Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
RESEARCH
How does the use of the Numeracy Backpack
Programme enhance home -
school partnerships?
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BACKGROUND
At the beginning of 2008 a Numeracy Achievement Report was
produced and presented to the school Board of Trustees to
show the numeracy development in our school. This report
highlighted areas of concern in numeracy as several children
were achieving below their expected level. From this, the Staff
and Board of Trustees developed a plan of action in addressing
the students needs across the school. Our main focus was on
ensuring a structured and effective home/school programme
was put in place to encourage numeracy learning at home.
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THE NUMERACY
BACKPACK SYSTEM
NUMERACY BACKPACK – 1
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SURVEY
Numeracy Backpack Feedback
A copy of the following survey was given to all
children who took a backpack home over an 8
week period.
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NUMERACY BACKPACK FEEDBACK
Please fill this in with your teacher or individually before you take the backpack home on how
you think you will use the backpacks.
1How many days do you think you will use the backpacks? 1-2 3-4 5+ 0
_____________________________________________________________________________
How many days did you use the backpacks? 1-2 3-4 5+ 0
Who did you play the games with? Alone With parents Friends Siblings
Do you think you will continue to play maths games at home? Yes No
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THE CHILDREN’S VIEW
1 How many days do you think you will use the backpacks?
1-2 3-4 5+ 0
16 53 29 2
YES NO
55 45
YES NO
99 1
YES NO
33 67
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1 How many days did you will use the backpacks?
1-2 3-4 5+ 0
20 48 30 2
YES NO
75 25
COMMENTS
We had fun, my family and I hope to get the backpack pack again.
I loved all of the games
I would play with my friends when they come around to my house.
There is a good variety of games.
Mum read me the stories in the backpack.
I really enjoyed every game in the bag.
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FINDINGS
75% of children played the games with their parents or siblings.
Children are positive about maths at school with 99% enjoying maths.
However almost 40% find maths hard.
98% of children used the backpacks when they went home on an average of
3-4 days a week.
Before the backpacks went home 55% of children did some form of maths
activity at home. Since the backpack programme has been running this has
increased to 75%. A big achievement!
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BUILDING THE HOME-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP
OUR PARENT’S VIEWS
P M I
The games ranged from easy to hard. Our It was hard to explain to the children If we could get the backpack more
child liked the games that were easy to only one game at a time and to finish the regularly 2-3 times a term this would be
play. games before starting another. ideal.
Great to get together and have a laugh Maybe taking home the backpack for two
weeks instead of one week, just to have
Wonderful quality time together without
more time to use and enjoy the pack.
younger brother to destroy things.
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CONCLUSION
So far 25 families have registered for these sessions, which will be another great
opportunity to continue developing the home-school relationships between
Musselburgh School and our community.
WHERE TO NEXT...
• Set up and monitor the use of a specific numeracy wikispace.
• Continue to monitor the use of the Numeracy Backpacks home-school books.
• Host Numeracy Parent Sessions in October to help parents learn about the way numeracy
is taught in schools, how they feel the numeracy backpacks and any questions they have
regarding their child’s learning.
• Train more parent volunteers to be part of the Targeted Learning Groups programme
which allows parents to work with a small group of children focusing on increasing
children’s number knowledge.
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