I love parents. We really have a lot of wonderful, dedicated, supportive parents at my school. And the reason I wanted to do this job in the first place was to get to know communities (like in Peace Corps), so the parent nights are fun for me (though exhausting). From 3-7pm on Wed and Thurs we saw parents in 8min increments. We gave them report cards and academic and behavioral updates on students. Most parents are really dedicated and concerned. And 75 out of 90 parents came - a high percentage.
I wonder the difference with family involvement for charter schools. Charter schools try to reach out to any and all children regardless of parent support, but a child does need to have some person in their lives who is willing to put their name in the lottery. I think this does lead to more involved families. I have heard other teacher friends say parents do not show up to parent nights. We are in touch with parents ALL the time - phone calls constantly for every mishap with students and some positive calls too :) A parent once said at a forum "they call me every time my son talks in the stairwell!"
And we are available for parents and students to call us until 10pm every night - lots of phone time with families.
But the nicest part of tonight was hearing MANY parents say that their kids LOVE 5th grade math now when they didn't before. The say they are always singing their multiplication chant at home and they are understanding things for the first time. I HOPE SO.
And one parent gave me a special thank you. She said her daughter wrote about me in her journal at home after the trip to Camp Ramapo. She had been scared in the middle of the night and came with a flashlight to wake me up. I took her back to bed and sat with her a long time and let her keep her flashlight on by her bed when she slept. Apparently this really meant a lot to her and she felt so comfortable and grateful coming home to write about it and tell her mom.
I must hold on to nice words like that.
One creative project I give to students over Thanksgiving break is an assignment to make Geometry Mobiles. The students are so creative - they come up with so many colorful designs using shapes and hangers.
It's so much fun to have them all march in after vacation with their creations.
And I hang them from the light fixtures above the math room.
Creativity, color, and decoration for the room. Would love to do more of this throughout the year!
