Teo-Education.Com

Despite the fact that numerous articles have been written on the importance of the first day, too many of us still use it to do little more than go over the syllabus and review basic guidelines for the course. This year I decided to try a different approach, and the results were much more dramatic than I expected. I taught real material on the first day. Despite that, there have been fewer questions about course policies, with some students actually referencing them without even a mention from me. Let me explain how I achieved these results.

On the first day (I used this approach in all my courses), I spent the majority of the time teaching content that related to the overall ideas of the course. Thus, in freshman composition, a course that focuses on experiential learning, I had the students go outside and experience a brief period of blindness. They took turns taping cotton balls over their eyes and leading each other around. We then analyzed the experience and talked about how one might craft a thesis to describe what happened. In a Western literature class, I introduced the major ideas of the Enlightenment and talked about how the interplay of reason and emotion would reoccur throughout the course.

Only after this exposure to course content did I give students a copy of the syllabus. Rather than going through it in detail, I told students that they were perfectly capable of reading it. I think we should start assuming that students ranging from developmental courses to upper-division major classes can read and understand a syllabus. Rather than treating the syllabus as something special, I decided to handle it as another reading assignment.

To prepare students for this reading assignment, I did a brief presentation (I used PowerPoint this year, which I almost never use) on the most important aspects of the syllabus: why students are taking the course, how to get in touch with me, our university’s mission statement, academic support for those with disabilities, how to access the online readings, and the overall structure of the class. I limited the presentation to 10 minutes. I have even begun to wonder if I could skip handing out the syllabus altogether and simply have students print it off themselves and read it before coming to the first day of class.

On the second day, I had students pick up note cards as they arrived for class. I asked them to write on the card any questions they had about the syllabus. In one class of just over 30 students, I answered fewer than five questions, and it took less than five minutes. Even in my largest class, which had the most questions, I was still able to respond in less than 10 minutes. Thus, my presentation of the syllabus took 15 minutes, at best, as opposed to the 40 to 50 minutes it used to take.

I also used bonus questions taken from the syllabus on my reading quizzes. This makes it clear to students who have not read the syllabus that they are losing out on extra points. I have considered giving a quiz solely on the syllabus, as I have heard some professors do, but that seems a bit petty to me. I can see, though, how that approach reinforces the idea of treating the syllabus as class material, just like any other reading assignment.

In the past few weeks since the semester started, I have had more students reference policies from the syllabus than I usually have in an entire semester. Students know how many points I deduct for late papers, and two students in one class wanted to discuss our school’s mission statement. They asked if I believed we are actually trying to live it out (we are a religious institution), something that has never happened in my eight years of teaching here.

Rather than wasting that all-important first day going over material students can read on their own, I recommend we begin by introducing students to ideas from the course. Almost all of us complain about running out of time by the end of the semester, but a better beginning can help us reclaim at least one day of it, if we use it wisely.

by Kelvin Brown.

Read more @ http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/dont-waste-the-first-day-of-class/

A lot of students just don’t seem all that interested in learning. Most faculty work hard to help students find that missing motivation. They try a wide range of active learning strategies, and those approaches are successful with a lot of students but not all students.

Stephen Brookfield writes about students who are beyond being passive about learning—they just plain resist it. He suggests that teachers can’t respond successfully unless they are knowledgeable about the sources of resistance to learning. Here’s a sample of possibilities that appear in his book The Skillful Teacher.

1. Poor self-image as learners—If students don’t think they can learn, they often resist efforts that seek to make them learn. These are students who, at the first hint of trouble, abandon even fledgling efforts. Any negative feedback just confirms what they already believe: they aren’t smart enough; they will never be able to figure it out. “Developing a strong self-image as a learner—regarding oneself as someone able to acquire new skills, knowledge, behaviors, and insights—is a crucial psychological underpinning to learning.” (p. 217)
2. Fear of the unknown—Some students resist learning because they are afraid. Students like doing what they already know. They hold on to beliefs that have served them well, especially those passed on from parents. “People committed to eternal verities can withstand years of dissonant experiences and mountains of contradictory evidence that call these [beliefs] into question.” (p. 218) For many students, the comfort and security of where they are causes them to resist going to new places, especially places where beliefs might be held more tentatively.
3. Disjunction between learning and teaching styles—Most teachers have experienced this: bright, capable students who resist what’s happening in class. Once a student in my class said, with some passion, “I hate discussion!” “Why?” “I can’t figure out how to take notes off a discussion. What are you supposed to write down?” He was an engineering major and talked often about how clear and organized the content was in his engineering courses. Content is configured differently across disciplines. Sometimes students resist when their preferred approach to learning is at odds with how the information is organized or is being presented.
4. Apparent irrelevance of the learning activity—Students resist learning when they don’t see how or what an activity contributes to their efforts to learn. If it looks like busywork or a waste of time, students resist. Brookfield points out that this is particularly true when learners are paying for their education themselves.
5. Inappropriate level of required learning—Students get frustrated and angry when they can’t understand the content. They object to unfamiliar language and the fast-paced delivery of complicated material. The frustration quickly becomes resistance. Brookfield also uses the example of teachers who transfer too much of the responsibility for learning to students too quickly. Students resist. The teacher is asking them to do what he or she is being paid to do.
6. Students’ dislike of teachers—It’s not a particularly pleasant thought, but sometimes students resist because they just plain don’t like the teacher. Maybe objections to the teacher are justified or maybe they aren’t, but sometimes teachers themselves cause resistance.

Brookfield’s list is actually quite a bit longer, but these examples illustrate a variety of sources of resistance to learning. He points out that teachers should not expect to be able to “overcome,” or completely dissipate, resistance. They should work to contain or mitigate its effects.

To do this, he recommends that teachers start by trying to sort out the causes of resistance and decide if the resistance is justified. If the instruction is being aimed at a level way above the level of most students in the class, the resistance is justified and the teacher can do something about fixing the problem.

He offers a number of other useful suggestions. For example, teachers need to build a case for learning. They should explain clearly and often why something is important, why it’s relevant, and why it’s something students need to know. For learners without confidence who are afraid of new knowledge, it helps to create learning situations in which they can taste some success early on.

Finally, teachers will deal more constructively with resistance to learning once they come to accept that it is normal and that students, in fact, have the right to resist. Students cannot be forced to learn anything. All teachers can do is to make the case for learning and work to create conditions that are conducive to it.

by Maryellen Weimer.

Read more @ http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/student-learning-six-causes-of-resistance/

Here are my top ten ways to prevent first year teacher burnout. All of these ways have made my first year a success so far. By no means am I perfect, but I am learning each day and I am loving every minute of it!

1. Simplify your life! You will need lots of extra time outside of school.
2. Continue your hobbies or interests outside of school for leisure time.
3. Stay positive and stay around positive people. Negative feeds negative.
4. Time management. Always use your time wisely. It is amazing what you can accomplish in a 30 minute break!
5. Set priorities. Concentrate on what needs to be done for the day. Work on  what comes next later. Don’t try to do everything at once and don’t expect to be perfect just yet.
6. Self – evaluate! Reflect! Do not be overwhelmed by “bad days.” Reward yourself for the “good” things you did each day and learn the “mistakes”.
7. Organize! Have a specific place for everything!
8. Ask lots of questions! You never know until you  ask!
9. Reach out for support both in and out of school!
10. Get plenty of rest, exercise, and eat healthy. Your students need you each and every day!

Teaching has been the most rewarding thing in my life! Knowing that I am impacting someone else’s life makes all of the time and money I spend worth it!.

by Tara Hollomon

Cedar Road Elementary, Chesapeake.

Read more @ http://www.jmu.edu/madison/teacher/advice/TopTen%20Burnout.pdf

Introduction:

Beginnings are important. Whether the class is a large introductory course for freshmen or an advanced course in the major field, it makes good sense to start the semester off well. Students will decide very early – some say the first day of class – whether they will like the course, its contents, the teacher, and their fellow students.

The following list of  “101 Things You Can Do…” is offered in the spirit of starting off right. It is a catalog of suggestions for college teachers who are looking for a fresh way of creating the best possible environment for learning. Not just the first day, but the first three weeks of a course are especially important, studies say, in retaining capable students. Even if the syllabus is printed and lecture notes are ready to go in August, most college teachers can usually make adjustments in teaching methods as the course unfolds and the characteristics of their students become known.

These suggestions have been gathered from UNL professors and from college teachers elsewhere. The rationale for these methods is based on the following needs: 1) to help students make the transition from high school and summer or holiday activities to learning in college; 2) to direct students’ attention to the immediate situation for learning – the hour in the classroom: 3) to spark intellectual curiosity – to challenge students; 4) to support beginners and neophytes in the process of learning in the discipline; 5) to encourage the students’ active involvement in learning; and 6) to build a sense of community in the classroom.

Ideas For the First Three Weeks:

Here, then, are some ideas for college teachers for use in their courses as they begin a new semester.

1.  Helping Students Make Transitions:

1. Hit the ground running on the first day of class with substantial content.
2. Take attendance: roll call, clipboard, sign in, seating chart.
3. Introduce teaching assistants by slide, short presentation, or self-introduction.
4. Hand out an informative, artistic, and user-friendly syllabus.
5. Give an assignment on the first day to be collected at the next meeting.
6. Start laboratory experiments and other exercises the first time lab meets.
7. Call attention (written and oral) to what makes good lab practice: completing work to be done, procedures, equipment, clean up, maintenance, safety, conservation of supplies, full use of lab time.
8. Administer a learning style inventory to help students find out about themselves.
9. Direct students to the Learning Skills Center for help on basic skills.
10. Tell students how much time they will need to study for this course.
11. Hand out supplemental study aids: library use, study tips, supplemental readings and exercises.
12. Explain how to study for kind of tests you give.
13. Put in writing a limited number of ground rules regarding absence, late work, testing procedures, grading, and general decorum, and maintain these.
14. Announce office hours frequently and hold them without fail.
15. Show students how to handle learning in large classes and impersonal situations.
16. Give sample test questions.
17. Give sample test question answers.
18. Explain the difference between legitimate collaboration and academic dishonesty; be clear when collaboration is wanted and when it is forbidden.
19. Seek out a different student each day and get to know something about him or her.
20. Ask students to write about what important things are currently going on in their lives.
21. Find out about students’ jobs; if they are working, how many hours a week, and what kinds of jobs they hold.

2.  Directing Students’ Attention:

1. Greet students at the door when they enter the classroom.
2. Start the class on time.
3. Make a grand stage entrance to hush a large class and gain attention.
4. Give a pre-test on the day’s topic.
5. Start the lecture with a puzzle, question, paradox, picture, or cartoon on slide or transparency to focus on the day’s topic.
6. Elicit student questions and concerns at the beginning of the class and list these on the chalkboard to be answered during the hour.
7. Have students write down what they think the important issues or key points of the day’s lecture will be.
8. Ask the person who is reading the student newspaper what is in the news today.

3.  Challenging Student:

1. Have students write out their expectations for the course and their own goals for learning.
2. Use variety in methods of presentation every class meeting.
3. Stage a figurative “coffee break” about twenty minutes into the hour; tell an anecdote, invite students to put down pens and pencils, refer to a current event, shift media.
4. Incorporate community resources: plays, concerts, the State Fair. government agencies. businesses, the outdoors.
5. Show a film in a novel way: stop it for discussion, show a few frames only, anticipate ending, hand out a viewing or critique sheet, play and replay parts.
6. Share your philosophy of teaching with your students.
7. Form a student panel to present alternative views of the same concept.
8. Stage a change-your-mind debate. with students moving to different parts of the classroom to signal change in opinion during the discussion.
9. Conduct a “living” demographic survey by having students move to different parts of the classroom: size of high school. rural vs. urban. consumer preferences…
10. Tell about your current research interests and how you got there from your own beginnings in the discipline.
11. Conduct a role-play to make a point or to lay out issues.
12. Let your students assume the role of a professional in the discipline: philosopher, literary critic, biologist. agronomist. political scientist. engineer.
13. Conduct idea-generating or brainstorming sessions to expand horizons.
14. Give students two passages of material containing alternative views to compare and contrast.
15. Distribute a list of the unsolved problems. dilemmas. or great questions in your discipline and invite students to claim one as their own to investigate.
16. Ask students what books they’ve read recently.
17. Ask what is going on in the state legislature on this subject which may affect their future.
18. Let your students see the enthusiasm you have for your subject and your love of learning.
19. Take students with you to hear guest speakers or special programs on campus
20. Plan “scholar-gypsy” lesson or unit which shows students the excitement of discovery in your discipline.

4.   Providing Support:

1. Collect students’ current telephone numbers and addresses and let them know that you may need to reach them.
2. Check out absentees. Call or write a personal note.
3. Diagnose the students’ prerequisites learning by questionnaire or pre-test ant give them the feedback as soon as possible.
4. Hand out study questions or study guides.
5. Be redundant. Students should hear, read. or see key material at least three times.
6. Allow students to demonstrate progress in learning: summary quiz over the day’s work. a written reaction to the day’s material.
7. Use non-graded feedback to let students know how they are doing: post answers to ungraded quizzes and problem sets, exercises in class, oral feedback.
8. Reward behavior you want: praise, stars, honor roll, personal note.
9. Use a light touch: smile, tell a good joke, break test anxiety with a sympathetic comment.
10. Organize. Give visible structure by posting the day’s “menu” on chalk- board or overhead.
11. Use multiple media: overhead, slides, film, videotape, audio tape, models, sample material.
12. Use multiple examples, in multiple media. to illustrate key points and . important concepts.
13. Make appointments with all students (individually or in small groups).
14. Hand out wallet-sized telephone cards with all important telephone numbers listed: office department, resource centers, teaching assistant, lab.
15. Print all important course dates on a card that can be handed out and taped to a mirror.
16. Eavesdrop on students before or after class and join their conversation about course topics.
17. Maintain an open lab gradebook. with grades kept current. during lab time so that students can check their progress.
18. Check to see if any students are having problems with any academic or campus matters and direct those who are to appropriate offices or resources.
19. Tell students what they need to do to receive an “A” in your course.
20. Stop the work to find out what your students are thinking feeling and doing in their everyday lives.

5.  Encouraging Active Learning:

1. Have students write something.
2. Have students keep three-week-three-times-a-week journals in which they comment. ask questions. and answer questions about course topics.
3. Invite students to critique each other’s essays or short answer on tests for readability or content.
4. Invite students to ask questions and wait for the response.
5. Probe student responses to questions ant wait for the response.
6. Put students into pairs or “learning cells” to quiz each other over material for the day.
7. Give students an opportunity to voice opinions about the subject matter.
8. Have students apply subject matter to solve real problems.
9. Give students red, yellow, and green cards (mate of posterboard) and periodically call for a vote on an issue by asking for a simultaneous show of cards.
10. Roam the aisles of a large classroom and carry on running conversations with students as they work on course problems (a portable microphone helps).
11. Ask a question directed to one student and wait for an answer.
12. Place a suggestion box in the rear of the room and encourage students to make written comments every time the class meets.
13. Do oral show of-hands multiple choice tests for summary review and instant feedback.
14. Use task groups to accomplish specific objectives.
15. Grade quizzes and exercises in class as a learning tool.
16. Give students plenty of opportunity for practice before a major test.
17. Give a test early in the semester and return it graded in the next class meeting.
18. Have students write questions on index cards to be collected and answered the next class period.
19. Make collaborate assignments for several students to work on together.
20. Assign written paraphrases and summaries of difficult reading.
21. Give students a take-home problem relating to the days lecture.
22. Encourage students to bring current news items to class which relate to the subject matter and post these on a bulletin board nearby.

6.  Building Community

1. Learn names. Everyone makes an effort to learn at least a few names.
2. Set up a buddy system so students can contact each other about assignments and coursework.
3. Find out about your students via questions on an index card.
4. Take pictures of students (snapshots in small groups, mug shots) and post in classroom, office, or lab.
5. Arrange helping trios of students to assist each other in learning and growing.
6. Form small groups for getting acquainted; mix and form new groups several times.
7. Assign a team project early in the semester and provide time to assemble the team.
8. Help students form study groups to operate outside the classroom.
9. Solicit suggestions from students for outside resources and guest speakers on course topics.

7.  Feedback on Teaching:

1. Gather student feedback in the first three weeks of the semester to improve teaching and learning.

by Joyce T. Povlace.

Teaching And Learning Centre,

University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

Read more @ http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/101thing.htm

The parent – teacher conference will always be one of the most meaningful encounters of every teacher’s start to a successful year. In order to enable teachers to experience a positive outcome, here is a list of the top ten suggestions. Always keep in mind not all of these may suit your particular style, however these ideas will keep you on the task at hand.

1. Send out a pre-conference agenda… list two or three items you have in mind and provide the opportunity for parents to list their issues.
2. Engage in casual conversation to get a feeling of where a parent is coming from … be an active listener.
3. Always be prepared, have samples of the student’s work ready, and focus on specific objectives.
4. Set two or three short term goals that will be easily attainable.
5. Emphasize positive attributes and compliment parents on the job they are doing.
6. Encourage parents to focus on rewards first, and then meaningful consequences for their children.
7. Never contradict or undermine a parent’s position; however, be ready to offer suggestions, for example, such as ideas to make homework more manageable.
8. Avoid any judgmental statements. If you stay with your plan, this will be avoided.
9. Recap at the end of the conference to go over important topics covered.
10. Follow up with a short note highlighting positive aspects of conference.

Remember that the conference provides an opportunity to develop a rapport between parent and teacher that will work for the good of the student. It is essential that parents are not only kept informed of their child’s progress, but that the teacher communicates his or her commitment to doing whatever is necessary for that child to succeed. Teaching offers the opportunity change lives, not only students’ lives, but parents’ as well.

by David Connery,

Woodstock Elementary, University of Rhode Island.

Read more @ http://www.jmu.edu/madison/teacher/advice/TopTen%20PTconference.pdf

Most successful ventures require partnerships and collaboration. Whether it is a partnership with co-workers, communities, businesses or civic organizations, joint efforts towards goal is essential. With that being said, ample relationships with parents are a most important aspect for student success, and developing techniques for conducting teacher/parent meetings are just as important. Teacher/parent meetings are useful in not only identifying areas of weaknesses for students, such as conduct, academic progress, and study skills, but should be used to build relationships that could counter problems that  may arise later. They establish a rapport with parents as partners in success. When conducting teacher/parent meetings teachers should try keeping these ideas in minds.

1. Prepare for the meeting: Before the meeting try to identify what the problems are or what you want to discuss. If more than one teacher is going to present, you may try meeting with other teachers to see what problems are recurring in other classes.
2. What to prepare for the meeting: Gather as much information and and artifacts as possible. This may include grades, portfolios, past work, and logs of previous parent teacher communication.
3. Identify something positive about the student: All meetings begin with a positive remark and parents need to hear about the positive things that their students are doing. And even though the purpose of a teacher / parent meeting is to identify weaknesses for improvement, acknowledgment of strength is a good way to start the meeting. Not only does it set the foundation for a good relationship with the parent, it also demonstrates that you are for the student and not to debase the student.
4. Identify a goal for the meeting: Once you identify a problem, identify a goal. For instance, if a student has a failing grade in class, you may want to identify the goal the goal improving the grade for the next grading period. If the direction of the meeting seems to go astray try to re-focus the meeting on the goal.
5. Be clear and concise: Being positive about students is beneficial, but you also want to clearly identify the problem of the student. This is most important in insuring improvement.
6. Listen!!!
7. Be open to suggestions from all involved: A teacher / parent meeting is a partnership and a platform where information can be openly exchanged. Specifically, parents are familiar with the norms of their children. Therefore, be open to suggestions from parents as well as guidance counselors, administrators, or any other parties involved.
8. Develop a clear outline for improvement: Once a pool of suggestions is formed, develop a plan for improvement. Write down the plan that will improve the student’s performance. Every party involved should have something to do, most importantly the students.
9. Remember to be clear and concise: For instance, if a student is forgetting to complete homework, he or she may be assigned to write down all homework assignments. The teacher would verify them by signing the  homework assignment sheet, and parents could monitor progress. The process for improvement should be a team effort.
10. Remember to follow up: Keep the lines of communication open. Contact the parent if improvement does not occur. But more importantly, contact the parent if there is improvement. Not only will this encourage the student, but it will also create a positive relationship with the parent.

by Craig B. Reed.

English Teacher, Heritage High School,

Newport News, Virginia.

Read more @ http://www.jmu.edu/madison/teacher/advice/TopTen%20ParentMeet.pdf

Managing students who are disruptive, those who lack motivation and appear as though they would rather be any place than in the classroom, is easier when faculty take the right stance. Anything is possible when faculty have faith in the students they teach. Learning starts with a dedicated teacher interested in meeting the challenge of how to present content in a way that successfully navigates the barriers students erect.

Believing in students is the right stance, but it doesn’t prevent students from coming to class unprepared, handing in assignments late, asking for exceptions, and talking in class. The principles of Motivational Enhancement Therapy, originally developed by W.R. Miller and S. Rollnick to help college professionals engage students with drinking problems, offer strategies that faculty can use with disruptive students in class. Each of the four principles described below has the professor acknowledging the problem and then working with the student to develop a plan to correct the problem. It’s an approach built on collaboration.

1. Express empathy—The professor communicates with the students from a position of power, but the professor still respects the student and practices active listening. Despite the power associated with being the professor, the teacher recognizes that the behavior that needs to be changed can be changed only by the student.
2. Develop discrepancy—Students are motivated to change when they perceive a discrepancy between where they are and where they want to be. The professor can make students aware of this discrepancy. “You want an A in this course and yet you are regularly losing points by not being in class to take the quizzes.” “You want to be a successful manager and yet you fall asleep whenever you lose interest. What’s going to happen when the staff meetings you’re required to attend get boring?”
3. Avoid argumentation—Arguing with students only makes them more resistant. It is highly unlikely that the professor is going to persuade a student (whether that student needs to come to class or get work done on time). A more indirect approach may be better. “When you miss class, you are wasting money. You pay for each class and get nothing when you aren’t there.”
4. Roll with resistance—Don’t meet it head on. Invite the student to think about the problem differently. Rather than imposing a solution, see if the student might not be able to generate one. “You missed the assignment. What’s a fair consequence for that?”

College professors aren’t law enforcement officers. They aren’t expected to be entertainers or hand-holders. They do have the responsibility to create a classroom setting that engages students and fosters relationships based on mutual respect. Students should not IM in class or arrive late or hungover any more than professors should show up the minute class begins, lecture, and leave promptly when it’s over. Learning occurs when both work together, treading softly on differences and celebrating strengths.

by Jason Ebbeling and Brian Van Brunt.

Read more @ http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-classroom-management/four-tips-for-dealing-with-difficult-students/

Parents want their children to have a “good teacher”. We probably agree that this teacher is fair, makes learning fun,and is an educational professional. Often, this teacher is the one who students love, and parents are happy because the child is happy. Fortunately, like students, teachers have different personalities, styles, and strengths. We want our children to have a teacher that will help them to learn, to grow and to enjoy school.

1. Communicate behaviour or performance problems ASAP.
2. Show joy in kids, learning, and life! Let students know that teachers are human, too.
3. Offer tutoring times for students who need it.
4. Make lessons relevant when possible. Supply the answer to the question we hear at home: “When will I ever use or need to know this?”
5. Give students the responsibility to learn and apply lessons. Let students catch the teacher’s intentional errors.
6. Have firm but friendly class control.
7. Recognize the unique personalities, abilities, and learning styles of all students.
8. Treat all children with fairness and consistency. Follow the golden rule when tempted to use sarcasm, ridicule, or ostracism.
9. Use varying and appropriate teaching strategies. Don’t always lecture, or always use transparencies, or always use PowerPoint presentations, or even always show a movie. Motivate, motivate, motivate!!! No matter what they say, it won’t be “boring”. (And they will still say it)
10. Have too much fun sometimes!!!

Never forget the power that you have as a teacher. Even though we may rarely see our own child’s teacher, he or she is a presence in our home for the school year. On a school day, our child spends more time with his teachers than with us, the parents. The homework that is assigned sets the agenda for the evening. How the teacher  and the students treated our child during the day sets the emotional tone of the evening, and influences his self – image for a long time to come. The teacher’s style and personality often determines how well our child learns given objectives and whether frustration or success reigns.

by Patty Agolini,

Library/Media Specialist, Woodstock Elementary,

Mother of Cody Agolini, Woodstock student.

Read more @ http://www.jmu.edu/madison/teacher/advice/TopTen%20ParentExpect.pdf

As a classroom educator for almost ten years, I have rarely had a problem dealing with parents. These are some of the tips I have used (and use) to keep things running smoothly when dealing with parents.

1. Establish a rapport with each parent or guardian that shows you care abut their child’s education from day one. Get to know the parents; talk with them at school functions, and use their correct last name. Little things make a big difference.
2. Make yourself available to the parents. Whether or not you choose to give out your home number is a personal choice, but just knowing that a parent could call you create good will.
3. Keep precise anecdotal records so that when discussing behaviour or issues regarding a child, you are able to give specific examples for specific days.
4. Send home graded papers weekly in a marked folder and hold each child accountable for returning the folder promptly.
5. When having a conference, involve all pertinent teachers and hold the conference in a non – threatening area. Make sure the parents have a chance to speak; do not monopolize the conversation.
6. Use an “Info Line” or create a web page, which gives information on current class events, personal information, and curriculum being studied in the classroom.
7. On the first day of school, send home a welcome letter that clearly states rules, procedures, and expectations.
8. Always attempt to make positive contact sometime before a negative call must be made. In addition, always try to find something positive to say about the student, even when calling about the most egregious situation.
9. Try to send a weekly newsletter updating the parents of events taking place in the class.
10. Finally, remember the slogan, “Parents on your Side!” Our job is about educating their children, and no other job is more important. Some parents are intimidated in a school setting, so you must do whatever it takes to make them feel at ease. Never antagonize or argue with a parent. If you feel like a situation is beyond your scope, or has become too much for you to handle, ask your administrator to become involved.

Be yourself, enjoy the kids; show them you care, and everything else will come naturally. In ten years of teaching I have never had a serious situation with a parent, and I know if you follow these guidelines you won’t either. Good luck with your chosen profession!!!

by Stephen M. Paddison.

Woodstock Elementary.

Read more @ http://www.jmu.edu/madison/teacher/advice/TopTen%20ParentComm.pdf

“Children are our future, and we should strive to do the best that we can for them. We must be our children’s best advocates. We must have faiths in all children. When our children see that we do believe in them, the sky is the limit. Teachers and parents make it possible for children to dream and set goals for themselves. There is no careers, in my opinion, as noble as the teaching profession. We shape the minds of our children for tomorrow. As stated by Aristotle, “Those that know, do. Those that understand, teach.” (384-322B.C).

1. Vision: How important it is to have vision for your students! We all know that no one rises to low expectations; therefore you must set your expectations high for all of your students. I always try to encourage all of my students by letting them know that I believe in them. Sure they may need some help along the way. Sure they may stumble and fall; but offer them a helping hand by allowing opportunities for them to see that they can achieve what may have seemed to them impossible. “Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others” Jonathan Swift.
2. Goals: One of the first things I do at the beginning of each semester is I have the students write a five paragraph essay stating their goals for the year. When students put their goals in writing, they have a higher probability of achieving them. The students’ essays remain hanging in the room as a reminder throughout the semester. “A man without a goal is like a ship without a rudder.” Thomas Carlyle.
3. Character: Posted in the classroom is a poster that I have made with the character traits that we as teachers are responsible for teaching our students. I have each trait defined and it is the focal point of the room. When students break rules, I shift classroom discussion to the character traits. We discuss which trait could have prevented the broken rules. We discuss how character evolves through life’s experiences. “Character is a long-standing habit.” Plutarch.
4. Active Learners: I am advocate of Edgar Dale’s Cone of Learning (1969), which emphasizes engaging students in the learning process as opposed to being a passive learner. This practice enables children to interact socially, and it gives them the opportunity to solve problems and work cooperatively. Since it is the school’s opportunity to prepare children with the skills necessary for living and becoming productive members of society, it is essential that  children be involved physically with hands – on activities, for children learn best by being actively involved in the learning process. ” Our life is composed greatly from dreams, from the unconscious, and they must be brought into connection with action. They must be woven together” Anais Nin.
5. Kindness: When I asked students at the beginning of the school year to share with me the one trait that they admired most in teachers, kindness was the overwhelming response. ” Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest art of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Leo F. Buscaglia “Kindness is a language, which the deaf can hear, and the blind can read.” Mark Twain.
6. Understanding: While meeting and greeting students at the door as they arrive to class I am able to gain an acute understanding of the students’ moods through facial expressions as well as their body language. This is an opportunity to diffuse situations before they erupt like a tinderbox. “Understanding human needs is half the job of meeting them.” Adlai E Stevenson.
7. Respect: I find that when I treat my students in a respectful manner, they are willing to do what I ask of them. Respect does not happen with challenging students. Respect must first be earned. When they see their teacher acting in a respectful manner, they give it back in return. “The secret of education lies is respecting the pupil.” Ralph Waldo Emerson.
8. Caring: Getting to know challenging students on a personal level is essential for building a positive rapport with them. When students see you making an effort to learn about them, they know that you care. When they know that you care, often they will give you some insight to where they are coming from. “To lead yourself, use your head; to lead others, use your heart.” John Maxwell.
9. Model: It is essential to be a role model for your students. Even the most challenging students will try their hardest when they see you lading others by setting examples through your actions. “Seeing an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means,” Albert Einstein.
10. Cooperative Learning Groups: I find that there is one tip that helps me achieve all of the other tips mentioned above: that is setting up cooperative learning groups in your classroom. I spend a lot of time at the beginning of the school year establishing cooperative learning groups. The students learn what each role is responsible for and they help one another very nicely. Most importantly they interact with students they might not necessarily work with otherwise as well as learn how to work together as a team. “All growth depends upon activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work.” Calvin Coolidge.

“Challenging students need to have teachers with never ending faith to truly believe that each student can be successful. Inspiring these students can be the most fulfilling aspect of teaching that you may need to keep the ebb and flow of  your career.”

As a struggling student, please consider the following:

• C : Call on me when you know I know the answer.
• H : Have a big heart.
• A : Always encourage me.
• L : Leave me alone when I am not pleasant.
• L : Let me know that you care.
• E : Engage my mind with positive role models.
• N : Never give up on me.
• G : Give yourself a break.
• I : Insults are never welcome.
• N : Newcast my success.
• G : Give me your best.

As a struggling students, know that I am:

• S : Special
• T : Tender at heart.
• U : Unpredictable.
• D : Down hearted.
• E : Easily discouraged.
• N : Noncompliant, nonchalant at times.
• T : Termperamental
• S : Sensitive in ways you often may not see.

by Julie A. Ruszala,

Reading Specialist. Greek Neck Middle School,

Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Read more @ http://www.jmu.edu/madison/teacher/advice/TopTen%20ChallStudent.pdf