...but the parents didn't come

Those of us who are (or were) secondary-level teachers may have had some of those very lonely Parent-Teacher Conference nights.  It seems that in some schools, no matter how much you publicize the event, only a handful of parents show up.  Even I have muttered the words, “All of the conferences I would have liked to have had didn’t show up.”  

Maybe it is the readily-available online grade books that parents can access 24/7 to see their student’s progress….

Or maybe it is avoidance of the (once again) negative conference…..

Perhaps the parent feels that the student is old enough to monitor his own progress….

Nonetheless, it is our responsibility as educators to include the families of our students to maximize their fullest potential.  Try this...on the day after conferences, do the following:

List the names of the students receiving a D or F in your class.

Add to that list the names of students who...

• are getting a B or C and are not working up to potential
• you already have concerns about not passing the semester
• have missing assignments in your class
• have behavioral issues in your class
• doze off in your class

Delete the names of students who...

• had parents attend conferences the previous night
• you have spoken with the parents in the last two weeks about any of the above issues
• had an IEP/504/RtI meeting that you attended and/or gave meaningful input in the last three weeks

What you have left are families that should still be contacted.  You could start with a generic email through your school’s student information system.  Here is a suggestion....

"I am sorry that we were not able to connect at Parent-Teacher Conferences on Monday.  I would still like to have the opportunity to discuss your child's progress with you.  Please email me some times that we could speak on the phone.  I look forward to partnering with you on your child's educational journey."

Perhaps to avoid the back-pedaling, do this exercise a few days PRIOR to conferences.  Reaching out to families shows that you care about their child and his progress.  They say, “Build it and they will come.”  Sometimes, however, you may have to bring “it” to them.

photo credit: www.dreamstime.com

WHY?

WHY?  For those who have very young children, this question is asked more often than most others.  “Why does the sun move through the sky?”  “Why is the sky blue?”  “Why do leaves turn color in the fall?”  “Why we stay on the ground and not float into space?”  Have you ever tried answering those “why” questions with a one-word answer?  If you did, it probably was followed up by another open-ended question.  Your short answer just was not good enough for that inquisitive toddler. 

When, then, throughout a child’s formative years, do we switch over to only the “what” questions?  “What is 4+5?”  “When was the Declaration of Independence signed?”  “What color is produced when we mix red and blue?”  “What are three causes of the Civil War?”  Perhaps a better question to ask than “What is 3x6?” would be “WHY does 3x6=18?” or “Show me why 3x6 is not the same as 6x3, even though they both equal 18,” or better yet, “Describe all of the multiplication facts that equal 18, and represent them using arrays or another model.”  Now this "new math" has spawned serious discussion in many homes across the country, including the Schulz household.  Personally, I don’t have a problem if my fourth-grader has to occasionally use his fingers to figure out some multiplication facts.  I don’t care if he needs to add five 12s because he does not remember that 5x12=60.  I simply love to see the amazement in his eyes when he “gets it.”  He now understands how to add fractions by first making common denominators.  (Back in the day, I don’t think I learned this until sixth grade.)  Even more amazing, he can tell me WHY he needs to find common denominators instead of just performing a rote algorithm. 

We could endlessly debate the merits vs. the demise of society because of the Common Core or any other set of state standards, but it really is not about that at all.  Let’s not cease to use the same amazement when a student truly “gets it” instead of just “gets the right answer.”  If you are not asking WHY, then why not?

Counting Sheep

Count sheep.  Don’t open your eyes.  I said, don’t open your eyes.  Don’t look at the clock.  Count sheep backward.  Don’t look at the clock.  Slow, deep breaths.  What time is it?  It MUST be close to my alarm time.  3:30 AM.  DRAT!  Looked at my clock.  My desk at school is piled with paperwork.  I hope little Johnny behaves better today.  Did little Susie have dinner last night?  I wish I would have handled that student discipline situation differently yesterday.  Hope I didn’t ruin that kid’s life forever.  Need to email my weekly agenda to the staff.  Seven parents to call and the state standardized test schedule to formulate.  I should get started on my taxes.  Did I miss my wife’s birthday?

No matter what your profession, no matter what your job, we all have restless nights.  Sometimes I wish I could just flip that switch and not think about school for once, but that would completely opposite of who I am.  I am wired to help students and staff be the best they can be.  I’m not always successful, and maybe that is why I wake up in the wee hours of the morning with my thoughts directed toward school.  The desire for me to make life better for others is why I am who I am, and why I do what I do—every day.  A great principal friend of mine includes the following sentence in the signature line of every email he sends to his staff: Today, I will do whatever it takes to help you have a great day! 

Educators (teachers, principals, deans, counselors, paraprofessionals, custodians, secretaries, librarians, bus drivers, coaches) strive to make every day the best day possible for our students.  More often than not, it includes time and energy the public does not witness.  No one said that teaching was an 8-5 job.  How could it possibly be?  Some days you may see a teacher leave the school building before 4:00, but most likely she will be awake at 3:30 worrying about Johnny and Susie, formulating lesson plans in her head, cutting out bulletin board letters, baking cookies as a reading goal reward, searching Pinterest, Twitter, and other websites looking for new teaching strategies, standing in line at Walmart to purchase school supplies for those who cannot afford them, or wondering how she will inspire her students to do their best on the state tests.  Some say, “No rest for the wicked.”  Maybe we should say, “No rest for those who truly care.”  There are those who just do not understand the complete dedication of a teacher, and that is OK.  WE know that we are doing what we are called to do, and we will not give up on any student.  Ever.

4:45 AM—load of laundry done, living room vacuumed, blogpost written.  Too bad today is a two-hour weather delay for our school.  Looks like I will need to brew a second pot of coffee.

Acoustic Weekend

As I began my new position as principal of Rossville Middle/Senior High School, I made the conscious decision to be a “connected principal.”  Yes, in my past positions, I was able to keep up with email from a smart phone, send texts, and take phone calls.  I did not realize that being truly connected could be so much more rewarding.  This school year brought a big change to my career, as I had the opportunity to move back to Indiana, the state in which I began teaching.  With that, I wanted my new school to be the most visible, positive, and vibrant place anyone would want to send their children.  I made the choice to be connected.  I wanted the public to have a clear view of the fantastic events that happen every day—math lessons, welding demonstrations, lunch, drama, music, athletics, selfies, selfies, selfies, and selfies.  Yes, I consider myself to be a Twitter-holic.  It is rare that a school day goes by without tweeting a picture or some other school information.  I wanted our brick-and-mortar building to turn transparent.

While a connected principal can be a great asset to his students, parents, staff, and community, it also comes with a challenge to his personal life.  Believe it or not, educators have lives outside of school.  I can remember when I was in third grade (back in the stone ages), I saw my teacher in the grocery store.  It was as though her goddess-like status came crashing down around me.  Teachers are people, too.  Educators also have families—the loving group that supports you day in and day out, through great days and grim, understanding that education is more than an eight-to-five gig. 

I realized something over the past week.  I have been “plugged in” just a little too much lately.  Even when I am home with my family, even when my phone is “put away,” my mind is still vibrating with digital sparks.  I realized that I have been not paying attention to the people that mean the most in my life--my loving, supportive wife and my fantastic children.  This past weekend I made it a point that my phone stayed locked in my car, no computers were used, and no outside connections were made.  It felt good to just sit and talk, grab a Starbucks with my daughter, have a campfire with my son, and reconnect with my wife.  It is rare that I don’t think about school—that is just who I am.  This weekend I made it very quiet in that arena. 

I made the decision to put aside the electronic keyboards, drum machines, and microphones in my garage band life and have an acoustic weekend.  Going off the grid for a couple days may seem unbearable (just ask your teenager to give up their phone for a few hours).  Being disconnected for a weekend (or even a day) brings such clarity to your senses, allowing you to focus on what is most important to you.  Next weekend, take some time to strum a few chords on the old six-string and hum a few bars of your favorite tune (hopefully not your school fight song)—you will never imagine how loud the silence will be, and how much you will actually hear.  Just listen.

source: freehighresolutionimages.org

Stir-crazy

Today was the second consecutive day out of school for weather.  Yesterday was Winter Storm Gorgon that dumped six inches of fluffy snow on us, causing a bit of a conundrum for our county.  Today was the arctic blast that sent wind chills to the -20s.  While there is always something to do on my desk, I went a bit stir crazy today, so I decided to have a little fun in my empty school.  I truly miss all of the students and staff when they are not here.  Yes, I got plenty of paperwork done and emails answered, but that is not the same as working directly with our wonderful kids and awesome teachers.

Hope you enjoy my video....

http://youtu.be/_fOiD2bapo8

Addendum (1-9-2015)
Washington Post article:
http://goo.gl/eAZO7T