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Thursday, October 15, 2015
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Studies have concluded that when a parent is actively involved with their child's education, it provides an opportunity for the child to reach their maximum potential both in and outside of the classroom. When consistent communication is the norm, a relationship will form. This relationship will assist the child in realizing that they have a solid support system that is working together for their benefit. Communication is one of the top strategies for fostering the relationships that grow between a parent and the educators that work with their child and parent-teacher conferences is just one piece of that communication.
Conferences are more than just gathering and presenting reports of a student’s overall performance in the classroom. It is also more than sharing information about the child's behavior while in the educational environment. It is about achieving a fluid exchange of information between both the teacher and the parent about the achievements within the classroom as well as the child's general persona.
Remember to keep in mind that parents have the greatest understanding of their child. They know their personalities, they know how they learn, they know the types of interests that they have, and they know where their child's weaknesses are. As a teacher, you have the capability to express the skills and the concepts that are being introduced in the classroom and the ability to offer productive suggestions from an educational lens.
Read below for some teacher-created tips for successful parent-teacher conferences.
What's Next for Mentoring?
Don't forget to sign up for your 3rd round of observations! After you sign up for your observation time, I will send you a list of possible specifics that I could take data on. Please do not feel like you are limited to my suggestions! Let me know if something is not on the list that you would prefer, and I will figure out a system to collect data for you! Please limit look-fors to 1 or 2 things so that I can get accurate data :) Click HERE to sign up. Slots are filling up!
OBSERVATION ETM
For those of you who are interested in observing another teacher for a half day, we will start that right after conferences. I will be contacting you today to ask you about a subject area you'd like to observe. Our look-for will match the one we establish for your own classroom.
ETM PLAN
Also, don't forget to send me your plan for your 4 ETMs if you haven't already done so. If you are unsure about which ETMs are available or how to sign up for them, go to www.bluevalleyk12.org/etm for all of that information. Information for how to write and submit your reflection are also included on that page. Don't forget that part- that's what will get you the credit for attending!
Some up and coming face-to-face ETMs are as follows:
- 10/21/15 K-5 Differentiated Math Centers
An on-line ETM you may find helpful right now might be:
- K-12 Leading Effective Parent-Teacher Conferences
About Dr. Bowles
Email: cbowles@bluevalleyk12.org
Website: https://district.bluevalleyk12.org
Location: 15020 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, KS, United States
Phone: 913-239-4366
Twitter: @BV_Mentor