...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

Spokes in the Wheel

It may sound odd to you that I am a principal that does not have the explicit goal of improving test scores.  I would rather say that my goal is to increase student achievement.  EVERY school works to improve student achievement, and, good or bad, standardized test scores are usually the most publicized manner to show this growth.  Imagine that student achievement is a wheel with eight spokes.  Each spoke represents a facet of student success: rigorous curriculum, passionate teachers, student attendance, family support, extracurricular participation, positive relationships, student voice, and community involvement.  All of these must have equal support and strength to keep the wheel in line and balanced.  If one or more of these spokes are weak or missing, increased pressure is placed on the remaining spokes to produce the same amount of success.  As we work to strengthen each spoke, we create a solid platform for our students to succeed--academically, socially, physically, and emotionally.

It is my goal to collaboratively empower these spokes throughout the year at Turkey Run Jr/Sr High School in Marshall, Indiana.  This village will continue to raise every student that walks through our doors, propelling them into a future where their skills and knowledge will place them as competitive equals to graduates from any school in the state.

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?