As a teacher, nothing bothers me more than putting an F in my gradebook. Regardless of how unmotivated he may have been, I take it personally when a students fails. When a student fails, I fail.
As a teacher who is also a parent, I have a few ideas which I think can help prevent this from happening, but the key word is HELP. Everyone has to do his or her part.
For instance, as a teacher, I can personally vouch for the fact that the proverbial squeaky wheel will get the oil, the proverbial early bird will get the worm, the emailing, phone-calling, conference-attending parent's student will have a teacher's clear attention.
If your child's first semester grade card for the 2010-2011 school year had anything less than a C+ on it and you have yet to contact a teacher in any way, shape or form, then SHAME ON YOU! (Regardless of the grades though, communication is imperative.)
Please remember that your child is one of dozens of students and that teachers are only human. Timely communication is imperative. Study after study verifies that parental involvment enhances the educational experience. Parents who care enough to take the time to communicate with their child's teachers in one way or another will see better grades, better attendance and a better education!
Best of all, it shows your child you really do care. AND guess what? Your child may be a 17-year-old man-child who does little more than grunt as he leaves the house for school after breakfast, but I can assure you he really does want you to be involved. He wants you to email his teacher. He wants you to call his teacher. He wants to know you care enough to mind his school business.
To teachers, I offer this: We should relish having what we, at my school, call FIERCE conversations with parents letting them know we care about their child not only as a student but as a person and will do whatever we can to help their student be successful.
A phone call, an email, a note in the mail, can make the difference between failing and passing, apathy and excitement, between KNOWING what is best for kids and DOING what is best for kids!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Intentional
The teenaged man-child sat across from me and wept openly. His Thanksgiving had been horrible, he told me. His sobs wracked my heart as I fought back tears of my own.
I took his hand and squeezed it three times. I didn't want to embarrass him but in my family that means I LOVE YOU.
I reassured him that his teachers wanted the best for him that we were his biggest cheerleaders.
He shook his head and smiled.
The fact is as much as some kids say they hate school, it is often their only respite. The warmth, the food, and the fellowship from 8 to 3 is the best they have in their lives for now.
I am an intentional teacher. The way I teach, the way I deal with students, the way I supervise--all intentional. I am on the look out constantly for those downward cast, sad eyes, which can be found on solemn and happy faces. Some think they are good at hiding the pain they feel in their hearts, but I am an intentional teacher, an intentional person. I am looking--constantly.
I will say hello. I will ask how you are. I will make conversation. I will be looking.
I am intentional.
Take my hand and squeeze. I LOVE YOU!
Merry Christmas!
I took his hand and squeezed it three times. I didn't want to embarrass him but in my family that means I LOVE YOU.
I reassured him that his teachers wanted the best for him that we were his biggest cheerleaders.
He shook his head and smiled.
The fact is as much as some kids say they hate school, it is often their only respite. The warmth, the food, and the fellowship from 8 to 3 is the best they have in their lives for now.
I am an intentional teacher. The way I teach, the way I deal with students, the way I supervise--all intentional. I am on the look out constantly for those downward cast, sad eyes, which can be found on solemn and happy faces. Some think they are good at hiding the pain they feel in their hearts, but I am an intentional teacher, an intentional person. I am looking--constantly.
I will say hello. I will ask how you are. I will make conversation. I will be looking.
I am intentional.
Take my hand and squeeze. I LOVE YOU!
Merry Christmas!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Teaching kids to outlive their life
What does it mean to outlive your life?
When I was a little girl, my daddy became temporarily disabled and was unable to work. My momma eventually found a job, but money was still tight. Later, I learned that a member of our church went to the school where my sister, brother, and I attended and paid for our school lunches for the year. That generous act made a big difference in my life and my attitude about giving and serving. In addition, through this act, this person outlived his life.
Outliving one's life requires a servant's spirit. As parents and teachers we serve our kids by feeding them, clothing them, and by teaching them. Each is important, but it is only in what we teach them that they can understand what it means to outlive their life.
How do we do that?
In my opinion, the best way to teach the concept of outliving one's life is by modeling through generosity and compassion. When is the last time you and your children volunteered together to help someone else? It can be something as big as spending time with an organization like Habitat for Humanity or as simple as working at a local clothes closet folding and sorting clothes.
Consider every time you open a door for someone, or offer your seat to a stranger, or take a meal to new mom an opportunity to outlive your life and model for your kids the importance of generosity and compassion.
Teaching kids to do for others is the first step in helping them understand how to outlive their lives!
When I was a little girl, my daddy became temporarily disabled and was unable to work. My momma eventually found a job, but money was still tight. Later, I learned that a member of our church went to the school where my sister, brother, and I attended and paid for our school lunches for the year. That generous act made a big difference in my life and my attitude about giving and serving. In addition, through this act, this person outlived his life.
Outliving one's life requires a servant's spirit. As parents and teachers we serve our kids by feeding them, clothing them, and by teaching them. Each is important, but it is only in what we teach them that they can understand what it means to outlive their life.
How do we do that?
In my opinion, the best way to teach the concept of outliving one's life is by modeling through generosity and compassion. When is the last time you and your children volunteered together to help someone else? It can be something as big as spending time with an organization like Habitat for Humanity or as simple as working at a local clothes closet folding and sorting clothes.
Consider every time you open a door for someone, or offer your seat to a stranger, or take a meal to new mom an opportunity to outlive your life and model for your kids the importance of generosity and compassion.
Teaching kids to do for others is the first step in helping them understand how to outlive their lives!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
In a split second
I was on my way to work, driving the speed limit, doing everything right when the next thing I knew I was on the shoulder of the road, then in the ditch, and then flying over a crossroads, and then back in the ditch.
Why? Because as I came over a hill a car was stopped in the road and I chose to evade a rearend collision.
It all happened in a split second while driving the speed limit. I wasn't texting. I wasn't changing radio stations or adjusting the CD player. I was attentive, though obviously not quite attentive enough.
My last thoughts before swerving to miss the stopped car? I think those red flags should be blue.
That's right. I was looking at a set of three flags waving across the entrance of relatively new subdivision and for a split second imagined the red flags were blue.
That split second of less than perfect attention to the road compounded by a car with no tail lights stopped in the road just over a hill, resulted in what will probably be a totaled car.
I am thankful no one was hurt. But I am also thankful to be able to share with my students the seriousness of driving will distracted.
What if I had been texting? What if I had been adjusting the radio or CD player? What if I had been speeding?
I dare say my reaction time would have been delayed and I would not be typing this right now.
Taking a difficult moment and making it a teachable moment is another example of how simple it is to do what is best for kids!
Why? Because as I came over a hill a car was stopped in the road and I chose to evade a rearend collision.
It all happened in a split second while driving the speed limit. I wasn't texting. I wasn't changing radio stations or adjusting the CD player. I was attentive, though obviously not quite attentive enough.
My last thoughts before swerving to miss the stopped car? I think those red flags should be blue.
That's right. I was looking at a set of three flags waving across the entrance of relatively new subdivision and for a split second imagined the red flags were blue.
That split second of less than perfect attention to the road compounded by a car with no tail lights stopped in the road just over a hill, resulted in what will probably be a totaled car.
I am thankful no one was hurt. But I am also thankful to be able to share with my students the seriousness of driving will distracted.
What if I had been texting? What if I had been adjusting the radio or CD player? What if I had been speeding?
I dare say my reaction time would have been delayed and I would not be typing this right now.
Taking a difficult moment and making it a teachable moment is another example of how simple it is to do what is best for kids!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Grow where planted
A neighborhood cat loves to dig in my petunias and take naps. Unfortunately, this does little to enhance the beauty of the petunias. More often than not, the petunia stems are dug up by the sleeply feline and tossed from the container to make room for a doze.
The other day, I found a tossed petunia stem and simply placed it back on the dirt in the container. I was hopeful it might survive to some degree.
Imagine my pleasant surprise when a day or so later, I found a blooming flower on the damaged petunia stem.
There it was, a beautiful pink flower, hanging on to life by a thread, but surviving--determined.
We all have seasons in our lives when we feel like we have been dug up and tossed aside. I am thankful to have friends and family who care enough about me to pick me up when this has happens and help place me back in my container or even into a new container where I can continue to thrive and bloom.
Our kids deserve that same type of support. They may not know how to tell us they feel like they have been dug up, let alone tossed, but as their parents and teachers, as the ones who care, it is up to us to be there when our kids need to be replanted.
Kids deserve to bloom.
The other day, I found a tossed petunia stem and simply placed it back on the dirt in the container. I was hopeful it might survive to some degree.
Imagine my pleasant surprise when a day or so later, I found a blooming flower on the damaged petunia stem.
There it was, a beautiful pink flower, hanging on to life by a thread, but surviving--determined.
We all have seasons in our lives when we feel like we have been dug up and tossed aside. I am thankful to have friends and family who care enough about me to pick me up when this has happens and help place me back in my container or even into a new container where I can continue to thrive and bloom.
Our kids deserve that same type of support. They may not know how to tell us they feel like they have been dug up, let alone tossed, but as their parents and teachers, as the ones who care, it is up to us to be there when our kids need to be replanted.
Kids deserve to bloom.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Communicating with teachers Part I
For most of us, the new school year has started and classes are underway. You may have attended an open-house to meet the teachers already. Regardless, it is never too late to communicate information about your student to the teacher.
You have several options. You can call for an appointment for a face-to-face meeting or chat over the phone. You can send an email or a handwritten letter.
As a teacher, I will accommodate my parents and my preference is whatever the parent prefers.
The fact is, though, scheduling an appointment at a time that is convenient for all involved can be difficult for both parent and teacher. So, usually, an email or a letter will get the job done.
What should your letter say?
Regardless of the purpose of the letter, the overall tone should be as positive as possible. A positive letter can make all the difference in the parent/teacher and teacher/student relationship.
No one knows your child better than you do, so the letter can be as detailed as you want regarding learning or health issues. If your child has an IEP or a 504 plan, be sure and include this information in the letter. Include information about the child's hobbies and past successes so the teacher has extra resources for developing positive reinforcement for your child.
Leave the details of difficult family issues for a face-to-face meeting and, then, only if necessary. Simply saying in the letter that the family is dealing with difficult issues should be enough. Teachers are professionals. If a student's classroom progress regresses, you will be contacted. The fact you have sent the letter will open the door of positive communication.
You have several options. You can call for an appointment for a face-to-face meeting or chat over the phone. You can send an email or a handwritten letter.
As a teacher, I will accommodate my parents and my preference is whatever the parent prefers.
The fact is, though, scheduling an appointment at a time that is convenient for all involved can be difficult for both parent and teacher. So, usually, an email or a letter will get the job done.
What should your letter say?
Regardless of the purpose of the letter, the overall tone should be as positive as possible. A positive letter can make all the difference in the parent/teacher and teacher/student relationship.
No one knows your child better than you do, so the letter can be as detailed as you want regarding learning or health issues. If your child has an IEP or a 504 plan, be sure and include this information in the letter. Include information about the child's hobbies and past successes so the teacher has extra resources for developing positive reinforcement for your child.
Leave the details of difficult family issues for a face-to-face meeting and, then, only if necessary. Simply saying in the letter that the family is dealing with difficult issues should be enough. Teachers are professionals. If a student's classroom progress regresses, you will be contacted. The fact you have sent the letter will open the door of positive communication.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The idea
I am a teacher and this summer the idea came to me to use the world wide web to share my ideas about doing what is best kids. After all, I've raised four pretty cool kids and have more than a few years of teaching experience under my belt as well as an extensive education to back up my ideas. I also thought it would be a great way to collaborate with other people who share my passion about doing what is best for kids. We can exchange ideas and maybe even come up with some truly helpful thoughts.
This blog is for parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. This blog is for the soccer mom, the home-school family, the public school student, the private school teacher, or the single parent.
This blog is for kids everywhere and those who love them and want what is best for them!
This blog is for you!
Check out Doing What is Best for Kids. We are also on Facebook!
This blog is for parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. This blog is for the soccer mom, the home-school family, the public school student, the private school teacher, or the single parent.
This blog is for kids everywhere and those who love them and want what is best for them!
This blog is for you!
Check out Doing What is Best for Kids. We are also on Facebook!
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