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Thursday, October 28, 2010
N/Warren Town and County News
Page Nine
NMS Seventh Graders Make a Difference
Wednesday, Oct. 20, the seventh grade students from Norwalk Middle School
participated in Make a Difference Day. The seventh graders were able to rake 16
yards in Norwalk. The students discussed in class the importance of helping out
others and making a difference. The seventh grade team would like to thank Ken
Foster, Brad Criswell and Eric Hoffman for picking up leaves. They would also
like to thank Tim Hoskins for allowing us to haul leaves to the Public Works
Facility. The day was a success. Pictured are Lizzie Roush and Kennedy Ellis. Photo
submitted.
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• r
OVIATT ELEMENTARY
By Dr. Laura Sivadge
Preschool-K Principal
and Rodney Martinez
lst-2nd Principal
Making the Most of Parent-Teacher Conferences
By Jackie Glassman, M.S. Ed.
Free-lance Education Writer and Former Teacher
I'll never forget those anxious, nail-biting moments when Mom and Dad took off
for parent-teacher conferences. Don't get me wrong...I was a good student, but I
worried anyway. Would I get in trouble for passing notes in history class or forget-
ting my math homework?
Years later, as I prepare for my own child's first parent-teacher conference, I real-
ize it's much more nerve-wracking to be the parent than the kid. What if my child
isn't doing as well as I hoped? What if he's not making friends in class? Will the
teacher think I'm a bad parent? If this sounds like you, relax!
According to Francine Ballan, principal of Greenacres School in Scarsdale, New
York, the purpose of these conferences is for the teacher to meet with you on a regu-
lar basis to discuss how you can help your child do his or her very best in school. The
teacher is not there to put you on the spot, but rather to make your child's school
experience a positive one.
Just as the teacher must prepare for the Conference, so should you. Here are some
ideas for how you can get the most out of your parent-teacher conferences this year.
1. Talk to your child before the conference. Ask your child what she would like
you to discuss at the meeting. One strategy is to say, "I'm going to be meeting with
your teacher; what will she tell me?" Your child's response will give you ideas for
what to discuss with the teacher. If your child responds, for example, that the teacher
will say she is terrible in math, or that she talks all day long, then you should address
these issues in the meeting.
2. Ask questions. Come to the conference with a list of questions regarding your
child's academic and social issues, as well as questions about the teacher's philoso-
phy. Some good questions to ask may include:
What are my child's strongest and weakest subjects?
What can I do from home to extend my child's learning at home?
Is my child working up to his or her ability? If not, what can we do to change that?
How well does my child get along with classmates?
How do you evaluate my child?
How can you challenge my student if he is excelling? How can you support my
child if he is falling behind?
What is your homework policy?
3. Share information about your child. Teachers need your help as they educate
your children. And no one knows your child better than you. Bring to the conference
sample work that you'd like to discuss, or if it's an early-in-the-year conference, bring
work from last school year. The more you share about your child-both her strengths
and weaknesses-the better the teacher will successfully meet her needs.
4. Raise issues of concern. Plan ahead of time how you will raise issues of con-
cem. When expressing concerns be tactful, but not so much that you don't communi-
cate the problem clearly. Listen to what the teacher has to say in response to the
problem. Then work together to find a solution.
5. Take notes. Take notes during the conference so that you remember everything
the teacher says. After the meeting, review your notes. If something is unclear, sched-
ule a follow-up meeting with the teacher to clarify.
6. Make the most of your time. Conferences are usually scheduled for a half-
hour. Make the most of your meeting by arriving on time. Try not to bring babies or
young children to the meeting as they can cause distractions.
So, how much of the conference should you share with your child? Francine Ballan
recommends only telling what is helpful, focusing as much as possible on the posi-
tive aspects. It's essential that your child understand that you and the teacher are
there to support him and to make his school experience the best it can be.
Oviatt's Conference dates are as follows. If you need to check your time call the
office, 981-1005.
Nov. 9-Parent Teacher Conferences 5-8 p.m.; Nov. 10-No School-Parent Teacher
Conferences 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Nov. ll-No School-Parent Teacher Conferences 10 a.m.-
8 p.m.; Nov. 12-No School. -,
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