Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Teacher Parent Conferences

Here are some tips to help make your parent conferences productive and successful:

1. Make contact early. 
You'll get your relationship with parents off to a good start if you contact them early in the year, perhaps with a memo or newsletter sent home to all pupils. Give parents an outline of what their children will be studying, and let them know you'll be happy to meet with them during the year. (Be sure to say how and when they may contact you for conferences.)

2. Plan ahead. 
Have in mind a general--but flexible--outline of what you're going to say, including a record of student progress, a review of strengths and needs, and a proposed plan of action.

3. Be ready for questions. 
 Prepare yourself to answer specific questions parents may have. They're likely to ask questions such as:
  • What is my child's ability level?
  • Is my child working up to his/her ability level?
  • How is my child doing in specific subjects?
  • Does my child cause any trouble?
  • Does my child have any specific skills or abilities in schoolwork?
4. Stress collaboration. 
Let the parents know you want to work together in the best interests of the student. A statement such as "You need to see me as soon as possible to discuss John's poor study habits" only arouses hostility. But "I'd like to discuss with you how we might work together to improve John's study habits" gets the relationship off on the right foot.

5. Focus on solutions. 
 Ideally, all parent conferences would concern only positive events. Realistically, many conferences are held because there's a problem somewhere. Things will go more smoothly if you'll focus on solutions rather than on the child's problem. Discuss what you and the parents can do to help improve the situation. Plan together a course of action.

6. Turn the other cheek. 
In routine parent conferences, it's unusual to run into a parent who is abusive and hostile. But it can happen. Try not to be rude, whatever the provocation. Hear out the parents in as pleasant a manner as possible, without getting defensive if you can.

7. Be specific in your comments. 
Parents may flounder if you deal only in generalities. Instead of saying, "She doesn't accept responsibility," pin down the problem by pointing out, "Amanda had a week to finish her book report, but she wrote only two paragraphs."

8. Summarize. 
Before the conference ends, review the discussion andLink the actions that you and the parents have decided to take.

9. Wind up on a positive note. 
When you can, save at least one encouraging comment or positive statement about the student for the end of the conference.

10. Meet again if you need to. 
If you feel you need more time, arrange another meeting later rather than trying to rush everything before the students get back from art class.

Source: http://www.mea-mft.org

Student-led Conferences

The best thing I've seen in conferences occurred when the school I teach at went to Student-led Conferences! Each student leads their own conference with their parents, explaining grades and achievement as compared to goals written earlier. The students have prepared for the conferences and the parents have been given questions to ask relating to assignments from the term. I don't know who came up with the idea, but EVERY student has a conference and takes ownership of his/her education! Teachers are available if there are questions, grade sheets from each subject are at hand, and the child has to answer for his/her progress. If there is a need for all teachers to be there, conferences can be scheduled on an individual basis."

Source: Judy, Middle School Teacher

Communication About Homework



"Homework can be difficult to obtain from some children in your class. Get the parents involved by sending a homework assignment sheet to be signed each day. Let the child sign the sheet also. The accountability is now on parents and child. At the end of each week, send a certificate of congratulations to parents and child for all homework completed for the week."

Source: Alex, 4th Grade Teacher, teachnology.com

Create Your Own Website

Technology is such a way of life for many people, but especially for the younger generation. For me, the decision to create a web site was an easy one; I wanted to build communication with my students and parents, and allow the students to improve their technology skills at the same time.

As teachers, we have all seen students walk out forgetting their permission slip, homework assignment or instructions for a project. Posting everything on the website eliminates those possibilities.

Some might question how the website benefits students who may not have internet access at home, and the answer is twofold: I work with an extremely supportive administration and staff who provides technology access throughout the day, including in my classroom each day. I also have students who are so excited to work with technology that they go to the library and use the computers there.

Students who are absent are able to check my web site daily for messages and homework, plus online resources to complete their work. For example, I can outline an entire lesson on one page with links to helpful references, and on another page I can provide information about our school-wide book club. They also use these links to submit their work online.

Each day I post notes or instructions for students to reinforce my lessons. This also creates a connection between parents and myself. The parents are able to view weekly outlines of lessons and due dates for the work. I know it's working, because students are bringing notes and work printed off the web site, and the number of hits has jumped dramatically. In the first two weeks of September there have been nearly 2,500 hits to the site. Needless to say, it has been an invaluable tool in creating a channel of communication outside of my 50-minute class period.

Please visit the site at www.christinalambard.com
Source: Christina Lambard, Westglades Middle School

Reflection Process: Coaches can help teachers look back on lessons.

Reflective questions provide a way for a coach to debrief a lesson with a teacher. Share questions with the teacher in advance of the lesson, so that he or she will be more aware of key behaviors, and perhaps allowing him or her to adjust a response during the lesson.

1. What Happened? (Description)
What did I do? What did students do?
What was my affect at the time? What was their affect?
What was going on around us? Where were we? When and where did this occur?

2. Why? (Analysis and Interpretation)
Why do I think things happened this way? What are my hunches?
What was I feeling and thinking? How might this have affected my behavior?
How might the context have influenced the experience? Was there something about the activities? Something about the timing or location of events?
Are there any potential contributing factors? Was there something about what was said or done by students that triggered my response? Are there past experiences-mine or the school’s- that may have contributed to the response?

3. So What? (Overall Meaning and Application)
Why did this seem like a significant lesson to reflect on?
What have I learned? How might I improve?
How might this change my future thinking, behaving, interactions, and lessons?
What questions remain?

4. Now What? (Implications for Action)
Are there others to include in my reflecting on this lesson? If so, who and what would we interact about?
What do I want to remember and think about next time a similar situation arises? How do I want to behave?
How could I set up conditions to increase the likelihood of productive interactions and learning?

Source: Adapted by Randall Deich, from J. York-Barr et al., 2001

Don't Wait for Spring!!

Throughout the year there have been many requests for a “list” of recommended ways for a New Educator to document each of the 15 State Competencies. There was a time when packets were provided that included the following information:
a self assessment checklist of each competency,
different ways to document each competency,
a teaching philosophy,
a resume,
weekly new educator/coach's log,
an individual learning plan (ILP),
and a host of others.

Some schools are suggesting that the New Educators document each competency in the form of a portfolio.

If your principal asks that New Educator(s) document each competency in the form of a portfolio, you may want to bring your New Educators and Instructional Coaches together to brainstorm ways for the New Educator to document each competency? This might develop a stronger sense of ownership and promote clear communication of what is expected of each New Educator and assist with the coaches on areas that need support. Of course, be sure to obtain your principal’s approval for this activity in advance.

Source: Randall Deich

Conferencing with Parents

Scenarios on parent conferencing can be used in a Support Group Meeting or Instructional Coaches can individually discuss with his/her New Educators. The scenarios simulate parent conferences to stimulate discussions among participants in anticipating situations and issues that may arise during conferences with parents.

Suggestion: At a Support Group Meeting, ask for volunteers. One person will receive only one description of a teacher role and another person will receive the paired description of the parent role. Each person silently reads the role and prepares to play the role to the group. Neither the teacher nor the parent will know the other's description. They face each other to role-play the conference.

Discussion follows. Some questions to discuss are:
1. What strengths/positives occurred in the role-play?
2. How could it have happened differently?
3. How could the teacher have prepared for the conference?
4. What could the teacher do after the conference?
5. What are the implications for your parent teacher conferences?

Examples of the Role Descriptions:
Role-play Teacher #1 (New Educator): You are calling home to inform Billy’s parents that his behavior in class is unacceptable. He leaves his seat without permission, calls out across the classroom, and refuses to stay on task. Efforts such as private conferring with Billy have been met with rudeness and disrespect. Seek their intervention and support so that the situation will not result in an administrative referral.

Role-play Parent #1 (Coach): Billy’s teacher is calling to inform you of his poor behavior. He has been rude and disrespectful and often off task. Be unsupportive, try to put the teacher on the defensive: “Your class must be boring!” “What do you expect me to do? You’re the teacher!”

If you would like more examples of parent and teacher roles, view them on the Induction CAB conference.

Source: Renee Wallack, former NESS School Liaison, Plantation High School

Lifesaving 101

I want to share a very exciting activity we did at Sawgrass Springs Middle School (SSMS) during our Learning Community. The topic is Lifesaving 101 - Sharing Tips from Veteran Teachers.
All coaches asked teachers on the faculty to give them one or more "tips" they would like to share with New Educators. The coaches will bring these, along with their own ideas to our NESS Support Group meeting. Each New Educator will receive a large paper life preserver. The coaches will go around to a different NE and fill in a "tip". This will be fun to share and fun to hang in their room as a remembrance. Administrators were also invited to give one.

Source: Elyse Rush, Sawgrass Springs Middle School

Dozens of Ideas


In Education World's Principal Files, principals shared dozens of great ideas. Here are twenty ideas from principals Yolanda Z. Ramirez, Marie Kostick, and Mary Ellen Imbo.

1. We hold a R.I.S.E. (Reading Is Surely Enjoyable) in the Morning program. Parents sit in the hallway and read to a child or groups of children.

2. Parents remind other parents of meeting times or special events. Those reminders can help motivate parents who are reluctant to participate.

3. We have a Parent Center. Parents can spend an hour or a day. Our parent involvement specialist plans workshops for parents on topics of interest.

4. Parents serve as tour guides to parents who are new to the school and the area; they welcome new students to our campus.

5. Teachers send students to my office and ask me to call the parents at home or work to celebrate a specific success.

6. Parents act as classroom monitors when students take standardized tests.

7. We hold a Grandperson's Day on the Friday before Mother's Day. A "grandperson" in a child's life (not necessarily a grandparent) attends a special performance and goes to the student's classroom to work on a project. Then the grandperson accompanies the child to lunch and recess. One year, our fifth graders presented a USO show -- as a culminating activity related to their study of WWII -- for Grandperson's Day.

8. Parents are invited to our media center Monday through Thursday to watch our in-house broadcast of morning exercises.

9. We hold a Technology Showcase night for parents. Students demonstrate the technology they've learned to use and show off projects they've completed.

10. Parents help at book fairs, field days, school-picture days, car washes, bake sales, rummage sales, and other school events.

11. Our school nurse organizes a health screening for all students each year. Parents help at each of the screening stations.

12. Parents remind other parents of the importance of student attendance.

13. Our science teacher sends "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" progress reports to parents every two weeks.

14. The state of Alabama has implemented a statewide Discover Your Schools Day to build ongoing, productive relationships among community leaders, PTAs, businesses, churches, and government and to promote parental involvement in education.

15. Parents can help schools acquire needed supplies, equipment, and services, such as landscaping, carpeting, painting, and more.

16. Our teachers call on parents whenever special help is needed. For example, a teacher might want help with activities that involve sewing Colonial costumes, dissecting frogs, or making gingerbread houses.

17. Parents assist with our school breakfast program. They deliver the food chests to classrooms and pick them up.

18. A group of parents sewed Christmas stockings for every single child on our campus! They made 376 stockings and handed them out to students at an assembly.

19. We have a district chess tournament that involves parents and students.

20. Teachers send home postcards to share good news with parents.