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Bishop Elementary School parents get inside look into best practices

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Parents in Education, or PIE, is a program that welcomes parents to see firsthand the research-based best practices being implemented in our classrooms.

Parents In Education
Parents visit third and fourth-grade classrooms in October where students demonstrated “Accountable Talking.” Students practiced careful listening, built on each others’ ideas, restated key ideas in a story they read, and practiced respectful disagreement with their peers’ ideas.

This year, there will be five opportunities for parents to learn about an array of subjects ranging from English language development to math. Parents will hear from school principals and teachers about the different types of instruction that are being provided and the strategies students are learning. After the presentation, parents visit classrooms where an example of the lesson is being conducted.

Bishop students explain their interpretations of a book they read in class, while parents observe.
Bishop students explain their interpretations of a book they read in class, while parents observe.

After seeing the lesson in action, parents are able to ask questions and get answers on how they can use the strategy at home to help their students continue to strengthen new skills.

During the English Language Development meeting, parents learned they could help their students by having them speak in complete sentences, explain what they’re thinking, have students add more details to their sentences when writing and expose them to different types of texts and media.

“I want parents to experience students learning first hand,” said Bishop Assistant Principal Becky Schmidt, who facilitates the program. “I want parents to be able to take ideas away and truly be able to use them at home.  Finally, I want parents to feel they are a part of their student’s learning and the school.”

The next PIE meeting is Dec. 2 at 8:15 a.m. For more information about the program, contact the school’s front office at 408-522-8229.

Article by District Communications Coordinator Alia Wilson and Bishop Elementary Assistant Principal Becky Schmidt.

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