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Connection Tips from Principals for a Better Parent-Teacher Conference (5-7 minute read) ASCD

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Connection Tips from Principals for a Better Parent-Teacher Conference (5-7 minute read) ASCD

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When was the last time that you spent time at a faculty meeting talking about effective parent-teacher conferences? Do you share tips and ideas for these conferences with new teachers? Do you ever join a parent-teacher conference primarily to give feedback to teachers?

We principals attend conferences on instructional leadership. We give attention to the Common Core standards, test success, and teacher assessments. We attend workshops devoted to backward design, multiple intelligences, and RTI (Response to Intervention). We spend hours looking at new technology, solar energy, and building security-all worthy topics. But if we don't give much attention to how teachers and parents communicate with one another, we're missing an opportunity.

Parent-teacher conferences are formal times when parents and teachers come together to talk about a child's progress and prospects, but they should be far more. These conferences are also times for parents and guardians to learn that the teacher knows and cares for their child, opportunities to forge plans to work together, and occasions to help families feel comfortable and confident in the school community.

Interacting with adults at a conference is quite different from talking with 8- or 18-year-olds. Saying things in a way so that parents will hear and understand-particularly when information is negative-can be very difficult. It's even harder if parents feel discomfort or a lack of trust. (This difficulty makes it all the more surprising that we give so little attention to parent-teacher conferences!)

Too often, parent-teacher conferences are seen as one-way reports from teacher to parent, but a parent-teacher conference should be a collaboration. Teachers have information to share, but they also need to allocate time for questions and discussion. We all need to work to be good listeners (I sure do), and this can be difficult for people who are used to speaking to students from a position of authority. No matter how valuable our words, if we talk so much that parents can only listen, we're missing a chance to work together and serve our students better.

Good cues to get parents talking are, "What have I said that surprises you?" and "Is there anything you'd like me to explain in more detail?" When listening, it's important to focus on the speaker's words (rather than thinking of what you need to say) and to take notes. Note taking not only buttresses memory, but also shows parents that their words are valued.

A good conference includes simple strategies that attend to physical comfort. If meeting in a classroom, make sure that parents are physically comfortable and not squeezed into student-size desks; likewise, the teacher should not be behind a desk. The seating should show that teacher and parents are collaborators.

I ask teachers to share something personal about themselves at the first conference of the year; this sets the tone that parents are welcome to share and also reminds everyone that we are all on the same team. It is important to begin every meeting with a positive observation-especially if a student has been having difficulties. It's wise for teachers to relate an anecdote that captures that they know and value the student. Eliciting a smile sets the tone for further dialogue. There is much truth in the adage, "Parents need to know that you care before they will care what you know." Sometimes teachers are so intent on making their case that they neglect to invest the time to establish a relationship.

Teachers should also be sure to face the clock so that they can monitor time without glancing at their watch. Monitoring the clock enables teachers to keep the conversation on track by saying something like, "I see that we only have seven minutes left, so let me summarize what we've discussed, and then we can talk about how to proceed."

Thinking about how the meeting ends is important, too. This might include reviewing expectations, planning strategies, and determining when to next communicate. Just as at the start of the meeting, it's important to end on a positive note.

Because these interactions are so important, we should devote time to them at a faculty meeting. Asking teachers to share how they help parents become comfortable in the conference is a good way to begin. Having teachers role-play in groups of three-being a teacher, a parent, or an observer-and respond to various situations is a good way to practice these skills. Sample scenarios to role-play might be times when parents feel that their child

It's productive to do situations twice, once with a teacher playing the parent role in a reasonable and understanding manner and once with the teacher acting as a parent with an adversarial approach. Spending five minutes, then rotating roles, and ending by talking about what worked and what didn't is very valuable. This enables teachers to practice in a safe setting and to hear feedback from their colleagues.

In my end-of-year parent survey, I ask parents whether their conferences with teachers were productive. It's important for me to know how well we shared information and conveyed that we are all on the same team. Their responses help me plan how to work with my faculty.

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Principal Connection / Tips for Better Parent-Teacher Conferences

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When was the last time that you spent time at a faculty meeting talking about effective parent-teacher conferences? Do you share tips and ideas for these conferences with new teachers? Do you ever join a parent-teacher conference primarily to give feedback to teachers? We principals attend conferences on instructional leadership.

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Differentiation in the Classroom: Content, Process, or Product? (8 minute read)

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Differentiation in the Classroom: Content, Process, or Product? (8 minute read)

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Carol Ann Tomlinson is an educator and author, well-known and respected for her research and work with differentiated instruction. She believes there are four ways to differentiate instruction: through content, process, product, and learning environment. For the purposes of this blog post, we are going to focus on the first three only. Below is an explanation of each of those three methods, as well as a few examples of each.

1. Content - Content is differentiated when students are given fewer vocabulary terms or mathematical formulas to learn, or a different text to read. This type of differentiation can also relate to the vertical alignment of standards. For example, if a third-grade student does not understand the idea that multiplication is repeated addition, something they should have learned in second grade, the current teacher will need to reteach that content before moving on to grade-level content.

2. Process - Teachers differentiate their instruction when they work one-on-one with a student needing extra help, or pull a small group. Even something as simple as repeating directions, or offering written directions, is considered a way to differentiate instruction. For this type of differentiation, like setting/environment differentiation, the academic standards are not being changed or "watered down", it is simply a method of scaffolding so that students can be successful with grade-level content.

3. Product - Tasks are differentiated when you modify the length or scope or offer extended time to complete it. When the scope of a task is modified, it may possibly include lower-level thought processes, but only with the intent of scaffolding student learning so that eventually, they are ready to meet grade-level content expectations.

The above examples showed just one way to differentiate each method. For a more complete list of strategies, download the Differentiation Strategies resource.

But let's be honest, it is not realistic or even feasible to differentiate content, process, and product for every single lesson. So as a classroom teacher, how do you know which of the three methods you should differentiate? Your differentiation methods should be based on the needs of your students and the purpose of your lesson. Consider the following examples:

1. If you have a student that is reading below grade level, you will likely need to regularly differentiate content for him/her by offering a text at their instructional or independent reading level.

2. If you have a student with dysgraphia, you may need to differentiate his/her learning process to ensure that they have access to a word processing program, rather than having to handwrite their assignments.

3. If you have a student with a learning disability and accompanying IEP that designates reduced test length, then you will have to differentiate the product by shortening the assessments you give.

As you consider the needs of your students, think about these six aspects:

1. Special Needs - This is probably the most important aspect to consider because it is often legally required. If you have students on a 504 plan or with an IEP, any accommodations or modification listed in those plans is a legal obligation you must meet. These methods of differentiation are not optional and can include all three methods.

2. Level of Prior Knowledge - If a student has gaps in his knowledge from the prior year, you will likely need to differentiate content in order to catch him up, before he is able to learn grade-level content.

3. Reading Level - As mentioned in the example about, a student reading below level will need access to appropriately leveled texts. The same can be said for students reading above grade level. Remember, differentiation is not only to help struggling learners!

4. Student Behavior - If you have students with severe behavior issues or on a behavior contract, often times their learning processes may need to be differentiated. This might include having them work alone instead of in a small group or keeping them separated from a particular student, or even ensuring that they always work alongside a teacher or aide.

5. Learning Styles - Do you have students that are strong visual learners, and always learn best from graphs, illustrations, or graphic organizers? What about students who really only take in information if they can talk it out themselves? Or maybe you have students that are very tactile and need to manipulate objects in order to solidify concepts in their mind? All of these examples represent different learning styles and might be a reason why you would differentiate process (how they learn) or product (how they demonstrate their knowledge).

6. Lesson Purpose - Consider the purpose of your lesson. If the purpose is for students to learn presentation skills such as public speaking and debate, then you can easily differentiate the content to a topic that students are passionate about. However, if the purpose of the lesson is definitive content that MUST be learned, you would not be able to differentiate content, but might allow some flexibility in the process or product.

For a more thorough understanding of how these six needs of students play a role in choosing a method of differentiation, download the Choosing a Method of Differentiation Matrix below.

If you only take away one thing from this blog article, let it be that differentiation is the process of adapting an activity or its instruction to make the content accessible and appropriately rigorous to . All children is the key phrase! Differentiation is not just limited to students who struggle academically and need support but is done authentically based on the needs of each student in a classroom.

It is also essential for students to use these words in their writing as well. To encourage this, you could provide a word bank when having students respond to a prompt and explain they must use all the words in the word bank accurately in context as they respond. See Figure 1 for an example of this next. You can provide a prompt for students to answer, but require students to select vocabulary from a provided work bank to help them reinforce their understanding of each word they previously learned in class. In this example in figure 1, students are participating in a science class, and the teacher has prepared a simple prompt using vocabulary words related to their astronomy lesson. Notice the words chosen for this activity- these words, like revolution, could have multiple meanings depending on the classroom in which the child is learning. These tier 2 words selected help reinforce student's understanding of the English Language while simultaneously helping them review important academic content they learned in class.

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Differentiation in the Classroom: Content, Process, or Product?

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Differentiation in the Classroom: Content, Process, or Product? by Model Teaching | June 5, 2020. You've likely heard the phrase, "Fair is not always equal." This is especially true in a classroom setting when you are dealing with a group of students with different reading levels and academic skillsets.

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Video - "Co-planning in Action" (2 minutes and 38 seconds)

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Video - "Co-planning in Action" (2 minutes and 38 seconds)

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Video - "Collaboration strategy: Co-planning lessons with the ELD Teacher" (1 minute and 12 seconds)

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Video - "Collaboration strategy: Co-planning lessons with the ELD Teacher" (1 minute and 12 seconds)

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Sample Co-Teaching Completed Lesson Plan - ELD & Special Educator & Para Examples in Collaboration with the General Educator

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Sample Co-Teaching Completed Lesson Plan - ELD & Special Educator & Para Examples in Collaboration with the General Educator

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Sample filled in Co-Teaching Week of Lesson Plans

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Affective Statements Team Builder for Grade Level Teams or Students: Restorative Justice (we recommend modifications for primary students - please reach out and I can modify it if you are interested in using it with your class!) 

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Affective Statements Team Builder for Grade Level Teams or Students: Restorative Justice (we recommend modifications for primary students - please reach out and I can modify it if you are interested in using it with your class!) 

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Fostering a Growth Mindset Through  Assessment 

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Fostering a Growth Mindset Through  Assessment 

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Abstract

The Power of Starting Off with a Positive Mindset

Kindling Positive Emotions . . .

. . . And Inspiring Improvement

Evidence of the Helpful Shift

How I used competency-based assessment and social-emotional learning principles to give my students a better perspective on their capabilities.

Credit: VectorMine / Shutterstock

Abstract

The Power of Starting Off with a Positive Mindset

Kindling Positive Emotions . . .

. . . And Inspiring Improvement

Evidence of the Helpful Shift

By the end of our first grading conference, Marie Therese was beaming. We'd agreed on her grade for the first paper she'd written that year, and, while she had been nervous when we started, she was clearly satisfied at the conclusion of the meeting. In the conference, Marie Therese explained the revisions she'd made based on my feedback and showed me how her work met the rubric criteria, highlighting specific passages in her writing and matching them to the words describing the category ratings. In a few instances, she thought her work was in the developing category, and I explained that, in fact, the work met the proficient category. "I never thought of myself as a good writer. But I guess I'm better than I thought," she said.

These powerful words proved true throughout the school year. Marie Therese met every writing challenge with a surge of innovation, complexity, and wit. She put words together in delightful ways, and her story ideas were original and thrilling. It was gratifying to watch Marie Therese grow in confidence and take risks that pushed her writing skills into new territory. Even Marie Therese's classmates in this 8th grade class took notice; after she shared with the class one of her stories that included a particularly clever twist, they erupted in applause.

Teachers can use the principles of competency-based assessment and social-emotional learning to shape a positive mindset within students.

To what do I attribute Marie Therese's utterly delightful progress? Talent? Good modeling? A rich imagination? My teaching? Nope. Instead, I think what made the difference for Marie Therese was her mindset. Simply put, as a result of that first meeting, Marie Therese developed a positive mindset about her capabilities. Her comment to me that she hadn't considered herself a competent writer was the tip-off. In the past, for some reason, she hadn't felt like she was capable of good writing, but after that first grading meeting, she did feel capable-and that was what made the difference.

This example and others have demonstrated to me that teachers can use the principles of competency-based assessment and social-emotional learning to shape a positive mindset within students about the year. As a result, we can positively impact student learning.

The Power of Starting Off with a Positive Mindset

Teachers know about growth mindset and how powerful it is. Carol Dweck's work in this field has been transformative. Other researchers have since doubled down on and extended this work. Mindset is so powerful, Stanford psychologist Alia Crum asserts, it can impact how our bodies process food! 1 This is why fostering a positive, growth-oriented mindset in our students is so important for learning: it impacts engagement, motivation, and follow through.

Meanwhile, I knew from experience that the first summative assessment of the year-a paper requiring the application of skills students had practiced-could have an outsized influence on students' mindsets. For example, I'd observed that some of my students who initially earned grades in the developing or beginning range on the rubric wouldn't rewrite their subsequent papers despite my urging. Instead, they told me, they just weren't "good at English." And, unfortunately, I also noticed that these students often disengaged from class, not taking an interest in the projects and not really trying to improve. When I reflected on this phenomenon, I realized a few key things:

The first summative assessment is the first definitive information students get about their progress. If they get "positive" information (if their performance is in the mastery or proficient range), they tend to feel positively about themselves as learners. If they get what they consider "negative" information (their performance is in the developing or beginning range), they tend to feel negatively-not just about the work, but about their potential.

The first summative assessment information can either reinforce or challenge a previously held mindset.

Students' mindsets can influence their performance all year long.

Therefore, I needed to convince every single one of my students that they were capable of doing good work.

Realizing these things, I wondered how I could encourage a growth mindset, even for kids who didn't see themselves as strong English students. And I wondered how I could use the first assessment to demonstrate to all students that they could progress. My solutions employed the tools of social-emotional learning as well as competency-based assessment.

Kindling Positive Emotions . . .

On the social-emotional front, I considered how to kindle positive emotions in my students because when we feel well, we perform better. Positive emotions come from experiences of connection, meaning, authenticity, and creativity. Accordingly, in the first day, week, and month of school, I introduced learning experiences that encouraged creativity of all kinds (not just writing) and that allowed students to build relationships with one another. For example, in response to works we read together, I asked students to make toys out of paper or to design an imaginary machine that could travel through time.

Projects like these helped all students access the content while fostering creative expression and connection. The class shared their inventions with one another and learned how to provide each other with encouraging feedback. In turn, I offered specific, positive feedback to every single student about what they'd made. I avoided comments like, "great job!" or "nicely done!" Instead, I'd mention something that was unique or thoughtful about the work. ("Priya, I appreciate that your time machine has a 'don't alter the timeline' setting. That's a big problem with time travel that you've neatly solved.")

Doing these projects and exchanging feedback had an immediate impact. On the quick Google surveys I gave at the end of the trimester, the students reported feeling connected to the material and to each other and said they felt as though the work they were doing had meaning. They also noted they appreciated the creativity and collaboration they experienced in English class. My goal of sparking positive emotions was met.

. . . And Inspiring Improvement

Then, using the principles of competency or mastery learning, I changed my procedures around grading and assessment, with the goal of providing clearer, more targeted feedback, so that every student felt they could improve:

1. I clarified the goals of the class for the student s. I wrote and rewrote the learning targets, striving for clear, actionable language, and checked my work by having students edit it. After many iterations, we got to 10 learning targets for the year that the kids had edited and agreed upon. I also honed the exemplar models I used. While I had always shown examples of success, I added in examples of what not to do (which I wrote myself, so I wasn't embarrassing any student) and examples of work that was proficient but not yet at mastery. Seeing the variety of exemplars was highly illuminating because the different levels of work clarified the learning targets as well as the category ratings. After these changes, the kids knew what they were working toward.

2. I increased the frequency of formative assessment and feedback. I asked students to write both short and long works in class instead of at home. This not only meant they produced more writing, but also that I was around to offer immediate feedback. Additionally, I increased the length of time students had to practice by pushing the due date for the first summative assessment to the end of October (in a trimester system). To facilitate giving more frequent feedback, I often had students read their work aloud in class. I'd find the strengths in the writing and tell the student, out loud. Over time, students constructed a mental database of what worked in their writing, so when the summative assessment was due, they knew what to include. In my verbal and written comments, I only addressed elements of their performance related to the learning targets. For example, there's no reason to bring up paragraph tabs if formatting isn't one of the learning targets. Finally, I was conscientious about providing feedback that was more about strengths than deficits. So when I identified one major area needing improvement in a paper, I'd find two areas of strength to tout. Knowing one's strengths builds confidence and a sense of competence.

3. I built revision into assessment. I'd always allowed revision of summative assessments, but I built revision into the process in more intentional ways, such as dedicating class time to make requested edits. I've found that allowing students to redo work that hasn't met the learning target is the best way to encourage a growth-oriented mindset. The inherent message to students is that success is not about performing a task correctly the first time; it's about learning the skill competently so that it persists over time.

4. I invited students into the act of evaluation and grading. First, I made sure my students knew the learning targets and what the language in the rubrics meant. Then, I asked them to assess each other's work using the rubric (without attaching a grade). Finally, I had students evaluate and grade their own work with the rubric, using specific examples to explain their reasoning. Bringing students into the grading process was a transformational change, since it made a significant difference in how students viewed themselves as learners. When students graded themselves, they were much more aware of the changes they'd made through revision and how those edits improved the final product. As a result, they felt positively about their work. That "I'm just not good at this" feeling didn't even have a chance to take hold.

Evidence of the Helpful Shift

After I'd made these shifts and after the first summative assessment, I had my students write a paragraph about their progress and potential in English. Overwhelmingly, the students reported good vibes. They were happy with how they were doing and felt they were going to get better and better as the year went on. This was the mindset that powered growth!

Every November, I would look forward to the day that I walked into the classroom-the first assessment in the bank-and saw a sea of bright, confident students.

In terms of student outcome data, every student made progress toward mastery of the learning targets. No one's work was consistently stuck in the beginning or developing category of the rubrics because every student revised! As a result, grades were strong, and no one failed. Indeed, I can say with confidence that my students thrived.

In subsequent years in the classroom after I made these changes, every November, I would look forward to the day that I walked into the classroom-the first assessment in the bank-and saw a sea of bright, confident students who felt capable of taking on their next English project. While not every student I taught evolved into a Marie Therese, at least the majority of students weren't mad about being in English class. And by using competency-based assessment and SEL principles to shape a positive mindset, I could create a warm, supportive space in which to learn.

End Notes

Crum, A. J., Corbin, W. R., Brownell, K. D., Salovey, P. "Mind over milkshakes: Mindsets, not just nutrients, determine ghrelin response." Health Psychology. 30 (4), 424.

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Let us help you put your vision into action.

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Fostering a Growth Mindset Through Assessment

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Abstract The Power of Starting Off with a Positive Mindset Kindling Positive Emotions . . . . . . And Inspiring Improvement Evidence of the Helpful Shift How I used competency-based assessment and social-emotional learning principles to give my students a better perspective on their capabilities.

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SUPPORTING EMERGENT MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS IN AN ONLINE ENVIRONMENT: This recorded webinar provides considerations and guidance for supporting emergent multilingual learners (ESOL students) in an online environment.  

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SUPPORTING EMERGENT MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS IN AN ONLINE ENVIRONMENT: This recorded webinar provides considerations and guidance for supporting emergent multilingual learners (ESOL students) in an online environment.  

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CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING IN THE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM "53 Ways to Check for Understanding in the Virtual Classroom" 

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CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING IN THE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM "53 Ways to Check for Understanding in the Virtual Classroom" 

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Are you a chat pod offender?!

Do you rely on a single chat pod for student responses? Or do you frequently vary the student response methods? If the chat pod is your best friend, it's time to re-evaluate your relationship; you are an offender!

Hey, don't be too hard on yourself; it's incredibly easy to fall into the habit of only using the chat pod, but I challenge you to think for a moment: is this the most effective method for every single question? For some, yes! For others, no.

We all know that students love to repeat each other's answers, even if they are incorrect! Not to mention that sometimes the chat becomes cluttered with off-topic comments or questions, leaving student answers hidden amongst other debris. In order to truly measure what your students know, you must vary your response methods and ask students to respond frequently and diversely. Remember that providing immediate feedback is a critical step in the formative assessment process.

I stumbled across a list of 53 Ways to Check for Understanding and decided to add a cyber twist. I present to you: 50 Ways to Check for Understanding in the Virtual Classroom!

Want to see these ideas in action? Come to my workshop on Friday, November 21st at noon.
50 Ways to Check for Understanding in the Virtual Classroom

1. The 411
* Describe the objective (author's objective, lesson objective, research objective, etc.) in a short answer pod.

2. Explain Your Solution
* Ask students to describe how they solved an academic problem, step by step, in the chat pod.

3. Offer Another Solution
* After working through a problem, ask students to offer different ways to solve the problem in a specific chat pod.

4. Outline
* Represent the organization of _______ by outlining it in the Q&A pod.

5. Interview You
* You're the guest expert on 60 Minutes. Answer:
1. What are component parts of _______?
2. Why does this topic matter?
3. Share in the Q&A pod.
4. Call on students to share responses with their microphones.

6. Bio Poem
* To describe a character or person, write a poem that includes:
* (Line 1) First name
* (Line 2) 3-4 adjectives that describe the person
* (Line 3) Important relationship
* (Line 4) 2-3 things, people, or ideas the person loved
* (Line 5) Three feelings the person experienced
* (Line 6) Three fears the person experienced
* (Line 7) Accomplishments
* (Line 8) 2-3 things the person wanted to see happen or wanted to experience
* (Line 9) His or her residence
* (Line 10) Last name
* Share in the chat pod. If you have a small group of students, give each student his/her own chat pod.

Download a PDF Version
Thanks for stopping by!

Never stop learning,

Ashly

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50 Ways to Check for Understanding in the Virtual Classroom | Ashly Locklin

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Are you a chat pod offender?! Do you rely on a single chat pod for student responses? Or do you frequently vary the student response methods? If the chat pod is your best friend, it's time to re-evaluate your relationship; you are an offender!

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DIGITAL RESOURCES Choice Board Resources A variety of choice board resources in lots of subject and content areas!

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DIGITAL RESOURCES Choice Board Resources A variety of choice board resources in lots of subject and content areas!

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This blog is intended to give helpful tips and tricks for incorporating technology into your classroom.

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PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES                    "Co-constructing Family Engagement"       

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PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES                    "Co-constructing Family Engagement"       

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Educators need to get past school-centric activities and take steps to create more generative relationships with families.

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EQUITY Excerpts from the Complexity of Identities Article from Yael Astor

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EQUITY Excerpts from the Complexity of Identities Article from Yael Astor

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uHgencZkaf9bylTcM9HrlVvjsenWSDmXKmFdKrNNF-E/edit

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EQUITY Let's Create a Brave Space 8 minute Youtube Video - First Book presents “Empowering Educators” – a series of free resources designed to support educators in helping their students engage in effective, courageous conversations about race and social justice.

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EQUITY Let's Create a Brave Space 8 minute Youtube Video - First Book presents “Empowering Educators” – a series of free resources designed to support educators in helping their students engage in effective, courageous conversations about race and social justice.