Eric LanghorstLiberty Public Schools

IMPROVING PARENT COMMUNICATION

Eric Langhorstspeakingofhistory@gmail.com

Adjunct Graduate Faculty Member

Doctoral StudentTeacher Leadership

8th Grade American History Teacher

Copy of presentation and links available online

www.speakingofhistory.comNovember 12, 2010

Please write some of your successes with parent communication on the index card

The smartest person in the room is THE ROOM

What do you want to communicate to parents?

What do you want to communicate to parents?

•Grade updates

What do you want to communicate to parents?

•Grade updates•Homework Assignments

What do you want to communicate to parents?

•Grade updates•Homework Assignments•Lesson plans

What do you want to communicate to parents?

•Grade updates•Homework Assignments•Lesson plans•Extra Stuff

What do you want to communicate to parents?

•Grade updates•Homework Assignments•Lesson plans•Extra Stuff

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

•List of what is happening each day that week in class

•Homework assignment for each day

Week 13 Schedule - November 8 - 12, 2010Monday - November 8, 2010 - Raven Day- hand out Article of the Week #12 - Concussions in Youth Sports- Notes - Factors which Led to American Victoryvideo "America Story of Us - Revolution“- HOMEWORK - work on Article of the Week #12 for Friday, study the 8 factors which led to an American victory for an essential question test on Wednesday/Thursday

Tuesday - November 9, 2010 - Raven Day- Review for Essential Question #3 "Explain Factors Which Led to American Victory in Revolutionary War"- Notes "Yorktown and the Legacy of the War"- HOMEWORK - work on Article of the Week #12 for Friday, study the 8 factors which led to an American victory for an essential question test on Wednesday/Thursday

Wednesday - November 10, 2010 - Blue Day / Thursday - November 11, 2010 - Silver Day- take Essential Question #3 "Explain Factors Which Led to American Victory in Revolutionary War"- Notes "The Articles of Confederation"- Watch part 1 of video "Shays' Rebellion"- HOMEWORK - work on Article of the Week #12 for Friday

Friday - November 12, 2010 - Raven Day- hand in Article of the Week #12 - Concussions in Youth Sports- Watch part 2 of video "Shays' Rebellion"- HOMEWORK - none

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

•Written on dry erase board in front of my classroom

•Typed and added to my online classroom (BlackBoard)

WEEKLY SCHEDULE•Copy and pasted into an email which is sent to:

WEEKLY SCHEDULE•Copy and pasted into an email which is sent to:

•Parents

WEEKLY SCHEDULE•Copy and pasted into an email which is sent to:

•Parents

•Principal, aides, other teachers

WEEKLY SCHEDULE•Copy and pasted into an email which is sent to:

•Parents

•Principal, aides, other teachers

•Students

WEEKLY SCHEDULE•Copy and pasted into an email which is sent to:

•Parents

•Principal, aides, other teachers

•Students

Each week this takes about 20 minutes on Sunday night / Monday morning

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

•CONSISTENT

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

•CONSISTENT

•CONCISE

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

•CONSISTENT

•CONCISE

•CLEAR

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

•CONSISTENT

•CONCISE

•CLEAR

Send parents study guides, copies of notes, assignments

For the most part, parents want to be able to help their student

Need to know what is happening in class to help

Let parents know about fun things as well

Let parents know about fun things as well

- Historical walks

Let parents know about fun things as well

- Historical walks

- Events

Let parents know about fun things as well

- Historical walks

- Events

- TV Shows

Let parents know about fun things as well

- Historical walks

- Events

- TV Shows

Goal is to have our class discussed at the dinner table

Different approaches based on grade and content but still same goal

November 9, 2010Breakfast- Waffles or cereal (they picked) and apples Bus stop- Beautiful! Free play Circle Time- Read/sang "There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves", looked at the different leaves we've collected and put them in order of size.  We looked at the different textures of the edges and the various colors.  We read another Chester Raccoon book about Chester moving b/c his tree was being cut down.  Read "Apple Trouble".  Talked about how apples are fall fruit and looked at our apple bite cards and put them in order (whole, one bite, two bite, core).  Sang "Apple Picking", "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". Free Play Snack- Whole grain crackers and pears Went for a walk on the trail and crunched leaves at the resting spot at the end :) Played outside at home for about 10 min. Art- We made another kissing hand :) Jungle Junction Lunch- Black bean burgers, quesadillas and corn Outside- About 25 minutes. Read "Tinker Bell"/Naptime

GET THE E-MAIL!

GET THE E-MAIL!

•District

GET THE E-MAIL!

•District

•Student

GET THE E-MAIL!

•District

•Student

•Parent Directly

GET THE E-MAIL!

•District

•Student

•Parent Directly

Can use Google Forms to collect online

Suggest some type of presence on the web – blog or site

Use both a push and pull approach to getting information to parents

Can be same content, just different forms

Many possible connections with parents are not tech related

INCLUDE PARENTS

Have parents included, not helping, on assignments

Ask your parents if they have a skill or talent they would like to share with the class

Sending home hand written notes via snail mail

Your ideas for parent communication

Eric LanghorstLiberty Public Schools

IMPROVING PARENT COMMUNICATION