Guest guest Posted October 2, 2004 Report Share Posted October 2, 2004 WOW! The total opposite in our school. It is almost total peer pressure, you have to attend. It goes by grade level, with staggered times for each grade. All the same grade classes start off by meeting in the cafeteria, where the teachers for that grade do a Powerpoint presentation of what the curriculum will be for that year. That lasts about 15 minutes, and then you break up and go to your child's classroom. The teachers provide incentives to come -- first, the first time you can sign up for the December parent- teacher conferences is at the back-to-school night; second, the signups for volunteering in the classroom are also on back-to-school night; and third, they leave a letter from your child to you on their desk. All the parents sit at their child's desk, and then go in a type of " stroll " around the classroom looking at the various things the kids have written and put up on the walls. Then you sit back down and write a letter BACK to your child, that they receive that Friday after. Do you think any of these ideas would increase your parent attendance??? Or is it hopeless.... > Debby, > > If it makes you feel any better, we had Back to School Night last > night and I only had two moms stop by my room. By 8pm I was on my > computer, checking email and sending out messages to ne > because I was so bored. I was even checking out QVC!!! Finally the > principal came in at 8:35 and said, " Jodi, GO HOME!!! " I was so > surprised that I did not believe her. She was serious, though, and > I was home by 9. I did not have the heart to tell the kids that > their parents did not come (I did not know if some parents had > visited siblings and not stopped by my room - I know that is the > case for one child), so I put a new pumpkin pencil on each one's > desk this morning and told them that someone nice had left them a > surprise. Then, being the ever pushing teacher that I am, I made > them write in their journals with their new pencils. Poor kids did > not even have a chance to enjoy them yet! > > Jodi Z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 2, 2004 Report Share Posted October 2, 2004 hey jennifer s. thats how it is at my kids school. christophers night was sept 8th and nicholas' was on sept 22nd. and like you said thats when you sign up for everything and they leave you a note. nicholas' class also made " themselves " they had to bring in a favorite t-shirt and made themselves using a hanger and a paper plate for the face and their t-shirt was over the hanger. they then put these in their seats for us to find and take home with us. jodie c. > > Debby, > > > > If it makes you feel any better, we had Back to School Night last > > night and I only had two moms stop by my room. By 8pm I was on my > > computer, checking email and sending out messages to ne > > because I was so bored. I was even checking out QVC!!! Finally > the > > principal came in at 8:35 and said, " Jodi, GO HOME!!! " I was so > > surprised that I did not believe her. She was serious, though, > and > > I was home by 9. I did not have the heart to tell the kids that > > their parents did not come (I did not know if some parents had > > visited siblings and not stopped by my room - I know that is the > > case for one child), so I put a new pumpkin pencil on each one's > > desk this morning and told them that someone nice had left them a > > surprise. Then, being the ever pushing teacher that I am, I made > > them write in their journals with their new pencils. Poor kids > did > > not even have a chance to enjoy them yet! > > > > Jodi Z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 2, 2004 Report Share Posted October 2, 2004 Jenn, I had my kids write a letter to their parents in their journals for Back to School. But I knew that their parents would not come, so I did not make a big deal. Most don't attend conferences, either. I had one mom who would like to volunteer, but she calls her attorney at the drop of a hat if she thinks her son is not getting what is " rightfully his, " so I will only let her come in for a special project. (I'm not dumb enough to think that she really wants to HELP. She just wants more fuel to add to her fire.) So, instead of setting the kids up to be disappointed, I just distracted them with a new pencil, which, by the way, they loved so much that most have sharpened them down to the eraser already. It's kinda sad where I teach. We have some parents who really want to be involved, but most are just making things from day to day. I've met some of the sweetest kids, though. I always have to keep food in the classroom because I don't know who had breakfast or not and I don't know who did not even have dinner the night before. BUT that is not for the whole school. There are sad cases all over, but in special ed, we tend to find a higher percentage. I do have one little girl, however, who has everything she could ever want and it shows. She is well-dressed, polite and clean. I wish I could dress and care for all of them. Jodi Z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 2, 2004 Report Share Posted October 2, 2004 Hey You can bet I'll tell administration about your ideas. One question, we have a lot of single parents and/or double shift parents........what happens to the kid who's parent just can't come (ie. at work) and that kid is the only one without a letter back from mom/dad the next day? How do the teachers handle that? If I could figure out what to do for those kids, it's an excellent idea. Might bring out a few more. To beg off my parents though, the *big* presentations were going on in the regular classroom (I think a number of parents just couldn't make it down to special ed.) thanks for the suggestions Debby PS telling parents they can sign up for trips, in OUR neighbourhood would guarantee the parents don't show! No one wants to go on trips LOL (me included!!!!!!!!) Re: Back to School Night > > > WOW! The total opposite in our school. It is almost total peer > pressure, you have to attend. It goes by grade level, with > staggered times for each grade. All the same grade classes start > off by meeting in the cafeteria, where the teachers for that grade > do a Powerpoint presentation of what the curriculum will be for that > year. That lasts about 15 minutes, and then you break up and go to > your child's classroom. The teachers provide incentives to come -- > first, the first time you can sign up for the December parent- > teacher conferences is at the back-to-school night; second, the > signups for volunteering in the classroom are also on back-to-school > night; and third, they leave a letter from your child to you on > their desk. All the parents sit at their child's desk, and then go > in a type of " stroll " around the classroom looking at the various > things the kids have written and put up on the walls. Then you sit > back down and write a letter BACK to your child, that they receive > that Friday after. > > Do you think any of these ideas would increase your parent > attendance??? Or is it hopeless.... > > > > > > > Debby, > > > > If it makes you feel any better, we had Back to School Night last > > night and I only had two moms stop by my room. By 8pm I was on my > > computer, checking email and sending out messages to ne > > because I was so bored. I was even checking out QVC!!! Finally > the > > principal came in at 8:35 and said, " Jodi, GO HOME!!! " I was so > > surprised that I did not believe her. She was serious, though, > and > > I was home by 9. I did not have the heart to tell the kids that > > their parents did not come (I did not know if some parents had > > visited siblings and not stopped by my room - I know that is the > > case for one child), so I put a new pumpkin pencil on each one's > > desk this morning and told them that someone nice had left them a > > surprise. Then, being the ever pushing teacher that I am, I made > > them write in their journals with their new pencils. Poor kids > did > > not even have a chance to enjoy them yet! > > > > Jodi Z. > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 3, 2004 Report Share Posted October 3, 2004 I do know of one little boy who is an out-of-district child -- his mom works nights and lives far away, and can never come to the events. The teacher knows ahead of time and each year (2 years that has had him in her class) the teacher has gotten a letter from her ahead of time (sent the form home with the child in an envelope marked for Mom). Jenn > > > Debby, > > > > > > If it makes you feel any better, we had Back to School Night last > > > night and I only had two moms stop by my room. By 8pm I was on my > > > computer, checking email and sending out messages to ne > > > because I was so bored. I was even checking out QVC!!! Finally > > the > > > principal came in at 8:35 and said, " Jodi, GO HOME!!! " I was so > > > surprised that I did not believe her. She was serious, though, > > and > > > I was home by 9. I did not have the heart to tell the kids that > > > their parents did not come (I did not know if some parents had > > > visited siblings and not stopped by my room - I know that is the > > > case for one child), so I put a new pumpkin pencil on each one's > > > desk this morning and told them that someone nice had left them a > > > surprise. Then, being the ever pushing teacher that I am, I made > > > them write in their journals with their new pencils. Poor kids > > did > > > not even have a chance to enjoy them yet! > > > > > > Jodi Z. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 3, 2004 Report Share Posted October 3, 2004 Great idea about sending the letter out in advance, Jenn. Unfortunately, some of my parents not only DON'T read the mail we send home, some can't read, either. Sigh. I just keep working on it and hoping for the best. The other classes, non special ed, have no problem with parents turning out. Jodi Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 3, 2004 Report Share Posted October 3, 2004 Jodi and Same here. The parents don't have time to read, the letter(s) get lost or don't make it home, or they are not able to read English. A big sigh here too. No wonder our precious ones have such problems. Thanks for the ideas though, I will still pass them along. Some teachers might like the idea. Debby Re: Back to School Night > > > Great idea about sending the letter out in advance, Jenn. > Unfortunately, some of my parents not only DON'T read the mail we > send home, some can't read, either. Sigh. I just keep working on > it and hoping for the best. The other classes, non special ed, have > no problem with parents turning out. > > Jodi Z > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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