Reading Together® at St Joseph's School Otahuhu

Feedback from parents participating in the Reading Together® programme at St Joseph's School Otahuhu:

1. How has this programme helped you in supporting your child's reading?

• It's made me more confident to read with my daughter, taught me to have more patience, it's made me make reading fun and my daughter enjoys reading more, it's really helped with the way I make her figure the words out herself and it's become a FUN TIME instead of just reading time.
• By learning new ways to read to them (children) or them reading to me.
• Reconfirmed some things, learning a few new simple messages i.e. 10-15 reading max.
• As a father I realise now I need to show more interest in my son's reading. I’ve absolutely loved this course.
• This programme helps me to spend 10-15 min reading with my child. Helps me to take a time for a child to think of the words. Helps to take a few time at home spending reading together with our child.
• It has changed my approach towards reading with my son entirely. The skills and ideas that we have gained during our 4 sessions here have been invaluable – because of:
- The research/data/history behind the programme
- The teachers/mentors (Cathy & Marian) that deliver it for the school and families
- The parents/guardians who attended – knowing that we all need assistance in improving our children’s reading experience.
• It make me realised how important reading really is not just for my children but for me and my husband too.
• I learn more things to do to my child when we do reading every day.
• New tools, methods to help reading with kids. Helped my wife change her reading habits of reading them the bible for over 20 min lol!
• Is very helpful and support to my son.
• It tell me how important the reading to my kids and improve there study.
• I always read to my child since he was very small but I never talked about the story and now I do and I find enjoy it. I take my time with the stories and am looking at this time in a different and better way – better attitude. I’ve learnt heaps from this programme and am happy I came to the workshops.
• It has helped me immensely. Before I used to leave the reading to my wife but now I love being involved with my daughter’s reading time as well getting my 3 yr old involved.
• It’s give me the patient to stop and think about the child and self control. Knowing that you’re part of their learning & growth.
• It’s help me to improve reading, more fun and good connection with the kids after work.
• I’ve learnt to be more patient & understanding when reading with my children. Finding new ways to make reading more as a fun thing and not something boring.

2. What did you like best about the programme?

• The way the parents are made to fell included, having examples, reading materials to take home, hearing other people’s opinions/experiences, it was not boring and something I strongly recommend to other parents no matter what the age of the child.
• The parents sharing ideas and one another.
• Above plus learning that other parents have similar experiences and the opportunity to ask the teachers questions relating to my child.
• Awesome info and great presenters.
• How to make your child read a book and the jokes.
• The welcoming and comforting atmosphere. The approach and programme itself. Short but precise sessions. Feedback. Small & effective group/number of parents/guardians. Teaching me as a parent that I need to keep the reading experience with my son short, fun and interesting. Photos and spending time with children.
• Bring our child in to show how things are done.
• I like when we shares with others what we have done in reading books before I come to meeting.
• Good presentation, hand outs. Good group of parents. Great number of fathers attending. Reading with the kids. Having books. Great facilitator and well prepared. Good visuals.
• I like the programme and good help with my son.
• The moment we discuss with other’s how we run the reading time at home, it good to share our idea.
• I enjoyed taking books home and so did my son. I enjoyed week 3 in learning and understanding how it is hard for our children to read.
• Besides the cake, I like to relaxed atmosphere where it helps me want to learn more instead of being bored.
• Everything, it open your eyes to a lot of ideas.
• I met and sharing other parents.
• Learning different ways in dealing with my children in regards to reading. Sharing with other parents how we fell with difficult situations e.g. time.

3. What could we do to make the programme more helpful to you or other parents in the future?

• I cannot think of anything as the programme was well set out. Cathy & Marian were always engaged with us all and no one was made to feel that they had to do anything they didn’t want to.
• Have more workshops even for the older children please.
• This course should be compulsory to all parents coming to St. Joseph’s.
• Keep this programme going. Don’t stop this programme. It helps us a lot.
• Know/teach more/inform more about what our children are doing in the classroom in terms of their reading perhaps?
• Just pick a time in the term when it is less busy.
• Talk to them and support them reading is good.
• Keep the cakes going. Hour Of power. Love the tape recorder. Group photo. Just for Dads.
• Yes, I would like the programme more helpful to everyone.
• To keep pushing our child and us parents to make reading is fun and enjoy our story time at home or anywhere else.
• Get the parents more involved in open discussions.
• It’s all there.
• Loved the programme as is.
• I really love the programme, Cathy & Marian helps to make it interesting in a way that makes us realise that reading is fun!!

4. Is there anything you would like to go over again?

• No, everything was clear and simple enough to understand. All we have to do as parents is put it to practise. Thank you it was awesome.
• Thank you for everything was covered and have learnt a lot from this workshop.
• We like this programme because it helps a lot.
• None, I would highly recommend to all parents and families.
• The way we are meant to read to them when they get older. PS Thank you both for your time and effort you put into this for parents, Thanks.
• No, all good thank you. Thank you for the opportunity you spend with us.
• More pictures, videos.
• Everything OK, thank you.
• No, everything we do is awesome and wonderful to helping us and others.
• No, thank you for an awesome workshop.
• Not really, it’s all covered.
• Love

Acknowledgement: Our thanks to Liz Horgan, Principal of St Joseph's School Otahuhu for sharing this feedback.