School Preparation: What To Ask Your Child's Teacher At the Start of the Year

Every year on the first day of school or in the days immediately leading up to classes resuming, you’ll be given the opportunity to meet your child’s new teacher so you can address any questions or concerns you have and get to know her a bit before classes begin. In the hustle and bustle of preparing for a new school year, however, it’s easy to lose track of important questions that you forget to ask when the opportunity arises. These are ten of the questions that you should always ask your child’s new teacher at the beginning of the school year.

• What Skills and Subjects Will Be Covered Under Your Curriculum? – While the state or local school board will determine the bulk of your child’s curriculum for the year, the teacher will still know what’s going to be covered and will be able to give you a running start in preparing for the subjects ahead.
• How Much Time Do You Expect Students to Spend on Homework? – Some teachers take a strict stance on homework, expecting kids to complete a relatively high amount each night. Others are more lenient and progressive, eschewing large assignments in favor of more intensive classroom work. Asking this question at the beginning of the year will allow you to determine which camp your child’s new teacher falls into so that you can prepare accordingly.
• What Standardized Tests Will My Child Be Expected to Take This Year? – Standardized tests are almost always mandated at the state level, and your child’s teacher will have little to no control over them. Still, she is your liaison between you and the school board, and as such is your most valuable source of information regarding testing schedules.
• How Can I Supplement My Child’s Education at Home? – No matter how gifted and enthusiastic your child’s new teacher is, she will still need your help to foster a love of learning and to get your child excited about school. Asking her how you can supplement the lessons she’s teaching will equip you to do just that.
• What Does Your Student Evaluation Process Entail? – How much of your child’s grade will be determined by test results, how much by homework and how much will be dependent on in-class work? Knowing this system will help you put more emphasis on crucial areas.
• What Programs are Available For Students That Are Struggling? – While no parent wants to think about their child struggling to keep up, it is an unfortunate fact for many students. The important thing to know is what programs are available to help get him back on track, as well as what you can do to get him enrolled in them if necessary.
• How Do You Prefer to Communicate With Parents? – Some teachers will communicate with their students’ parents through email or text message, while some send written letters home with students or prefer phone calls. You’ll need to know what the new teacher’s preferences are, as you will have to communicate throughout the school year.
• Do You Have a Teacher’s Wish List? – Many teachers have lists of optional items for the use of the whole class, like hand sanitizer, tissues and extra supplies. These items certainly aren’t compulsory, but they can relieve her of the financial burden of covering supplies the school system won’t.
• What is Your Volunteering Policy? – Some teachers, especially those overseeing younger children, have a very welcoming policy when it comes to parent volunteers. Others are less eager, and you’ll need to know which your new teacher is to ensure that you’re on the right side of that fence.
• Do You Expect Any Field Trips This Year? – Field trips are exciting and educational experiences for kids, but they can be a bit expensive for the parents forced to fund them. Knowing about any planned trips in advance will allow you to start saving money early, so that the trip isn’t a source of financial hardship later.

Remember that this list is only a basic outline, and that you should feel free to ask any specific questions you have. A committed and enthusiastic teacher will not make you feel rushed or foolish for asking questions; after all, you’re a team with a shared goal of ensuring that your child thrives to the best of his ability during the school year.

Source:  Live In Nanny

Sue Scheff: Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) Holds Their National Conference

On June 10th through June 13th the National PTA (Parents and Teachers Association) will have their annual conference.  There will be many workshops, book signings, lectures and learning experiences for all the attendees.  They will bring back to our local areas the vast amount of resources and informational tools to continue to educate and help the children of today and tomorrow.

Forty years ago this month, the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers (NCCPT) and the National Congress of Mothers united to form the National PTA, adapting the same mission they had operated under separately: to improve the education and well being of every child? Today, while many great accomplishments have been made there are still obstacles that we must conquer, both inside and outside of the classroom and across ethnic backgrounds. So at this year’s national convention there will be much to tackle:

• The nation’s K-12 public education system is in crisis.
• Our students lag behind compared to children in other countries in math and science – which is not a plus for their futures in a global economy and job market.
• And our schools also face widespread funding shortages, a childhood obesity epidemic and unbalanced academic standards all across the country.

In this LIVE webcast event from the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, National PTA President Chuck Saylors will be joined by actress, mother and National PTA Advisory Board member Tichina Arnold, National PTA representatives and Ambassadors; Tomeka Hart, Executive director of Memphis Urban League, University of Memphis student representative; as well as Barbara Andrews, director of Education and Interpretation for National Civil Rights Museum. They will be discussing the challenges of educating the 21st century child in today’s classroom, and what needs to be done to close the achievement gap in education.

Want to learn ways in which you can take a more hands on approach in your child’s education? You’re in luck, as during this webcast event you’ll have the opportunity to email your questions and have them potentially answered live during the event. Your readers can sign up to secure spots today by visiting: www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=69462

For more information visit www.pta.org.  Find your local PTA and join today.  

Be a voice, be a part of your community and most of all, be a part of your child's educational future.

Read more.

Sue Scheff: The Lottery Film - Failures of the Public School System

The Lottery documentary will have one screening in Florida.  This follows our public school system and gives you an education of what is wrong and where improvements need to be made.  As they follow four separate students, it is an eye opening experiences.

On June 8th it is Public Education Day and a perfect day to screen this film.

Tuesday, June 8th, at 7:30pm at Muvico Hialeah 14, 780 West 49th St, Hialeah and Muvico Centro Ybor 15, Historic Ybor City, Tampa there will be a screening of The Lottery on Public Education Day.

About The Lottery film:

In a country where 58% of African American 4th graders are functionally illiterate, The Lottery uncovers the failures of the traditional public school system and reveals that hundreds of thousands of parents attempt to flee the system every year. The Lottery follows four of these families from Harlem and the Bronx who have entered their children in a charter school lottery. Out of thousands of hopefuls, only a small minority will win the chance of a better future.

The Lottery uncovers a ferocious debate surrounding the education reform movement. Interviews with politicians and educators explain not only the crisis in public education, but also why it is fixable. A call to action to avert a catastrophe in the education of American children, The Lottery makes the case that any child can succeed.

It is time people take an interest in education today. Children are our future. Education is key to having a bright future. It is time to get involved!

The Lottery follows four children through the highs and lows of a life-changing lottery, where the prize is a spot at one of New York City's best charter schools. Interviews with politicians and educators reveal a ferocious debate surrounding the future of public education.  Watch trailer.

The Lottery can be pre-ordered, click here.

Watch the trailer of The Lottery here.


Related articles:
Florida Charter Schools
Questionable Schools in Florida
School Climate
Parents, Teachers and Schools Unite

Sue Scheff: Social Networking - Should Teachers Befriend Students?

As today's generation is definitely the surf the waves of cyberspace, where do we draw the line? Should teachers befriend their students? Should student befriend their teachers?

With the growth of Facebook while MySpace is still alive more and more people are signing up for social networking. Whether you Twitter or Facebook, chances are you will run into your kids and your kids may run into their teachers - virtually speaking.

As parents should be the monitor for their child's online safety; Should the teacher be part of their off-line - off-campus life?

Although there may be some teachers that are comfortable with befriending their students, many would prefer to keep their private lives just that - private.

Teachers, as well as many others that either own a business or are employed, like to keep their business lives separate. However there are many that prefer the mix. Depending on your personal comfort level, you will know where you fit in. Learning to respect each others space needs to be taught to our children too.

Parents should not encourage their children to befriend a teacher, explain that adults need their personal time and space. We want the child to understand this is not about them personally, it is about allowing people to have their own time and space off work - off-line.

If a teacher has started an online club or organization in respect to a school project, that is completely different, and at that point kids should be encouraged to join into educational conversations and activities.

As always, parents need to remember that their child's safety comes first. Teaching your child Internet Safety starts at home, parents need to take the steps to get in tune technically!

Be an educated parent - you will have safer kids!

Being ONE CLICK AWAY - will it be into a safety room, or a dark hallway?

Also on Examiner.

Sue Scheff: ADHD School Help: Working with the Teacher

Source: ADDitude Magazine

A realistic game plan so parents can set up school help -- special services and ADHD classroom accommodations to help children with ADD and learning disabilities succeed.

by Laura Flynn McCarthy

From extra time on tests or a seat near the blackboard to a full-time aide, children with attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD) are legally entitled to school help, with ADHD accommodations in the classroom. But even though students should receive academic accommodations, there’s no assurance that he or she will actually get them. This is especially true in our time of under-funded schools and overworked teachers.

What does it take to get your child the accommodations he or she needs? “You need to have an understanding of your child’s ADHD, and how it affects him,” says Robert Tudisco, of White Plains, New York, a lawyer who frequently advocates for special-needs children. “And you need to know exactly what you want the school to do to help.”

In addition, says Tudisco (who, like many of his clients, has ADHD), parents must know how to ask for these accommodations — and, when necessary, how to push for them without seeming pushy.

It’s essential to view teachers and school administrators as allies, rather than adversaries — and to mind your manners. If you come across as rude or impatient, says Tudisco, school officials may be slow to provide the accommodations you request — if they grant them at all. In some cases, officials withhold accommodations to “punish” parents they deem “difficult.”

“Administrators and teachers often tell me, ‘You should have heard the way that mother spoke to me,’” says Tudisco. “Or, they’ll say, ‘That father slammed his fist on the desk and walked out of the meeting!’ When getting kids with ADHD the services they need in school, 85 percent of what goes into it is diplomacy, pure and simple.”

Kristin Hill Callejas, a first-grade teacher in Shelley, Idaho, has had her share of run-ins with parents. She recalls one mother’s demands for special help for her son, who had experienced academic difficulties in kindergarten. “She stormed into the classroom, spewing fire from her nostrils and muttering things under her breath,” says Callejas. “Only after she calmed down, and we got to a level of mutual respect and civility, were we able to work together to come up with some effective strategies.”

Starting the conversation

If your child needs only minor accommodations -- a bit more time to complete tests, for example, or a sticker chart as an incentive to behave better in class -- you may be able to line them up simply by speaking with the teacher. Often, the best approach is to contact the school to schedule a meeting just before the school year begins.

During your initial conversation with the teacher, give her your phone number and e-mail address. Let her know that you are always available to talk about your child and the challenges he or she faces. Also, find out how much the teacher knows about ADHD. “It’s perfectly reasonable to ask, ‘Have you worked with students with ADHD before?’” says Callejas. “That can start a discussion about what strategies the teacher has used before and what might work best with your child, and give you a sense of whether the teacher is flexible and open to suggestions.”

No matter how the teacher treats you, treat her with courtesy and respect. Making accusations or being needlessly confrontational is likely to backfire. “Don’t go in with guns blazing, ready to attack,” says Callejas. “When you expect the worst, you set a negative tone from the beginning.”

Sue Scheff: Does Cyber Classes work for all students?

Are cyber classes right for your child? I know each teen is different in their learning abilities, and some do very well with virtual classes. Here is an informational article with parenting tips on Cyber Classes from Connect with Kids.

Source: Connect with Kids

Cyber Classes

“There’s much more personal interaction and intervention, because the learning in very individualized.”

– Wendy Metcalf, Online Campus Administrator

Over one million students were enrolled in online courses last year, that according to the Sloan Consortium, a non-profit research group. Each year, the number of kids studying in the virtual world grows, which creates challenges for them and their parents.

18-year-old Andrew is one of the trailblazers of this new dimension of learning. He’s taking a language arts class on his home computer, for high school credit.

“It’s getting me ahead,’ says Andy. “I plan on graduating in December, first semester.”

This is the future of education. In the last three years, the number of students taking online high school courses has grown by almost 50 percent.

Some, like Andy, want to graduate early. “And then we have the other type of student,” says Online Campus Administrator Wendy Metcalf, “who possibly failed a course, and wants to get back on track for graduation.”

But if students think they’ll breeze through a cyber class, they’re in for a surprise. “It takes a lot of discipline,” says Andy. There is no classroom, no bell at the beginning of class, and that means, “You’ve got to get on the computer, and you’ve got to get your stuff turned in.”

But what if your child’s attention strays? That’s where parents play an important role. “Parental involvement is really important,” says Ms. Metcalf, “because they really act as the adult that’s supervising the learning, because the students are at home.”

So with attentive parents and disciplined children, there are definite advantages to cyber classes. Ms. Metcalf stresses, “There’s much more personal interaction, because the learning is very individualized.”

Andy agrees, “It’s a great opportunity for me. I learn a lot.”

Tips for Parents

In 1999, Congress established the Web-based Education Commission. The 16-member body was charged with exploring and maximizing educational opportunities of the Internet for all students, from pre-K to post-secondary. Their findings structured the foundation that allows public school systems to use federal monies to fund online learning programs.

Websites are no longer static; today’s technology enables an interactive environment when online. Streaming media technology provides real time and in-demand distribution of learning materials. Streaming sites also receive feedback from students, thus creating an optimum learning cycle. Some benefits of online learning include the following:

•Online learning gives cost-effective resources to rural educators and others with limited means.
•Students with special needs often find greater educational advancement through online learning.
•Online courses avoid many scheduling conflicts by providing convenience and flexibility.
Class.com lists schools worldwide that offer online educational opportunities. As a parent, there are many elements to look for when considering your child’s enrollment in an online course. Among the questions you should ask are:

•Does an established, traditional school run the online course?
•Does the teaching staff have sufficient knowledge about the subject?
•How is the teaching staff held accountable for their work?
•What is the student-to-teacher ratio? The Distance Learning Resource Center recommends this ratio be between 25:1 and 8:1.
•Does the course provide student-to-teacher interaction?
•Does the course provide student-to-student interaction?
•Is the class structured with a specific start and end date or is the completion time flexible?
•Does your child have time available each week to devote to this class?
•What portion of the tuition is refunded if the course is dropped?
•How are assignments made? The Distance Learning Resource Center recommends essays and projects over multiple-choice formats.
•Are assignments submitted electronically or by hard copy?
•Is the class taught using textbooks or software?
•Will your child’s current school accept an online course as a substitute for a traditional class?
•Will the college(s) your child plans to attend accept the online class as a legitimate high school course for college admission?

References
•CBS MarketWatch
•Distance Learning Resource Network
•Web-based Education Commission
•Virtual High Schoo