Week Eight: Role of the Parent

Parents play a very important role in the education of their children. Parents are responsible for monitoring their child’s academic progress, working to maintain open communication with their child’s teacher and school administration. This will help the parent discover any academic or behavioral issues in a timely manner. Parents can use this information to decide on strategies for effective study habits at home. To encourage students to utilize the study habits they have developed, parents are responsible for creating a safe learning environment at home. Students are more likely to engage in healthy study habits and behaviors when parents in the home model them. Finally, parents are responsible for being aware of the materials that students’ reference during their study time, and encouraging students to build good academic and social behaviors at home and at school. The use of electronics in education has increased the role of the parent within the academic experience of adolescent students. To keep their child safe from harm and engaged in a positive learning environment, parents must take an active role in learning about what students are referencing on the computers at school as well as those at home.

I can enlist the help of the parents of my students by sending home frequent materials discussing student progress, happenings in the classroom, and upcoming activities that parents should know about. The simple act of showing parents that I care enough to make that kind of effort will hopefully encourage them to take an interest in their child’s education as well. It will also let parents know that I am open to communicate with them should the need or desire arise.

Week Six: Successful Lesson Plans and Student Creativity

I gauge the success of a lesson in a number of ways. Some of them happen during the lesson and other indicators are observed through analysis and assessment scores following the lesson. I begin by making observations of student reaction during the lesson. If students are attentive and engaged, I make a mental note that the lesson is progressing well. Student feedback and reaction during the lesson are crucial indicators of the progress of a lesson. I continue to observe student conversation during small group interaction, listening for evidence of comprehension of the instructional material. After the lesson, I reflect on the instructional time and analyze the various assessment tools completed by the students. There is typically a homework or classwork assignment associated with each lesson. I use the students’ assessment results on these assignments to gauge how successfully the students achieved the learning goals of the lesson. Depending on where the lesson falls in a unit, it might be followed with a quiz or an exit ticket. The accuracy rate of student responses indicates how much of the lesson content the students understood and what parts of the lesson need to be reviewed.

The assignments I offer students allow them to show their individuality and creativity as long as the objectives of the assignment are met. I taught United States History during the summer last year. My term project included choices for a number of different final products. Students were allowed to write short stories, term papers, illustrated timelines, and online blog postings. The students turned in products that were as varied as they were. I gave the students a list of guidelines for the assignment that ensured an equitable amount of work and assessment value for each product. I did this because throughout instruction, it became apparent that my students learned in different ways. In my current class, I have assigned projects that allow students to work in groups to create a comprehensive product that reflects the individual talents of each student. This gives students an opportunity to work together and exhibit their achievement of the learning goals in a way that is tailored to their personal strengths and creativity.