Programmes > Id f'Id > Services > The Parent-to-Parent Course Project
The Parent-to-Parent Courses Project
(Id f'Id mal-Ġenituri)Part 1 | Part 2
The general aim of the parent-to-parent courses project is to address parental participation and involvement through focused educational discussions and hands-on activities with parents in order to enhance their own and their children's learning. A parent-to-parent course runs for 4-5 sessions of 2-hours duration each session. The target is twenty five participants for each course.
Courses are organised and co-led by the ‘parent leaders' together with the Id f'Id Animator (Teacher) in answer to parents' expressed educational strengths, expertise, needs and concerns in full collaboration with the school.
In order to encourage both parents to participate, a childminding service is provided.
The Parent-to-Parent Course Project derives from the belief that when given the right and appropriate opportunities, parents and especially parent leaders, are well able to put forward practical suggestions and undertake educational challenges and initiatives. Most parents are keen to share knowledge of their own children if opportunities are created for them to do so. The Id f'Id Animator is constantly considering and valuing parents' views. The Id f'Id Animators have the main duty of implementing this grounded-approach project. The Parent-to-Parent Courses are mainly skill-based courses focused on attitude awareness and attitude change; however, although not a priority, sharing of knowledge is also important and acknowledged.
The roles of the Teacher (Id f'Id Animator) and ‘Parent Leaders'
The Id f'Id Animator's role remains that of processing the outcome of the parents' discussions and linking these to educational attainments while also ensuring that all is in line with the curriculum and school policy. The Animator trains a small group of parent leaders in order to put forward practical suggestions and undertake educational challenges and initiatives.
These ‘new' roles for teachers are also leading to lifelong learning opportunities since they are undergoing further training in the field of ‘adult education' and ‘working with parents' so far provided by FES. Besides, four personnel from the Id f'Id Team are undertaking further postgraduate training: three at Masters level and one at diploma level.
The role of the parent leaders is to explore the educational strengths and concerns of other parents in their locality, while undergoing informal training with the Id f'Id Animator in order to plan, design and facilitate a course for other parents. Most often, parent leaders are parent-members on school councils, parent participants of FES initiatives and other parents identified by the school.
These ‘new' roles for parents are also leading to lifelong learning opportunities, not only through the non-formal and informal training they receive from the Id f'Id Animator; these parents started compiling their own ‘parent lifelong learning portfolio' which is being tested for the first time during a parent leaders' training seminar concurrently held with this conference.
Consulting with educationalists
When the Id f'Id Animator and ‘Parent Leaders' are designing a Parent-to-Parent Course which leads to a new theme, together they consult with educationalists and/or experts in the area of the theme chosen. This is usually done during the preparation stage of the course. A number of educationalists were consulted since the beginning of this project.
Name & designation of educationalist
Name of Parent-to-Parent Course consulted for
Date of consultation
Dr. Valerie Sollars (Lecturer UOM)
Spelling and Reading
Nov. 2003
Mr. Frans Borg (Director)
Home-School Links
Nov. 2003
Ms. Ninette Lucia E.O. (English)
Reading (English)
March 2004
Prof. Sheila Wolfendale
Reading
Feb. 2004
Mr. Carmel Cefai (Psychologist)
Self-esteem
April. 2004
Ms. Anne Fean
Reading (Story bags)
March 2004
Mr. Peter Vassallo (Ast. Dir.)
Maths
Oct. 2004
Ms. Monica Attard E.O.
Homework
April 2004
Dr. Carmel Borg (Dean UOM)
Educational needs
April 2004
On the 17 th of February 2004 , Professor Sheila Wolfendale attended a parent-to-parent course session at B'Kara Primary School and the parent leaders together with the Id f'Id programme co-ordinator had the opportunity to discuss with her their practice.
The Id f'Id Animator, preferably with ‘parent leaders', consult with educationalists and/or experts in the area of the theme chosen. Mr. Carmel Cefai, Educational Psychologist attended for a Parent-to-Parent Course preparation meeting with the Id f'Id Animator and ‘Parent Leaders' at Xewkija Primary School on the 7 th May 2004 .
Back to the top
The Parent-to-Parent Courses Project Procedures Manual
A detailed procedure manual of the parent-to-parent courses project was developed. The manual is divided into three sections. Section one covers the procedures needed in the preparation stage, section two deals with the procedures needed during the implementation stage while section three covers the follow-up stage of a parent-to-parent course. The procedures manual includes also the time frame required for a parent-to-parent course to occur.
Back to the top
Themes chosen by parents
The parent-to-parent courses were conducted in various primary and secondary schools based on the following themes which were suggested by the parents themselves:
- How parents can create educational resources at home
- How parents can help their children with the new mathematical approaches
- How parents can help their children feel more confident at school
- How parents can help their children learn English
- How parents can instil the love for reading in their children
- How parents can help their children in spelling and reading
- How parents can help their children with the homework
- How parents can help their children manage their time effectively after school
- How parents can get more involved in their child's education
- How parents can explore their child's learning style
Results of the Parent-to-Parent Courses Project (April 2003 – March 2005) :
During April 2003 – March 2005, 45 parent-to-parent courses took place.
- 45 parent-to-parent courses took place in 27 different school communities;
- over 1492 families participated;
- 135 parent leaders trained through adult non-formal approaches to assist the Id f'Id Animator in organising the courses;
- 19 schools requesting parent-to-parent courses (requests in demand).
Programm Id f'Id (Parents-in-Education Programme)
Locality
Subject
Attendance
Males
Fem.
Cert males
Cert fem.
Date
Zebbug Boys Sec
Kif il-Genituri jistghu jghinu lil uliedhom jibnu stima tajba
12
2
10
2
10
Feb-Mar 05
Hamrun B
Kif il-Genituri jistghu jghinu lil uliedhom fil-Matematika
14
0
14
0
13
Feb-Mar 05.
Marsa
Kif il-Genituri jistghu jghinu lit-tfal taghhom fil-Matematika
19
0
19
0
17
Feb-Mar 05.
Safi
Kif Nghinu lil Uliedna Jhobbu Aktar il-Qari
26
2
24
2
23
Feb-Mar 05.
Qorm San Gorg
Kif il-genituri jistghu jghinu lit-tfal taghhom
28
3
25
2
26
Feb-Mar 05.
M'Scala
Kif il-Genituri jistghu jghinu lit-tfal taghhom fil-Matematika
39
5
34
3
31
Feb-Mar 05.
Mosta A
Kif Nghinu lil Uliedna jaqraw ahjar bl-Ingliz
35
0
35
0
31
Feb-Mar 05.
B'Kara A
Kif Nghinu lil Uliedna b'mod prattiku fil-Matematika
35
1
34
1
30
Feb-Mar 05.
Marsa
How parents can involve themselves in their children's education
22
6
16
4
15
Nov-Dec 04.
Fgura
How parents can increase the love for reading in their children
36
7
29
8
27
Nov-Dec 04.
Tarxien
How Parents can help their children read better
25
4
21
4
18
Nov-Dec 04.
Hamrun A
How parents can Help their children build a positive self-esteem
36
0
36
0
36
Nov-Dec 04.
Zabbar A
How parents can Help their children build a positive self-esteem
41
13
28
10
25
Nov-Dec 04.
Zebbug A
How parents can help their children with English Reading
31
0
31
0
29
Nov-Dec 04.
Zurrieq
How parents can increase the love for reading in their children
40
1
39
0
36
2004 November
Vittoriosa
How parents can help their children with English Reading
22
0
22
0
17
Oct-Nov 04.
Cospicua
How parents can help their children with English Reading.
11
0
11
0
10
Oct-Nov 04.
Gozo-Qala
How parents can help their children with Maths
36
2
34
1
32
Oct-Nov 04.
Senglea
How parents can help their children with Maths
26
2
24
1
20
Oct-Nov 04.
Senglea C
How parents can help their children with mathematics in practical ways
45
0
45
0
40
May-Jun 04.
Xewkija -Gozo
How to help children to build up a positive self esteem
28
0
28
0
24
Apr-May 04.
Valletta C
Helping children build a positive self esteem in schooling
29
1
28
0
27
Apr-May 04.
Gudja
Educational Needs
24
0
24
0
26
Apr-May 04.
St.Paul's Bay
How parents can help their children with English Reading
16
3
13
0
13
Apr-May 04.
Hamrun SS
How parent can help their children their with Home Work
40
4
36
0
32
Apr-May 04.
Mtarfa
How parents can help their children with English Reading
44
0
44
0
33
Feb - Mar 04
Zebbug Sec.School
How parents can help their children with English Reading
29
3
26
1
20
Feb-Mar 04
Zebbug A
Time management
38
0
38
0
33
Feb-Mar 04
St.Paul's Bay
How to help children to build up a positive self esteem
40
1
39
1
26
Feb-Mar 04
Qrendi C
Time management
39
4
35
3
31
Feb-Mar 04
Tarxien
How parents can help their children with English Reading
33
2
31
1
31
Jan-Feb 04
B'kara A
How parents can help their children with English Reading
35
0
35
0
29
Jan-Feb 04
Zabbar A
Time management
27
9
18
6
16
Nov-Dec 03
B'Kara
How to help children to build up a positive self esteem
25
1
24
1
13
Nov-Dec 03
Zurrieq
How I can build a stronger link with my child's school
45
1
44
0
34
Nov-Dec 03
Hamrun A
Helping children build a positive self esteem in schooling
35
1
34
0
24
Nov-Dec 03
Marsa
Helping junior Primary Schools Pupils with reading and spelling
39
0
29
0
20
Nov-Dec 03
Mellieha
How to help children to build up a positive self esteem
36
0
36
0
34
Nov-Dec 03
Mellieha
How to instil the love for reading in primary school age pupils
37
4
32
2
24
May-Jun 03
Hamrun
Helping children build a positive self- esteem
49
4
45
3
33
May-Jun 03
Cospicua
Starting Again .How we inspire our children to learn English
46
0
46
0
34
May-Jun 03
Zebbug
How parents can help their children with English Reading
46
1
45
0
34
May-Jun 03
Pieta
Stepping Stones : spoken English for Parents
41
0
41
0
23
May-Jun 03
St.Paul's Bay
How parents can help their children with English reading
46
1
45
0
34
Feb-Mar. 03
Tarxien
Creating educational resources
46
2
44
2
32
Feb-Mar. 03
Back to the top
Part 1 | Part 2
tel: (00356) 21455600, 21455607, 21455653 fax: 00356 21455625
e-mail: idfid.fes@gov.mt
