Post by slt on Nov 6, 2009 8:09:30 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/lifestyles/1867559,School-Conferences-AU110609.article
Conferences a good time to check in with teacher, yourself
November 6, 2009
By SHERRY TATAR For Sun-Times Media
Indian Prairie is in the midst of fall parent-teacher conferences. Conferences were held Wednesday and are also scheduled for next Tuesday. Anyone who has not yet scheduled a conference but would like to have one should contact their school office.
The district's Parent Diversity Advisory Council began as a means to facilitate inclusion and is currently focusing on student achievement. The PDAC has put together a document on parent-teacher conferences, which can be found at ipsdweb.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/PDAC.
This pamphlet lists some essential questions to ask the teacher and yourself, as well as several tips for parents dealing with the different cases of a child doing well in school, struggling academically, struggling socially, not being challenged or not getting along well with the teacher.
This is useful information to have in hand so parents can make the most of their conference time and know how best to advocate for their children. I wish I had seen such a publication when my children were younger and even now find this to be a valuable resource.
Two of the questions for everyone are, "How do you accommodate differences in learning?" and "What can I do to support my child's academic progress?"
One of the tips for the parent of a child doing well in school is "Talk to your child each day about what is going on in school, and be sure to praise the effort she/he is putting into getting a good education." A tip for the parent of a struggling student is, "Teach your child study skills such as reading directions carefully, studying examples in textbooks and writing down assignments."
When meeting with the teacher, be sure to be nonconfrontational about concerns, have specific examples in mind and share some positive experiences, as well.
In case your student has an issue at school, there is a "chain of command" chart that tells parents whom in their school to go to for help. It was published by the district this year and is available on the district's home page, www.ipsd.org near the bottom left in the "Contact us" section. The chain varies slightly for elementary, middle and high schools, but all start with the teacher.
Any serious issues should be brought up and addressed in a timely manner rather than waiting for scheduled conference times.
The fall conference is the perfect time for parents and teachers to touch base and set the tone for the remainder of the school year.
Sherry Tatar can be reached at SherryTatar@ameritech.net. View her blog at statar.blogspot.com.
Conferences a good time to check in with teacher, yourself
November 6, 2009
By SHERRY TATAR For Sun-Times Media
Indian Prairie is in the midst of fall parent-teacher conferences. Conferences were held Wednesday and are also scheduled for next Tuesday. Anyone who has not yet scheduled a conference but would like to have one should contact their school office.
The district's Parent Diversity Advisory Council began as a means to facilitate inclusion and is currently focusing on student achievement. The PDAC has put together a document on parent-teacher conferences, which can be found at ipsdweb.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/PDAC.
This pamphlet lists some essential questions to ask the teacher and yourself, as well as several tips for parents dealing with the different cases of a child doing well in school, struggling academically, struggling socially, not being challenged or not getting along well with the teacher.
This is useful information to have in hand so parents can make the most of their conference time and know how best to advocate for their children. I wish I had seen such a publication when my children were younger and even now find this to be a valuable resource.
Two of the questions for everyone are, "How do you accommodate differences in learning?" and "What can I do to support my child's academic progress?"
One of the tips for the parent of a child doing well in school is "Talk to your child each day about what is going on in school, and be sure to praise the effort she/he is putting into getting a good education." A tip for the parent of a struggling student is, "Teach your child study skills such as reading directions carefully, studying examples in textbooks and writing down assignments."
When meeting with the teacher, be sure to be nonconfrontational about concerns, have specific examples in mind and share some positive experiences, as well.
In case your student has an issue at school, there is a "chain of command" chart that tells parents whom in their school to go to for help. It was published by the district this year and is available on the district's home page, www.ipsd.org near the bottom left in the "Contact us" section. The chain varies slightly for elementary, middle and high schools, but all start with the teacher.
Any serious issues should be brought up and addressed in a timely manner rather than waiting for scheduled conference times.
The fall conference is the perfect time for parents and teachers to touch base and set the tone for the remainder of the school year.
Sherry Tatar can be reached at SherryTatar@ameritech.net. View her blog at statar.blogspot.com.