Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Today's Parent Conferences
How have you communicated the goals and objectives of your classroom to parents? How are they involved as stakeholders in your classroom? Which conferences are you most looking forward to and what are the main points that you will bring up in those meetings? Which conferences will be most challenging and what are the main points that you will bring up in those meetings?
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I have made phone calls and while on the phone, I have explained my rules, expectations and goals for the academic year. I have also made calls about rules, and have sent home a syllabus that also included all expectations. During back to school night, I spoke about goals, expectations etc. This has helped students and parents to know what I expect and what students need.
ReplyDeleteAt each of your parent conferences, please remind students and their families that they should have 15+ AR Points by November 1, 2015 in order to be on track and earn 25+ points by the end of Fall semester. These reminders are posted on the website, calendar, and marquee. If they need additional support meeting this goal, they can see myself or our new Library Aide Mr. Matisse Mozer from 7:30am-4:00pm. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI think that IEPs actually make it easier for parents to understand student goals and achievements on a personal level, but I do still struggle with communicating common core, aleks and ar goals additionally. I think parents are often intimidated and overwhelmed by everything that their student are working on. I find that by breaking down the purpose of these programs and how students can work with them at home, parents become more open to encouraging their students to bring these programs home.
DeleteI often find that parents want to be included, they just aren't sure what they can do to help their students. Between educating them on what we offer as a school and how these programs translate into the home, they are more willing to create a team and encourage their students. Parents just want to feel included.
I think that meetings that will be difficult today are the meetings that are always difficult. I am hoping that by being patient and professional, crises will be averted!
Students must have the first syllabus signed - I also use blackboard connect to alert parents they needed to sign something. When I write notes in agendas, I also use blackboard connect to send a message home to remind parents to check agendas. During conferences, I show parents where to check their grade - both online and in their student's notebook.
ReplyDeleteFerrel
DeleteI have called home and met with some parents already and when I run into them before and after school I converse with them about their child, concerns, and about anything I can help them with.
ReplyDeleteI have emailed with parents and will continue to keep the lines of communication open.
My course syllabus is my first mode of communicating my class expectations and objectives. When I make phone calls this happens too, but talking with the care takers are also to try to build a relationship with them. I invite parents to come to the classroom to support their children and others, but haven't yet gotten anyone understanding of course that most of our familes are working class. So far I am looking forward to all the parent conferences because I welcome the opportunity to speak with parents and get toknow their child more. I intend to bring up their engrade, show the various assignments/assessments to explain their academic standing, etc. With struggling students, I also ask the parents what supports they think their children needs in order to be successful.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the year, I go over the syllabus with parents and students. We agree upon a classroom contract and all the stakeholder sign off. Throughout the year, I call parents about student progress, both positive and negative. Aleks is highly encouraged as a daily routine. This conference, I would like to emphasis the SBAC and new online interim assessments.
ReplyDeleteThe goals and objectives of the classroom have been communicated primarily through the syllabus and the Back-to-School-Night. However learning and language objectives are also uploaded to the class website for student and parent perusal.
ReplyDeleteParents are stakeholders in their students' learning because I hope they check on what the students are learning and their child's progress. I also try to plan activities that require students to work together with their parents.
I am looking forward to the parent conferences where I can let the parents know how proud I am of their child's accomplishment. The main points I will bring up in this meetings are the strengths of the student and how we can further build on their skills they can continue on their growth and not stagnate. The conferences that will be the most challenging are the students who have not really stood out because they have been quiet. In these meetings, I plan to encourage the parents to encourage their child to participate in classroom activities more.
At the beginning of the semesters, I send home the syllabus with the class room procedures and have parents and students sign a contract.
ReplyDeleteI also require a parent signature for math HW, this ensures that the parent or guardian is a part of the academic process. with a parent/guardian signature students receive a 10/10 and without the parent signature an 8/10 .
Yes, getting the parent signature is a good idea so parents can consistently be involved in their child's homework.
DeleteDuring back to school night I went over an abbreviated version of my course syllabi.
ReplyDeleteI also use the music department's website to inform the parents of upcoming events.
I have contacted most of the parents of the students that have IEPs that are on my case load. Most of these conversations have included deeper supports that I am implementing this year and expectations they can have of me and I of them.
ReplyDeleteThe conferences that I am most concerned about are those with the parents that have lost hope in school supports. Some of these parents may, out of frustration, request and demand many additional supports. I try to keep in mind to frame our current supports and how valuable they can be and that we must first master and exhaust these supports before we can move in a different direction.
I have students bring their syllabus signed by the parents. I also have a website that has information about my classes and projects. I enjoy common core night or events where the students can display and explain their work. It gives them a chance to be proud of the work they do in class.
ReplyDeleteGoals and objectives begin to be communicated to students with our course outline during the first week of class. Students then become experts, and have a homework assignment where they need to go home and explain the course outline to their parents, and return with a parent signature and a parent email address.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that I do is send home the syllabus and have the syllabus returned with their signatures. Ideally this will allow parents to get familiar with my classroom routines and exceptions. For the parents who attended back to school night, I was able to introduce myself and go over all my expectations and routines. I have also began calling home and developing relationships with individual parents. Calling home has been really useful and been a great way to make sure parents are up to date on their student's progress. Parents have really appreciated the phone calls and have always thanked me for taking the time to talk with them.
ReplyDeleteI attempt to convey all of my class expectations and curriculum objectives in a simple, yet thorough syllabus at the beginning of the semester. The syllabus is to be signed, with parental information to be filled out as well, and returned back to me during the first week. Parents are advised and welcomed to email me at any time (even in Spanish .... Google translate), and some communicate concerns in this manner. Otherwise, I try to coordinate with other teachers that have the same group of students, and try to piggyback on their parent meetings (due to my lack of Spanish speaking ability.)
ReplyDeleteSyllabus are presented to parents in English and Spanish, Showcase of Student Work; Two Student Parent Conferences in Fall and Two in Spring; Each Confernece will cover AR Reading Progress (10 week monitoring), ALEK Report of Math Goals and Current Report Card will be shared; Share after-School Tutoring to support Math, English, LTEL, ELD, Music,
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the semester, students were assigned to go over the syllabus that includes classroom procedures, grading system, and etc. with their parents/guardians.
ReplyDeleteI will revisit our class website and engrade with parents in case they are still confused about different resources available.
At the beginning of the year I have students review the class syllabus and have their parents sign it once they have reviewed with their child. Then I follow up with phone calls or black board connect to let parents know about class expectations. As a special ed teacher the best way to keep the lines of communication open is through the IEP meetings. Here we discuss students current level of performance and academic goals for the year as well as social emotional concerns that need to be addressed.
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ReplyDeleteI have communicated the goals and objective of my classroom by sending home a course syllabus with an overview of the main topics, grade breakdown, classroom norms and expectations. Parents and students signed a contract agreeing to the expectations of the class, and agreeing to follow their children’s progress and homework assignments. I also communicated this same information at back to school night with a more detailed and informative parent syllabus in both English and Spanish.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the school year I went over my syllabus and rules and procedures with students, as well as with the parents during back to school night. I expressed to the parents to be involved with their child's education, I have an open door policy for parents and all parents are able to communicate with me through e-mail. My expectations are high in Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing and Social Skills.
ReplyDeleteDuring open house , I had the opportunity explained the syllabus and grade scale for the semester. I also added a weebly account for students to check their work and plan ahead.
ReplyDeleteI have sent out the class syllabus as homework. I have also sent with the students an Engrade flyer, access code, and how to make an account as a homework as well. I call parents occasionally to inform them of extra credit opportunities and make up opportunities. However, Engrade is my #1 go to where parents can email, request hw, look at the student's grade and ask for parent conferences. I expect my students to be accountable of their own learning. Thus, parents are there as support for me to help the students succeed and forsee students in a college career scenario. I expected more parents to come to the conference. Due to their complaints that they are not acknowledge of their students grades. Points to bring up in the meetings is to check their progress on Engrade and to invite them to the class so as to see the environment their child is part of in my class.
ReplyDeleteCommunication between parents and teacher is always an intricate part of developing a great relationship. Thus increasing the students progress in all academic Reas
ReplyDeleteI have communicated the goals and expectations of my classroom to parents through the syllabus that was sent to them, as well the clear expectations that are communicated to the students and subsequently relayed to the parents.
ReplyDeleteI did not have many of my student's parents signed up for the conferences, but I guess I was looking forward to the positive interactions with concerned parents. If a student is performing poorly, I never look forward to relaying that type of information; that would be the aspect I look forward to the least.