1. Beyond parking lots and playgrounds: Engaging newcomer parents on the other side of the school doors. EDUC 5002G: Research Methods in Education Research Proposal Presentation Monday, April 20th, 2010 Maria Macri

2. Plan for tonight ... Background and introduction Rationale for the proposed research study Methodology Anticipated results Summary & Conclusion

4. Children of newcomer parents are left negotiating home customs/beliefs alongside western ideologies – newcomer parents are not as immersed in the values and norms of western culture as their children

7. Preliminary data suggests that this is a time when parent involvement in school declines

8. Sensitive pre-adolescent period marked by distancing from parental unit

9. Parents are newcomers with their first language a language other than English (Spanish, Portuguese, Tigrinia, Arabic etc)

10. focused mostly on settling and adjusting to a new country, a new language, a new climate and a new way of doing things = conflict between child’s western experience and their own traditional beliefs further perpetuating the wedge between parents and children

11. n = 150

12. Focus on the unengaged parents

14. TDSB (3 Model Schools)

15. Community Agency (NYCH)

16. Community Group (Lawrence Heights Education Working Group)

17. Families in this neighbourhood of planned revitalization has been extensively surveyed, have had their needs assessed in door to door outreach activities, focus groups etc. Data from these sources will be coded

20. Students will work with study staff to create and finalize the workshop

21. Students can engage their parents in conversation to determine their interests

22. Topics can include:

23. Microsoft Word – the basics

24. Popular Websites – Youtube, Wikipedia

25. How to download and edit photos

26. Setting up an email account

27. In the second phase students will then work one-on-one with their parents to facilitate the workshop with them at school

28. Workshops will be supervised by study staff

30. This will be done in a focus group setting facilitated by study staff

31. Data will be audio recorded

32. Parents will complete a survey (translated copies will be made available) obtaining their feedback and opinion on the overall experience to include questions about the school environment during this process

34. increased sense of belonging in the school environment

35. a sense of empowerment having gained knowledge on the technology their children use on a regular basis.

36. School Staff

37. they will list very traditional school-initiated activities as modes of engaging parents

38. will be likely to lay blame on lack of parent engagement on the parents themselves demonstrating a lack of awareness of the issues and circumstances burdening their students.

39. Other

40. Develop a framework on how to engage parents of various cultural backgrounds to consider language, culture, customs and beliefs.

42. Demonstrates that engagement does not necessarily have to be tied to academics all the time; teachers can interact with parents on different levels in different settings beyond the Parent Teacher interview or the phone call home

43. Community partnerships can play a key role in assisting already over-burdened teachers with creating opportunities within the school for parents to become involved in

44. Newcomer communities have special considerations that need to be taken into account that may impact a students academic journey

45. Consider language, culture, customs and beliefs