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October, 2018 - Brooks eAcademy

Month: October 2018

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6 Tips for a Successful Parent Teacher Conference

By the time you read this I will be knee deep in parent teacher conferences. As a parent, I love speaking with my children’s teachers good or bad. I feel that my children’s teachers are integral parts of their team or better yet, very important members of their personal coaching staff. Teachers want to help and I know this because I am speaking from the standpoint of an educator. That is mainly the reason many of us get into the teaching profession. WE WANT TO HELP KIDS THROUGH EDUCATION! (puts soap box away) This list of tips came about because even I as an educator still get a little intimidated when I meet with the teachers. I don’t know what it is, but this feeling comes over me. I want parents to come into conferences feeling empowered and relaxed.

ptc

  1. Have an honest discussion with your child. Ask them how things are going in school (this should be happening daily). Some of you may need to have a “Come to Jesus” conversation, meaning give your child an opportunity to come clean about anything they haven’t told you yet. Being blindsided with something you had no knowledge of can be upsetting to say the least.
  2. Make notes or a list of questions. It is so easy to forget to ask something or let the teacher know something important. If you are anything like me, if it doesn’t get written down, it’s forgotten in like 10 minutes. Put it in your smartphone if you don’t want to pull out an actual paper list. Teachers love to see this or at least I do.
  3. Ask for explanations. If you don’t understand why something is or isn’t being done for your child by all means get clarification! Especially if your child receives special education services or has a 504 plan. It is hard to advocate for your child if you don’t understand the process.
  4. Stay calm. It is hard to hear things about our little angels even more so if it is not good. Keep your cool and talk to the teacher about possible interventions and how you can help. Most teachers are nervous about conferences as well (imagine telling a parent that their child is failing or their behavior is a problem).
  5. Follow up. If there is work that needs to be caught up on or corrected, make a date to either meet again or talk via email or by the phone. This also lets your child know that you are fully invested in their education.
  6. Be on time. On conference days, meetings are scheduled back to back. It is important to be mindful of other people’s time. If you are going to be late or can’t make it, just call or text (I love the Remind app)

If you have some other tips that you would like to share, please comment!

Until next time, read on!

Kandi B

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3 Podcasts that I love!

During my morning and evening commutes to and from work, I sometimes enjoy jamming to some old school music. More often than not, I love listening to podcasts.

  1. Happier with Gretchen Rubin: I was first introduced to Gretchen Rubin through her book, The Happiness Project. From there I learned about her most recent book, The Four Tendencies (which I used as part of a professional development session back in August – soon to be an upcoming blog post). On her podcast, where she is often joined by her sister, she shares tips on travel, making life improvements and her own experiences. No matter your background, you can learn something from this podcast. She also has an app, The Better App, that is worth checking out.
  2. Angela Watson’s Truth for Teachers: I read my first Angela Watson book, The Cornerstone: Classroom Management That Makes Teaching More Effective, Efficient and Enjoyable back in 2009 when I was making the transition from the business world into education (more about that in a future post). I still use many of her tips in my classroom today. When I found out about her podcast, I was so excited. She shares so much about working smarter not harder as an educator. Outside of the blog she also runs a group called the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club. If you are a teacher or know one, you know how easy it is work way more than 40 hours each week. Angela provides tips on how to create a balance in your life. I’m a member and it has changed my life in so many ways!
  3. Cult of Pedagogy: Don’t be put off by the name, it’s not a cult but more a collective of people who love education. Jennifer Gonzalez uses her platform to share new education discoveries. She also interviews teachers and others who are working to make education better. She also has a blog and creates teaching resources. Thanks to her, I just learned what a Makerspace is and how it relates to education. You probably don’t know what that is, so now you have to go listen!

Until next time, read on!

Kandi B

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