FAMILY, SCHOOL, COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL …

1 >>WRITTEN BY >>JOHN GALVIN, ANN HIGGINS AND KAREN MAHONYFAMILY, school , COMMUNITYEDUCATIONAL partnership << academic report >> Copyright 2009 Curriculum Development Unit, Mary Immaculate College, LimerickISBN 978-1-900146-12-8 Curriculum Development Unit,Mary Immaculate College,South Circular Road,LimerickT. + rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in anyform or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, scanning, recording or otherwise, without the priorwritten permission of the copyright owners and publisher of this effort has been made to acknowledge contributors and sources throughout this report .

2 If we have made anoversight it is felt happybecause ourparents cameto see what wedo in class 11 Participating child s quote (BC2).This publication is dedicated to thechildren in the five primary schools thatwere involved in the FSCEP project from2005-2009. The FSCEP project sought tobring enhanced learning opportunities tothese children through working inpartnership with them, their teachers, theirparents and their communities. We wishthem every success in their educationaljourneys and in their lives Personnel and Administration4 FSCEP Project Aims and Objectives5 report Structure9 Introduction9 Education10 Definition of Partnership10 Rationale for Working in Partnership15 Towards an Ecological Understanding of EDUCATIONAL Inclusion17 Benefits of Working in Partnership19 Social Capital21 Barriers to EDUCATIONAL Partnership26 Models of EDUCATIONAL Partnership27 Epstein.

3 Overlapping Spheres of Influence30A Final Word33 Introduction33 Methodological Framework34 Research Participants35 Ethical Considerations36 Data Analysis38 Conclusion41 Introduction41 school Profiles2 LITERATURE REVIEW >>3 METHODOLOGY >>4 FSCEP PROJECTSCHOOL PROFILES >>1 INTRODUCTION >>CONTENTS: SECTION 1:1 INTRODUCTION >>3 METHODOLOGY >>4 FSCEP PROJECTSCHOOL PROFILES >>2 LITERATURE REVIEW >>49 Introduction49 Methodology49 Findings59 Conclusion63 Introduction63 Findings65 Theme A: Development and Enhancement of the school Ethos,Mission and/or Culture81 Theme B: Planning of school Policies, Processes, Procedures,Organisational Structure and Practices89 Theme C: Teaching, Curriculum Development and Learning Styles97 Conclusion101 Introduction101 Appropriate Models of Partnership104 Evaluation of FSCEP Aims and Objectives106 Key Conclusions111 Recommendations114 Conclusion127 FSCEP Questionnaire128 Participating FSCEP school Flyer5 FAMILY school COMMUNITYEDUCATIONAL partnership :QUANTITIVE FINDINGS >>6 FAMILY school COMMUNITYEDUCATIONAL partnership .

4 QUALITIVE FINDINGS >>7 CONCLUSIONS ANDRECOMMENDATIONS >>8 BIBLIOGRAPHY >>9 APPENDICES >>FSCEP academic report >>5 FAMILY school COMMUNITYEDUCATIONAL partnership :QUANTITIVE FINDINGS >>7 CONCLUSIONS ANDRECOMMENDATIONS >>9 APPENDICES >>8 BIBLIOGRAPHY >>6 FAMILY school COMMUNITYEDUCATIONAL partnership :QUALITIVE FINDINGS >>34 TABLE :Quantity of Formal Data Gathered35 TABLE :Research Participants42 TABLE : Participating school Profiles50 TABLE :Staff Attitudes to Working in partnership with Parents50 TABLE : Action-Research Element was of Benefit to Me51 TABLE : Teachers Relationships with Parents and Families52 TABLE :The FSCEP Project has made Little or No Difference to the Way I Work as a Teacher53 TABLE : Benefits of the partnership Programmes54 TABLE : The FSCEP Project has Impacted on our school Planning and Policymaking55 TABLE : The FSCEP Project Brought an Added Workload and Put Extra Pressure on Me as a Teacher55 TABLE : The FSCEP Project Provided Some Well-designed, Inclusive and Comprehensive Approaches to FamilyInvolvement in Children s Learning57 TABLE : As a Teacher, I Welcome Increased Parental Involvement60 TABLE : FSCEP Helped Our school Become a Learning Centre for Adults as well as Children66 TABLE.

5 school Mission Statements105 TABLE : Evaluation of the Aims and Objectives of the FSCEP Project106 TABLE : Key Conclusions, Theme A - Development and Enhancement of the school Ethos, Mission and/or Culture108 TABLE : Key Conclusions, Theme B - Planning of school Policies, Processes, Procedures, Organisational Structureand Practices110 TABLE : Key Conclusions, Theme C: Teaching, Curriculum Development and Learning Styles51 FIGURE : Better Pupil/Teacher Relationships have resulted from the FSCEP Project53 FIGURE : Benefits and Impacts of the FSCEP Project 54 FIGURE : Impact of the FSCEP Project on the Local COMMUNITY 56 FIGURE : I Have Been Involved in Whole- school Activities with FSCEP56 FIGURE : I Have Been Involved with Activities with my Class for FSCEP56 FIGURE : Children s Attendance and Behaviour Improved Because of FSCEP Activities57 FIGURE : FSCEP Activities Brought a New Dynamic to Teaching and Learning for my Class58 FIGURE : The Impact of the FSCEP Programmes on Children s Literacy, Numeracy, Attendance and Behaviour58 FIGURE : Parental Involvement in the Home compared with in the School111 FIGURE : Dimensions of partnership ModelTABLES & FIGURES:SECTION 1.

6 FSCEP academic report >> <<ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS >>The Family school COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL partnership (FSCEP) project would never have taken placewithout the commitment, vision and dedication of the five primary schools that worked with the FSCEP project team and management for four years. The schools involved were St. Lelia s Infant school , Kileely,Limerick; Southill Junior school , Southill, Limerick; Our Lady of Lourdes Primary school , Rosbrien, Limerick;Shragh National school , Kilrush, Co. Clare and St. Senan s Primary school , Kilrush, Co. Clare. We wish toacknowledge the commitment of school staffs including the principals, teachers, caretakers, secretaries andspecial needs assistants who gave of their expertise, time and energy to ensure this project was a success.

7 We acknowledge the families of children attending the five schools, the parents, grandparents, older andyounger siblings, and extended family members who worked enthusiastically within classrooms and beyond tosupport their children s learning. We acknowledge COMMUNITY members who through After school Clubs,summer camps, Local Education Committees (LECs), COMMUNITY Development Projects (CDPs), and throughmaking COMMUNITY facilities available, worked in partnership with families and schools to further children slearning. Without these people this project would never have realised its funding for the FSCEP project came from two sources.

8 Firstly, the Dormant Accounts Fund whichfinanced the FSCEP project for the initial two years. Mary Immaculate College (MIC) submitted a fundingapplication, which won the highest allocation of Dormant Accounts funding nationally. The latter two years ofthe FSCEP project was funded through the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Strategic Innovation Fund 1(SIF 1). The FSCEP management committees and the schools are very grateful to both the Dormant Accountsfund and the HEA SIF 1 fund for making this project possible. Furthermore we wish to acknowledge the roleof Pobal in administering the Dormant Accounts funding. The design of the FSCEP project and the application process were informed by expertise from across theEducation and Arts Faculties in Mary Immaculate College, and supported by the MIC Research office.

9 Tormey, Dr. Sandra Ryan, Dr. Caroline Healy, Dr. Michael Healy and Dr. Ann Higgins were allinvolved in the design and submission of the initial application. The PAUL partnership , one of Ireland s mostestablished partnership companies were also involved the initial design and submission process. Additionally,the five schools that opted to be involved in the FSCEP project were also part of the application and designprocess for the FSCEP project. The FSCEP design team liaised with relevant partners at local level (LimerickTravellers Development Group, Barnardos, Vocational EDUCATIONAL Committee (VEC) and the Western HealthBoard) and at national level (Department of Education and Science (DES), Home school COMMUNITY Liaison(HSCL), a National Coordinator, Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO), and Combat Poverty Agency(CPA)).

10 The contributions of these experts were essential in the successful application process and in sustainingthe project throughout its lifespan. Subsequently, Dr. Sandra Ryan was successful in securing funding for thesecond phase of the FSCEP project through the HEA SIF 1 FSCEP project was located within the Targeting EDUCATIONAL Disadvantage (TED) project, which issituated in the Curriculum Development Unit (CDU) in MIC. TED personnel including the Chair, TEDC oordinator, FSCEP partnership Development Coordinator and project personnel were all involved in themanagement of the FSCEP project. Their commitment and energy kept the project on track and brought itsmany facets to successful outcomes.