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When I received an email from a parent stating that their child was talking to them about school again, I was like #MissionAccomplished!
Everyone week, I send an email that seeks to engage parents with their child's learning. For many parents, by the time their child enters 8th grade, they start pulling back and begin to allow their child to become more independent. It works for many, but sometimes they learn that their child is not ready! I have learned that by the time a child is in 8th-grade math, many parents are saying that they can no longer help them, they're on their own. I chuckle every time I hear a parent say that because I know they mean well. Only if they knew what they would be getting into when their child enters my class!
Only if they knew what they would be getting into when their child enters my class!
I seek to make sure that parents and students are still talking about math! So the emails are great because they include review questions and the last question is a bonus question. Parents respond to the bonus question with the answer that their child gives. Sometimes these bonus questions get as crazy as making a video of the quadratic formula song for a coveted HOMEWORK PASS!
Sometimes these bonus questions get as crazy as making a video of the quadratic formula song for a coveted HOMEWORK PASS!
Other times, I may ask students to teach their parents what we are learning in class and have them post the pictures to me. This happened when I was teaching exponent rules. When you raise a power to a power (open parenthesis) you keep the base (close your fist) and multiply the exponents (cross your arms). The key is, teachers should not be afraid of parents and parents should believe that the VAST majority of teachers got into this profession because we love your child!
The key is, teachers should not be afraid of parents and parents should believe that the VAST majority of teachers got into this profession because we love your child!
I have come to understand that many parents do not have the luxury of coming to every PTA meeting, parent-teacher conference, extracurricular activities after school because many of them work hours to support their children and it is not convenient. There is a HUGE myth about how low-income parents and minority parents are less interested in their child's education...that's another article. We as teachers must believe that we can find ways to engage parents. Sometimes there has to be an incentive, and sometimes we have to be super creative. In the end, it still takes a village!
In the end, it still takes a village!
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