Making the Most of Parent-Teacher Conferences

With the Thanksgiving holiday break just around the corner, we cannot overlook the valuable opportunities for dialogue that next week's parent-teacher conferences provide.  There is a significant body of research that shows a strong partnership between parents and teachers has a positive impact on children.  Among other benefits, students whose parents are involved in their education are more likely to attend school on a regular basis, earn higher grades, have better social skills, show improved behavior, and are more likely to graduate and go onto higher education.  According to the book Partnering with Parents to Ask the Right Questions by Agnes Bain, Dan Rothstein, and Luz Santana (2016), strong parent-teacher partnerships emerge when parents effectively support their child's education at home, monitor their child's progress, and advocate for the child when necessary.  Parent-teacher conferences provide the perfect opportunity to strengthen this partnership as both parties come together to reflect on the child's progress thus far and establish a plan which will maximize opportunities for student success.

It is important to remember going into parent teacher conferences that both teachers and parents are on the same team; everyone wants what is best for the child.  While the teachers are always prepared to debrief parents on their child's performance, it is important for parents to actively engage in the conversation as well.  One of the best ways for parents to do this is through asking probing questions.  By asking questions, parents are able to gain better insight into their child's thoughts, habits, and social and academic skills.

Here is a sampling of good questions to ask at a parent-teacher conference:

• How would you describe my child's work habits?
• What are my child's biggest areas of strength?  Target areas for improvement?
• How can I support my child's learning at home?
• Does my child listen well?
• How would you describe my child's interactions with his/her peers?
• Does my child persevere through difficult tasks?
• Does my child ask thoughtful questions?
• Does my child advocate for him/herself when clarification or help is needed?
• How can I encourage my child to take ownership of his/her learning?

The goal is to walk away from a parent-teacher conference with a plan for the future, with an understanding of how both parents and teachers can support the child in his/her learning and improvement.

Finally, please remember if you are unable to attend parent-teacher conferences, there are many other opportunities to have a similar dialogue with your child's teacher.  Please do not hesitate to reach out via email, telephone, or Schoology message to initiate conversations with your child's teacher.  The dialogue is never restricted to parent-teacher conference time.

"Together we may give our children the roots to grow and the wings to fly."

A Work in Progress

"An artist never really finishes his work; he merely abandons it." -Paul Valéry

This past Wednesday night, we held our second District 107 Future Planning Committee meeting.  The focus of this meeting was on setting priorities as we develop a guiding plan for our district that will sustain us the next several years.  In order to do this, we had to contemplate what we hope our "portrait of an eighth grader" would look like, meaning our picture-perfect eighth-grade Pleasantdale graduate.  This, as you can imagine, was a daunting task!

There were so many components to consider as we tried to paint the picture of our ideal graduate.  Do we consider the specific academic skills learned and the experiences that should be had by all students along their journey from kindergarten through eighth grade?  Do we articulate what we hope the students will be able to do upon entering into high school due to our thoughtful efforts and preparations?  Ultimately, groups within the committee came up with a list of 7-10 adjectives to describe the characteristics we would like our eighth-grade students to possess upon graduation.

The group of parents and community members I observed prioritized the following:

8th Graders "Voting" in Our Mock Election

• Accountable
• Fulfilled
• Responsible
• Compassionate
• Resilient (see Mr. Glimco's post)
• Proactive
• Articulate
• Driven
• Curious

In reflecting on this one group's list, what strikes me most is that these are characteristics that I (and many other adults) continue to strive to exhibit on a regular basis.  Although we may cultivate these characteristics in our students as they travel through our school district, living a life where these attributes define who the student is as a person will require diligence and mindfulness.  It will take commitment and vigilance.

As French poet and philosopher Paul Valery said, "An artist never really finishes his work; he merely abandons it."  District 107 hopes to not only cultivate these characteristics in our students as they grown from kindergarten through eighth grade but also inspire our students to continue their quest to fill the great canvas of their lives with the colors and images of their efforts as they grow into happy, successful adults.

Lessons Learned Outside the Classroom

Team Tigers Gaga Ball

As I sit in my office, now a middle school assistant principal, and reflect on my own years as a middle school student, many memories flood into my mind.  Of course I have memories of certain teachers who made a lasting impact on me, but what I remember the most are vivid memories of the time I spent outside the classroom involved in extracurricular activities.  I remember the time I had a leading role in the school musical "The Gigo Effect", the excitement and energy of cheering on the sidelines at school basketball games, dancing and singing with my friends at the "Lighted School House" (like Pdale's "Friday Night Live"), and the lasting impact of participating in Operation Snowflake.

There are so many benefits for children who engage in extracurricular activities.  Sports, clubs, and arts programs allow students to explore their interests, while also providing them with opportunities to hone other skills:

Student Council hard at work!

• Social-emotional development
• Time management and prioritizing
• Problem solving
• Collaboration and communication
• Ability to apply academic skills in a real-life context

These learning opportunities foster a heightened sense of belonging to the school's community, and research has shown this leads to improved attendance rates for students.  Improved attendance rates, coupled with higher levels of self-esteem and the chance to apply academic concepts through the participation in extracurricular activities, tend to result in higher academic achievement.  It is equally important to realize participation in extracurricular activities builds character as students learn the importance of honoring commitments and appreciating the differences of others who are united by a common interest.

Gamer's Club

At Pleasantdale Middle School, our students are fortunate to have a variety of activities and athletics from which to choose.  Jen Driscoll, our activities director, works tirelessly to ensure each week there are many drop-in activity options that will appeal to a variety of students.  The "Activities" page of the Pleasantdale Middle School website provides information on over 25 activities students are able to attend and the calendar of when these activities occur.  Mark Dreher, our athletic director, maintains the athletics calendar on the "Athletics" page of the middle school's website where information on sports tryouts and game dates can be found.

Thank you to Mrs. Driscoll, Mr. Dreher, and all our coaches and club sponsors who make these wonderful opportunities available to our students.  We know the lessons students learn outside the classroom by participating in extracurricular activities will impact our students for years to come!

PMS Girls Basketball

Cheerleading Practice