How will you encourage parents to support their children's education? "The way that I
encourage parents to support their children's education is by at the beginning of the school year
I call home. I want parents to know who I am and have a positive conversation with them. I also
try to send home newsletters to help them know what is going on in the class with ideas for
stuff to do at home. I have to give homework, so I give out projects for the students to complete
with their families."
What do you do when the parent does not want to support their children's education? "I try
everything I can to help the parent support their children's education at home. If they are still
unwilling to, I direct them to our school activities and functions. It is hard to see a parent
unwilling to support their children's education, but it does happen, so after I try everything in
my power, I send it over to the principal and let them know the situation. Something hearing
information from the principal can push parents to be more supportive. If nothing works, then I
would focus on that student and give them pointers or information so they can do everything
they need to at home."
How does the school help to collaborate with parents? "Before COVID, when people were
allowed in the building, we would have people come volunteer to read to the students. My
school works hard to get parents involved in their student's education. The school hosts
different events such as family health night, open house, family game night. Before COVID, we
would have the students perform before a PTA meeting to more parents come to the meetings."
How can interacting with your colleagues help you to become a better teacher? "An expert
teacher is knowledgeable about the grade. These types of teachers know all the skills the
students have to complete to finish the grade. In Texas, these are called the TEKS, the list of
everything a student needs to know when they graduate from that grade year. An expert
teacher knows which students need help to finish the grade. There is a TEKS for every subject;
this is a list of everything the students need to do in each subject by the end of the year. Expert
teachers also have more experience with discipline and how to handle certain situations. Novice
teachers can learn more when they seek out knowledge in their field and by asking questions.
They can learn what an expert teacher does in situations or how to teach the children better the
subject."
Do you ever have a colleague help you write lesson plans? "Sometimes teachers will get
together and brainstorm ideas for a lesson plan they are writing. Other times teacher will drop
off lesson plans or work pages for the students that have already been used in past years. This is
very helpful during the end of the school year when we are finishing up and finding something
new to teach is harder. I had a teacher drop off harder math work pages for the students for
extra practice. While meeting with a colleague can help write lesson plans, it is not always the
best option because everyone teaches differently. It's finding that balance that works best for
you."
I plan to use this information about colleagues and parents to better myself as a teacher. I want
to create the best learning environment for my students. "As you develop the artistry and
science of teaching, you will become more aware of how your decisions affect the intellectual
and attitudinal development of your students." (Orlich et al., 2018). Knowing what is best for my
students and how to achieve that goal is the start to a successful classroom. Being able to
connect with my colleagues will help to strengthen what I am teaching. A colleague who has
been teaching for many years has a more robust insight into approaching different teaching
elements. Also, by connecting with my students' parents, I will be able to create a trusting
environment. When a student parent supports their child's education, it can make for a better
classroom environment.
Reference
Orlich, D. C., Harder, R. J., Trevisan, M. S., Brown, A. H., & Miller, D. E. (2018). Teaching
Strategies: A Guide to Effective Instruction – with access (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage.
