said their work in the classroom follows the standards, and each grade, even those not yet tested, builds on the standards.
Janet Cerullo, Linda Kolosky and George Parish showed the handful of parents who attended the workshop examples of PSSA test questions that the state has released for review.
Cerullo pointed out that even the third-grade math test has open-ended questions that present a problem the student must consider and explain their answer.
Parish said the reasoning is that the students must be able to perform what they have learned.
“It’s a good thing because he has to actually show what he knows,” he said.
Of the language arts PSSA questions, the teachers showed an example of a story a student would read and then the questions that follow. They explained that writing is involved and the students must do more than just recall facts about the story.
“This is a performance test. They want to see you do something with your knowledge,” Parish said.
The teachers said homework is an important part of the learning process.
Cindy Fullem said students often ask teachers why they have to do homework.
“It is to practice what they already learned in class,” she said. “Homework invites you, as a parent, to get involved in your child’s learning. It can be a positive experience to help you and your child to learn.”
Jennifer Kopas said the best thing a parent can do is be positive about homework and encourage a child to do homework right after school, leaving the rest of the evening free.
She said parents are responsible for making sure their children are responsible, and she cautioned against actually doing the homework for the child. She said a parent also should leave it to the child to bring the homework home and take it back to school.
“I tell students this is our workplace and everyone has a job to do. It’s my job to teach you and your job to practice what I teach and your parents’ job to make sure you are practicing,” Kopas said.
Other teachers echoed her comments about responsibility.
Dolly Murray recommended that parents designate an appropriate place for homework with adequate lighting and no distractions like television or radio. She also recommended parents keep supplies handy in a container, crate or bin that can be set out especially for homework.
Fullem talked about ways parents can make homework fun. She displayed homemade flashcards and bingo cards as well as educational computer software. She suggested using drawing toys on which to do spelling words.
“They think they are playing a game. They don’t even realize they are learning,” she said.
Kara Pegg encouraged parents to sit quietly while their children read and work through reading strategies to figure out unfamiliar words.
Donna Bryant listed common sense tips that can be overlooked, like making sure the child’s name is on the assignment.
She told parents to read the directions with their children, discuss their answers, remind the children to write their answers neatly and encourage them to make sure the answer makes sense.
The teachers talked about establishing and keeping a study schedule.
Allison Haragos said children are more likely to get their work done if they have a routine. She said if the child has no homework one day, keep the designated time and use it to read.
Stacey Peton said studying each night for even 10 minutes for a test is more effective than cramming the night before.
The school’s principal, Judith Psenicska, acknowledged that just a handful of parents attended the workshop, and she asked those who did attend to share the information. She said this session was a first attempt, and involving parents is part of the school’s action plan to improve student performance.
She invited all parents to attend the parent-teacher conferences Nov. 21, and she noted that the teachers will repeat the workshop in the spring.
Superintendent Walter Vicinelly said parents are part of the team effort that is necessary for students from kindergarten to senior high school to excel.
The mother of a fourth-grader at A.L. Wilson, Robin Gibson, said she learned from the workshop that homework should not be an annoyance to parents and that it has a purpose.
PTO President Mary Ann Kiefer said she would certainly encourage more parents to attend the next workshop. The mother of a fifth-grader, Keifer praised the teachers for the presentation.
The women talked about the PSSA tests and the example questions. “I don’t think parents realize how much education has changed,” Gibson said.