Brown School Buzz
December 5, 2023
Dear Families,
With our first trimester coming to a close and conferences on the horizon, it’s a good time to offer some helpful information about your impending meeting with your child's teacher. While some parents look forward to these opportunities, others have wondered about the importance of the parent teacher conference, especially if “he’s doing fine.” Parent conferences are not only an opportunity to find out how your child is developing as a learner, but also to make a connection with the classroom teacher. We believe strongly in the importance of the parent partnership, and we do not take for granted how instrumental you are in the process of your child's learning and development.
So, what can you expect at the parent-teacher conference, and how can you help?
Your child’s teacher will provide you with your child’s progress data and latest assessment information for math and reading. He or she will also let you know how you can help strengthen areas of challenge at home. Your child’s teacher will make every attempt to answer the ever-popular, “How’s she doing in school?” inquiry. Please know this is a monumental question for teachers to address. There is so much your child is “doing in school” and while much of this “doing” is academic, there is a fair amount that is non-academic, yet has a tremendous impact on your child’s overall growth and development. Understanding and following classroom routines, working cooperatively in small groups, playing safely, and asking for help are all skills imperative to learning and development.
Our teachers will make every effort to make your conference a successful one. The National PTA has some great suggestions for parents to help achieve a successful conference as well, The following are their tips (edited for length).
Be on time
Get off to the right start: come to the conference on time. Remember that other parents may also have conferences scheduled for that day; if you arrive late, you may miss your conference altogether. You should also plan on ending the conference at the scheduled time so that other parents can start their conference on time.
Be present and be yourself
Relax and be yourself. Remember that you and the teacher both the want the same thing: the very best for your child. Please silence your cell phone to really be able to focus on the conference.
Stay calm
Stay calm during the conference. Respectful communication will be the most effective way to work together with your child's teacher.
Ask for explanations of anything you don't understand
Listen carefully to what the teacher says. If you don't understand something that the teacher talks about (such as an educational term or an explanation of a school policy), don't be afraid to ask for clarification.
Ask the most important questions early in the conference
Ask the most important questions first as you may run out of time, especially if other parents are waiting to have their conference after yours. You can always schedule another meeting or email the teacher to cover any points you weren't able to address in the conference.
Create an action plan
Ask your child's teacher for specific suggestions of ways that you can help your child at home with homework, reading, organization, routines, behavioral issues, etc. Make sure you understand the teacher's suggestions, and ask for clarification if you don't. This list of suggestions will become the action plan. Establish a way to keep track of the child's progress, as well as the best way to stay in touch with your child's teacher — through phone calls, emails, notes, or meetings.
Thank the teacher for meeting with you
Thank the teacher for their time and support of your child, as well as for anything specific that she has done to help your child.
After the conference
Talk with your child
Talk about the conference with your child. Emphasize the positive points, and be direct about any challenges that may have been discussed. If you and the teacher created an action plan, explain it to your child. Make sure that your child understands that you and the teacher created this plan to help make your child have the best school experience possible.
Start working on the action plan
Set the action plan in motion. To ensure that it is working, check your child's behavior and schoolwork on a regular basis. Ask your child how he feels about school and his schoolwork.
Keep in touch with the teacher
Stay in touch with your child's teachers. This will help you strengthen the parent-teacher partnership, and will be an important part of the child's success in school. When a child sees that parents and teachers are working together, the child will understand that his/her education is a top priority at school and at home.
With one trimester of the year in the books, we are looking forward to working with families to continue your child’s learning and development in a healthy, happy environment. We thank you for working with us so together, we can do just that!
Mary
Report Cards
First Trimester Report Cards will be available in Aspen on Friday, December 8th. Recently I ran a report of last June's Report Cards in Aspen to see if there were parents who did not retrieve their child's report. I was taken aback to find there were 131 report cards that were unopened by parents in June.
We understand the end of the year is busy, and many of us are already in a summer mindset. That said, I would ask everyone to please be sure you access your child's report card. It's not only important to help you understand your child's growth and development, but I also believe it shows our teachers that we all respect and appreciate the enormous amount of time they spend reviewing data, assessments, work samples and overall growth and development for each child's report card.
As a reminder, our report cards are based on the standards students are working toward for each grade. The report will likely look different that the kind of report card you received as a student. The teachers and coaches have worked diligently to align curriculum and assessments with the state standards. Our website has a bit more information on Standards Based grading to help with your understanding as well.
CLICK HERE for more from the Marblehead Public Schools on Standards Based Report Cards.
Thank you Brown School Community!
Thank you to our Transportation Elves!
WOW! Thank you Brown School Community for your Generosity!
Three truckloads went off to the Pantry.
EDU-SPEAK THIS WEEK-Tier 1-SEL and The Zones of Regulation
As a reminder, the way we meet all students needs is by providing consistent standards-based instruction and assessments to all students. This is called "Tier 1 Instruction". For academics, this means for 95-98% of our students, the Wit and Wisdom, Illustrative Math, and Fundations are primarily used to inform and guide our instruction and assessment for Language Arts, Math and Phonics. But what about Social, Emotional and Behavioral Learning? What is the common, consistent instruction for Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Learning. We have several ways of helping our students learn these skills, and one way is by teaching the Zones of Regulation.
Let's face it, we wish our kids had more self control in this area, especially when the melt-down happens in public or just as you're trying to everyone out the door. The truth is, children do not innately understand their own behaviors, feelings, emotions, and behaviors, or how to manage their words and actions when they are feeling dysregulated. When introducing a new math concept, students need explicit instruction to understand the concept, practice with the new materials, and strategies to use for problem solving. The same is true for Social Emotional Learning. We help children understand how they are feeling and behaving, how to practice acceptable behaviors, and how to use strategies to help them problem-solve and feel more regulated. When children are feeling confident, calm and open, they are much more ready to learn.
The next time your child is experiencing dysregulation (frustration, anger, sadness, etc), feel free to ask if there is a Zones tool or strategy that might help him/her feel more calm.
Characteristics of The Zones of Regulation
Using the Zones Step by Step
Tools and Strategies
Thursday, December 7-PTO Sponsored Holiday Shop
Friday, December 8-Harlem Wizards Basketball at MHS
Thursday, December 14-Early Release -12:00 Dismissal- Conferences)
Friday, December 15-No School-(Parent Conferences)
December 22-Early Release -12:00
December 23-January 1-Holiday Break
TUESDAY, January 2-Return to School
L & J Brown School
Email: maxfield.mary@marbleheadschools.org
Website: https://www.marbleheadschools.org
Location: 40-42 Baldwin Road, Marblehead, MA, USA
Phone: 7816393112