Parent-Teacher Conferences

Tomorrow is the first day of parent teacher conferences.

These make me a little crazy - ok a lot crazy. I want to make the right impression with my parents. i want to say the right things and make the right connections. But - do I? That's always the hard part.

Parents want to know what is going on in the classroom - and I want to tell them. We are working together and their children are always better for that. But - sometimes the things they want to know are not the things I know the most about. I spend time answering questions about their friendships or their recess activities. Not their math scores or the best books for them to be reading.

that always make me wonder - yet I'm a parent too...I want to know if my daughters have friends and if they get along with others. But is that the most important part of the teacher and parent contact? A very wise principal once told me that the most important thing a parent wants to know from their child's teacher is if the teacher likes their child.

So, what is my job really?

NCLB has tried very hard to make me believe that my job is to force feed facts and testing techniques down the throats of children. The only way to test the success of this method is to test and then test and then test again. All that does is make me a robot. My job has been transformed into a generic job that absolutely anyone could do. No longer can I create and dream and take my students to unknown places. Instead I must stay within the confines of the textbook.

That makes for cranky teachers and students. Especially when the test scores don't rise to the occasion.

Again, I ask - what really is my job?

I want to share my joy of reading and learning with students in whatever way I can. That is why I use technology in any way I possibly can. It makes me excited to try new and different tech ideas and I get to pass that on. I know the kids catch that excitement!!

And that brings me back to Parent teacher conferences. tomorrow night I make my first official contact. I hope to let these parents know that their children are in good hands - that I do care about them and that I am doing all I can to help them learn. That I can share my excitement with them!!