February 4, 2015
Parent/Teacher Conferences: Round 2
It’s that time of year again when many teachers are gearing up for their second round of parent/teacher conferences. I remember it being a bit of a stressful time because there were mid-year assessments that need to be completed, report cards gearing up to be sent out at the end of the quarter, and scheduling and preparing for these conferences.
Here are some tips (and even a download) to help you get prepared for these meetings!
1. Be organized. Organization is key to having a successful and meaningful discussion with parents about their child. Have a way to keep track of your scheduling of conferences, stay connected with parents by sending reminder slips, and of course have documentation ready.
Tip: After your conference always send a ‘thank you’ email. Parents love the connection and the thoughtfulness that goes into taking that moment to thank them for their time in meeting with you about their child.
2. Keep it short and sweet. Discussion about their child’s academics and behavior can quickly become diluted with everyday conversation or be directed elsewhere. Be respectful of your time and the time of the parents coming to school by keeping the conversation on point. I like to keep my conferences between 15-20 minutes each.
3. Have other specialists sit in on your conference. If you’re dealing with a difficult parent or are meeting to discuss a child that meets with other teachers throughout their day, suggest to have them sit in on the meeting. This way communication is open between the school and parents and everyone is clued in to what is being talked about.
Tip: I’ve had my assistant principal sit in on a meeting before with two divorced parents that tended to not get along so well with each other. This helped keep the discussion moving and gave me peace of mind that I wasn’t going to get stuck in an awkward situation.
Here’s a download that has helped me in the past in getting organized and prepared to meet with parents. I hope you find it just as helpful!
Keep organized by having all of your child’s info right there in one place. Being prepared with scores and notes about behaviors or benchmarks is super helpful when relaying that info to parents. This download includes forms for 1-4 quarters **and now trimesters!
This is super helpful in keeping track of all of those conferences! Mark the date, to whom you met with, and the nature of the meeting. This keeps a nice paper trail of when you met and can be used with your administration.
My favorite way to keep in touch with parents are these reminder forms. Send these home a week out from beginning conferences and your sure to stay organized and keep parents on track.
Enter my giveaway to receive this amazing resource for free below!
January 9, 2015
Five for Friday {Jan 9th}
This marks the first week since I’ve returned to school and by Tuesday I was already exhausted, haha! Here’s my five randoms from this week!
#1: Revamped my Ancient China resource packet!
I was so happy to get this done! Last year I had made this student workbook and my kids loved it! Not to mention it was a snap to get prepared and the best part is that it cuts down on papers lost and becomes a nice review packet once completed. Be sure to read my post (here) that gives you a little more detail about this download :)
#2: Trivia is back for 2015!
One of our favorite date nights is the weekly trivia hosted at a local brewery down the street from our house. We’ve been going since we moved in September and this past Wednesday we got 3rd place! We earned the pint glasses you see here...but this is the third time we’ve won the glasses so at this point we just give them away to our friends :)
#3: My Pinterest WIN
I was so happy to have completed this project and very satisfied with the results. For years I’d wanted to paint this in my living room and I got it done!
#4 Missing 'Snow Days’
As we get back into the swing of things at school here on the west coast, I can’t help but be jealous of all my friends who got snow days and delays due to the cold back in VA. Oh the days of snow are gone for me but as much as I love having those days off I can’t help but love the 75 degree weather and sunshine here in CA. It’s also weird for me to say that and know it’s January.
#stilladapting #whereswinter #howdoyouteachsnowtokidsinca
#5 New Years Craftivity & Think Sheet BUNDLE!
Another download I was excited about finishing was my NYE Craftivity packet! See my post here to check it out and see how you can get your kids back into writing with this fun craft. It’s also fun to talk about resolutions and how we can set goals for ourselves.
And the other download I was able to blog about was my Think Sheet Bundle pack! See my original post here and get yourself a copy that now includes think sheets for grades K-6!
Also...
I will be having a storewide sale on my entire TpT store this weekend!
Kick off 2015 with 20% off each of my products!
Be sure to visit my shop here!
Happy Friday everyone and I hope you have a great weekend!
January 4, 2015
Slim Down Saturdays {2015 edition}
One of my favorite linkups from last year was Gina’s Slim Down Saturdays from Teaching With a Touch of Pixie Dust. This time last year I was beginning my journey through Weight Watchers and training for a half-marathon all in preparations for my wedding that summer. See my original posts here. 2015 is a bit different seeing as though I have no major life event to prepare for, however, overall health and fitness is my goal.
So here’s my first checkin for Slim Down Saturdays!
Ultimate goal: Although I don’t have a specific weight loss goal in terms of pounds, I do have a goal of getting down to a size 10 in jeans. With my athletic and curvy body type I know I’ll never get below a double digit so a reasonable goal for me is a size 10 and I’ll be proud of that.
Gain/loss this week: I have none to speak of this week because I’m just starting ;)
Total since starting: N/A
Positives from the week: One of the biggest struggles I have in regards to sticking with a diet or fitness plan is the food/drink choices when we eat out or socialize with friends. It’s the true test! So, one of my positives from this week (and if you count my entire holiday break) I’ve been good about making healthy food choices. For example, this morning we went to Cajun Kitchen Cafe and instead of going with the full on breakfast platter I opted for my veggie egg-white omelet with a side of fruit. Look at me ;)
Something to do better: A goal I have for myself going into this next week is cutting back on sugars. From coffee to sweet treats I’d like to cut back and intake more water. The holidays have been fun with all the cookies but it’s time to get back into the groove of healthy eating and treating myself every once in a while.
Goal for next week: Gym. Gym. Gym...that’s the goal as I head back to work. I tell myself 3x a week to give me some wiggle room because I know after a long day the last thing I want to do is go run or lift weights. I just need to get back into my routine.
One word, song, or quote: This quote came from my husband this morning when we woke up and gave me a hug. He always calls me beautiful and that’s one of the best qualities about him. But, when he acknowledged the work I’ve been putting into the gym lately by muttering those simple words...it made my day and has given me the motivation I needed to keep up the good work :)
Be sure to link up too and share your 2015 health goals!! I love reading about everyones progress and it’s become a fun little community to share our ups and downs. Thanks Gina for hosting this wonderful linkup again! See you next week!
December 18, 2014
Christmas Questionnaire 2014
Linking up with Fabulous in First for her annual linky!
In a normal holiday season the husband is very adamant about not decorating for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. However, if it were up to me, decorations would be going up in early November. This year, though, I got lucky and was able to decorate because we were going out of town and celebrating Thanksgiving with friends. I explained that, “wouldn’t it be nice to return home and it already feels like Christmas?” *wink*
Elf or no Elf?
Elf on the Shelf seems creepy to me (am I the only one?!) and since we don’t have kids yet we don’t put up the Elf. However, I do look forward to one day taking the time to come up with different mischievous things for him to do. The kids seem to really enjoy this tradition.
Christmas cookies or no baking for you?
Of COURSE Christmas cookies! It’s one of our favorite traditions and usually we go to TX and do cookies with his mom and sister. But, now that we’re staying home we are doing as much holiday stuff together as possible.
Favorite holiday tradition?
We are beginning to develop our own traditions now that we’re newlyweds. See my post here with all my holiday date nights/ traditions. A couple in particular that were really fun was decorating a gingerbread house and going ice skating :)
Favorite Christmas movie?
If it were up to my husband the answer would be Jingle All the Way...but mine is A Christmas Vacation. It’s not Christmas without the Griswolds. Also Home Alone is a definite go-to!
Snow or no snow?
I’ve never had the chance to see snow on or around Christmas but I love the snow. Of course, not so much being in it but I love the ambiance it gives. Just makes you want to cozy up and relax by the tree.
Favorite Christmas song?
Anything Michael Buble! I love his Christmas album and his deep voice...so Sinatra....can never get enough.
Favorite gifts to give and get?
I will always be a fan of gift cards, even if they seem impersonal. It gives me the chance to really get what I want versus the hassle of trying to return or exchange things on the chance I wanted something different. Plus there’s super cute ways to gift, gift cards to others via Pinterest, so there’s a little more thought in it than you’d expect.
A few gift cards I’d love to give and get are:
Stitch Fix
Birchbox
Teachers Pay Teachers
Etsy
VISA gift cards
October 23, 2014
Creating Your Own Teaching Portfolio
Hello! I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve been able to actually write a post and share something! I’ve officially (almost) finished my first week in preschool and wow, what a game changer it’s been....but a pleasant one!! Three year olds are a different breed than my seven year old second graders but it’s a fun new experience!
Tonight I wanted to quickly share with you all about something that I feel doesn’t get too much attention but is extremely helpful when you find yourself in my position: needing to find your next teaching job! What do you do and what do you need in order to be prepared? How can you stand out? These are a few questions that I’ve asked myself when transitioning from one school to another and I’ve found that keeping a Teaching Portfolio is a fantastic way to showcase your talents and expertise in one convenient binder.
#1
A Table of Contents is a necessary tool to have in your binder because lets say you’re waiting in the office to be called back for your interview and you give your portfolio to the principal. During this time it can be assumed that they have a moment to look through ALL the wonderful info and documents about you. The best thing is to be super organized so they can find the info they’re looking for quickly because we all know interviews are scheduled and typically last between 15-20 minutes.
#2
This component is important because it summarizes your purpose as an educator. What experiences brought you to teach and what values and beliefs shape your approach to instruction? This is a good place to reflect on your practice and share those experiences and how they’ve shaped you as a teacher today.
#3
Your resume. The most important pieces of paper that somehow has to tell your future employer ALL about you. I mean, I always have difficulty writing my resume only because the longer you teach the more you put into it! However, with that said its good practice to keep your resume up-to-date with the most recent experience, duties performed, start/finish dates, etc. about every employer or position you hold. There’s a lot of different formats to use when writing a resume so take your pick and use something simple and to the point.
One tip: include your volunteerism both in and out of school. This shows your commitment to your school and community!
#4
These are important and every employer is going to ask for them. Have them on hand and not only do you appear professional, you appear prepared! A number of times I’ve been complimented on my portfolio having references included so they can quickly read over their letters. Other times principals will ask for emails or phone numbers. Have those ready in your phone in case they ask. Also, it’s important to promptly respond with that contact information for references. Again, it’s professional but it also kickstarts your process of getting hired ;)
When it comes to references employers also like having a couple of personal references too. This lets them figure you out on a personal level and see if you would be a match to any grade level team. I always include references that could be personal AND professional (those work relationships pay off in more than one way!).
#5
How do you control the chaos?! Every classroom is different and therefore every classroom needs different and differentiated classroom rules and discipline plans. At the beginning of each year I usually give a copy to my parents in their welcome folder so they become familiar with how I run my classroom and how their participation is key to reinforcing the behavior. At the end of the day, a well behaved class gets to spend more time learning!
It’s a good idea to include your discipline plan in your portfolio because another famous question you’ll be sure to be asked would be about how you would handle a particular behavior situation or to state what classroom management tools you use or would use in your classroom. Be sure to include how you would reward students who are on track and use their example for those little guys who can’t seem to get it.
#6
This is seriously the biggest and most often asked question at an interview:
How do you use/would you use technology in the classroom?
Most school districts are beginning to get on board with using iPads another devices in the classroom. I remember just a few years ago having to pitch this idea to my principal and him not seeing it as an effective use of school money. Nowadays most classrooms are equipped with at least one iPad, which is awesome to see.
Anyways, technology is only going to continue to keep advancing and it’s up to teachers to find cool new ways to implement technology into their curriculum. Pinterest alone has a billion cool and interesting ways to use technology!
#7
And this should be a no-brainer but including a couple sample lesson plans is a huge plus to any teaching portfolio. It demonstrates everything you just wrote about and included in your portfolio BUT actually shows it in action! Remember to attach any standards or objectives and PICTURES! I can’t say enough how much principals love, love, love to look at all the pictures of your kids engaged in their learning. It really backs you up!
Walking into an interview can be frazzling especially once the questions start firing, but when you come prepared with your portfolio you’ll not only be ready to share, you’ll have a visual that backs up everything you say :) I’ve done interviews without a portfolio and there’s a huge difference in terms of their impression you.
These are just the items I have included in mine and I hope you find this helpful. Be sure to post a comment about what you include in yours if it differs from mine! There’s a lot of different things you can put in your portfolio and I’d love to hear about yours!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Hey there!
