effective parent teacher
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Effective Parent/Teacher
Relationships
Jeff DanielianNAGC’s Teacher Resource Specialist
Robin Schader, Ph.D.NAGC’s Parent Resource Advisor
Parents want to know how to help their child
Teachers want to be able to teach their class of children
Effective Parent/Teacher
Relationships
Managing Expectations
Letting Go of Assumptions
• Child’s interests
• Life experiences
• Strengths & weaknesses
•Abilities
• Attitudes
• Hopes & dreams
• School policies
• Curriculum & content
•Teaching methods
• Peer interactions
• Classroom organization
• Developmental guidelines
different roles
PARENTS TEACHERS
different information
Robin Schader, [email protected]
The Student
The Child
•Interests
• Life experiences
• Strengths & weaknesses
•Abilities
• Attitudes
• Hopes & dreams
• Adhere to School policies
• Take part in Curriculum & content
•Exposure to a variety of Teaching methods
• Multitude of Peer interactions
• Classroom “Time”
• Development
• Child’s interests
• Life experiences
• Strengths & weaknesses
•Abilities
• Attitudes
• Hopes & dreams
• School policies
• Curriculum & content
•Teaching methods
• Peer interactions
• Classroom organization
• Developmental guidelines
Share informatio
n and ideas about
encouraging and
supporting a child’s
good learning.
Here’s what will make a difference
• AWARENESS
• CLARITY
• PERSPECTIVE, and
• FLEXIBILITY (a willingness to try ACTION RESEARCH)
36 states do not require general education teachers to have training on the nature and needs of gifted and talented students at any point in their careers.
Gifted children spend 80 percent of their time in the regular classroom, yet only 61% of classroom teachers have had any training in meeting their needs
Only a handful of states require all teachers to receive training in gifted and talented education before they start teaching.
AWARENESS: Not Many Teachers Have Had The Benefit of Training in Gifted Education
http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=533
CLARITY: Think about what you expect the
other person to DO in response to your question or
information.
➤ “My child is BORED.”
➤ “My child isn’t being challenged.”
➤ “Your child isn’t working up to potential.”
Teacher View• I am a fourth grade teacher,
just completing a second year of teaching. I’m struggling with thoughts of “where I went wrong” with respect to some of my students. Several seemed bored, but one student really sticks in my mind –– she gradually stopped participating; even in subjects I thought she would enjoy. The quality of her homework slipped, and, by the end of the year, she had become pretty much a loner…withdrawn from friends.
Parent View• In 3 short years, I’ve watched
my son morph from being so excited about school that he could hardly sleep at night, to a child who practically has to be dragged from the house to the school bus. He’s obviously so unhappy…and only in the third grade. I don’t even know how to begin to sort out what’s happening and I don’t want to be “one of those moms” who bothers the teacher but, at this rate (if he gets his way), my boy will be a fourth grade dropout!
PERSPECTIVE
1. Looking for clues beyond what’s expected
At School
• Open up dialogue with the student’s family early! It’s not always easy to figure out what’s going on with students who seem disengaged, for many times the problems have nothing to do with school at all. A wide range of circumstances at home, pre-conceived notions about expectations, overexciteabilities, and prior experience may be taking its toll on the development of the student seated before you. Talk with your students. Sometimes all it takes is a short walk down a hallway or quick “check-in” after class. A “how’s everything going?” or “is everything alright?” can go a long way.• Yes, there’s usually more than meets the eye. Learn more about possible learning issues in the book The Mislabeled Child: Looking beyond behavior to find the true sources––and solutions––for children’s learning challenges (Hyperion, 2006). (Resource)• Find new ways to incorporate your own interests, ideas, favorites, and personal stories into your lessons. Students are more apt to open up and share their own beliefs when they recognize similarities between themselves and the teacher.
At Home
• Boredom? Don’t assume it’s a result of repetitive, easily understood or mastered tasks. Signs of boredom can be symptomatic of work that is too difficult, as well. Children who “appear” bored may be overwhelmed by all sorts of environmental, social, emotional, or learning problems. For more, check “The Challenges of Boredom” at: (LINK)• Sensory integration disorders can also contribute to learning problems and classroom issues. Learn how one mother uncovered why her highly gifted son was struggling, and then found solutions in “Elementary Lessons for Mom” at: (LINK)• Food additives such as artificial colors, artificial flavors and preservatives like butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) can cause adverse reactions such as hyperactivity, depression, and migraines. It has been suggested that gifted children with overexcitabilities may show more obvious reactions. For additional information, read “Soothing Overexcitabilities With Food” at: (LINK)
Teacher • I am a fourth grade teacher,
just completing a second year of teaching. I’m struggling with thoughts of “where I went wrong” with respect to some of my students. Several seemed bored, but one student really sticks in my mind –– she gradually stopped participating; even in subjects I thought she would enjoy. The quality of her homework slipped, and, by the end of the year, she had become pretty much a loner…withdrawn from friends.
Parent • In 3 short years, I’ve watched
my son morph from being so excited about school that he could hardly sleep at night, to a child who practically has to be dragged from the house to the school bus. He’s obviously so unhappy…and only in the third grade. I don’t even know how to begin to sort out what’s happening and I don’t want to be “one of those moms” who bothers the teacher but, at this rate (if he gets his way), my boy will be a fourth grade dropout!
FLEXIBITY
Teacher Parent
FLEXIBITY
?Think “Action Research”
Issue #1: “We don’t have a gifted program, so what can I do?” Issue #2: “School’s Opening. How do we start off on the right foot?”Issue #3: “What do we need to know about children who have already
mastered pre-school or kindergarten skills prior to entering the classroom?”
Issue #4: “But she (or he) doesn’t seem gifted to me…” Signs of giftedness can be unrecognized or misunderstood.
Issue #5: “Giftedness? What does the label mean…?”Issue #6: “We know this child is gifted. Now that there’s no question
about the high potential, what is my role? What are some practical ways I can support and encourage?
Issue #7: “Are there ways to help the gifted child who procrastinates, has anxiety, and/or never seems to think things are good enough?”
Available Issues of NAGC’s Connecting for High Potential
Issue #8: “How can I find appropriate, challenging resources for a child who is reading far above grade-level?”
Issue #9: “This child is a classic ‘absent-minded professor.’ How can she or he ever learn organizational skills?”
Issue #10: “What should we know about gifted children and stress?” Issue #11: Rights? Gifted Students? The Law? What should I know? Issue #12: Does Being Gifted Mean Gifted All the Time? Gifted at Home,
but not at School (or vice versa)? Can “Gifted” be Gifted in Only Some Subjects?
Issue #13: “Homework? Making it worthwhile.”Issue #14: “A friend is a friend is a friend, indeed: Gifted children and
peers”Issue #15: “Bored, apathetic, lost interest in school? Behavior problems?
Don’t despair. Try applying Cooperative Action Research!
Available Issues of NAGC’s Connecting for High Potential
CD-ROM with over 300 resources, most of which are not available through any other
source.
• Carefully Selected
• Well Organized
• Searchable
• Reproducible
• Customizable
There are Five Mile Markers representing different stages of nurturing gifted children.
The Mile Markers are numbered sequentially, but you can begin at any Mile Marker.
Every driver is able to take whatever path best meets his or her needs.
http://www.nagc.org/backtoschool.aspx?terms=back+to+school