This week I read the question and it seemed easy enough to answer. Then I realized that because of the school I teach at, I don’t really interact with parents on what I do because they all have a prior trust and know I’m going to do my job. I teach at a small private school that is preschool through twelfth grade. I went to school there all my life and some of the students that are still there were just little guys when I was in twelfth grade. Most of their parents have known me for a long time and the teachers I teach with either had me as a student or knew me from high school. I just naturally have relationships with most of the parents because of this and a lot of them have formed into friendship type relationships where they just come into my classroom and we talk about anything, everything doesn’t revolve around their child and how they are doing in school. I really enjoy that, but too it made me realize that maybe this question wasn’t just a question that I had personal answers too.
I am a firm believer that relationships with students are the most important part in education. I think that if you have a relationship built on mutual trust and respect that students are going to come under the discipline of the classroom and be a lot easier to work with regarding their education. Students with attitudes are usually going to back down, still will have that attitude every once in awhile, but less infrequently. Students who are trouble makers in the class, whether that be they won’t do their work, won’t stop talking, are disruptive, etc. will usually respond better when consequences are given. Students are more willing to do their work and want to do a better job on it when they know their teachers care about them. These are just a few examples of what I have seen in my classroom and the classrooms of others. As I started thinking about this I realized that really that’s all parents need.
Parents need to have a relationship with the teacher built on mutual respect and trust. If they know that we are doing the best we can for their child and are willing to talk to them about what we are doing for the child in their education parents are going to know that we only want what’s best for them. I admit that I don’t send home notes about students as often as I should, like when they are doing well or not doing so well. I’m more in the mindset that parents should be checking their students grades since they are online and there should be no surprises because that’s what I would do. Then I have to realize that not everyone is like me and even in junior high parents expect their kids to be responsible enough to be on their own in their education, which to me is absolute craziness. I have to respect the decisions parents make for their kids and be more proactive in letting parents know what is going on in the classroom because otherwise it’s hearsay from their students.
I enjoyed writing this week’s blog and developing a game to go along with it. I was a little stressed at first about the game because I was thinking we had to come up with some intense video game or something and I was like I have absolutely no idea how to do that! Then when I realized I didn’t actually have to do that, the stress went away and it was pretty fun thinking of ways to introduce and teach parents about differentiation. I also enjoyed the Twitter meeting this week. I’m not comfortable talking out loud even just over the computer when people can’t see my face, so Twitter is right up my alley for talking to people in a way I’m comfortable doing.
I am a firm believer that relationships with students are the most important part in education. I think that if you have a relationship built on mutual trust and respect that students are going to come under the discipline of the classroom and be a lot easier to work with regarding their education. Students with attitudes are usually going to back down, still will have that attitude every once in awhile, but less infrequently. Students who are trouble makers in the class, whether that be they won’t do their work, won’t stop talking, are disruptive, etc. will usually respond better when consequences are given. Students are more willing to do their work and want to do a better job on it when they know their teachers care about them. These are just a few examples of what I have seen in my classroom and the classrooms of others. As I started thinking about this I realized that really that’s all parents need.
Parents need to have a relationship with the teacher built on mutual respect and trust. If they know that we are doing the best we can for their child and are willing to talk to them about what we are doing for the child in their education parents are going to know that we only want what’s best for them. I admit that I don’t send home notes about students as often as I should, like when they are doing well or not doing so well. I’m more in the mindset that parents should be checking their students grades since they are online and there should be no surprises because that’s what I would do. Then I have to realize that not everyone is like me and even in junior high parents expect their kids to be responsible enough to be on their own in their education, which to me is absolute craziness. I have to respect the decisions parents make for their kids and be more proactive in letting parents know what is going on in the classroom because otherwise it’s hearsay from their students.
I enjoyed writing this week’s blog and developing a game to go along with it. I was a little stressed at first about the game because I was thinking we had to come up with some intense video game or something and I was like I have absolutely no idea how to do that! Then when I realized I didn’t actually have to do that, the stress went away and it was pretty fun thinking of ways to introduce and teach parents about differentiation. I also enjoyed the Twitter meeting this week. I’m not comfortable talking out loud even just over the computer when people can’t see my face, so Twitter is right up my alley for talking to people in a way I’m comfortable doing.