March 16 Parent Conference

I was concerned about a student’s behavior in class, so I sent an email home describing what I was seeing.  Unfortunately, I did not see an improvement in behavior by the student, but I did hear that he’d gone to counseling to request to change to another teacher.   I thought this was not the right move, so I asked counseling to set up a parent conference with the parent, student, counseling and myself.  The student is a freshman, is currently failing, and is concerned about failing the class.

He is a nice kid, and likes to clown around.  The parent is familiar with this behavior, having heard from all his other teachers.  The parent dismissed the behavior as just being a kid, and did not address any of the changes in behavior that I thought were needed.  In the conference, I reminded the parent and student that this behavior was an issue in his previous Algebra class, and he was failing back then, before he transferred to my class.  I shared my concern that the emphasis was misplaced by focusing on what he could get out of, instead of what behaviors would help him succeed.  I pointed out that he misses out on the chance to learn when he’s not engaged or trying.  I shared that the other class has 30 students while mine has 20 and all the extra attention my students get because of this.  And lastly, it is not uncommon for students to feel pressure in March if they have gotten behind during the school year.

Counseling said that they really wanted the parent and student to be happy, so they’d help to make the transfer if that’s what the student and parent really wanted.  In the end, the student and parent agreed that it would be better to stay in my class and try to catch up.  We agreed on 5 different after school sessions over the next week and a delay in the chapter test for 2 days to give him extra time to study.

On the day after the conference, the student asked me, “did I do good today?” and I told him that he did.  I really need to remember that kids need lots of positive reinforcement, and extra after a potentially stressful event.  I’ve been learning how to teach 9th grade students this year, and positive reinforcement is one of my most powerful tools.

student behavior

I’m amazed at how consistent my mentor seems to be between 2 periods of geometry, and how differently each class responds.  With each, she has the same materials prepared, the same questions are on the board, and she covers the lesson very similarly.  With 3^rd period, half the students were involved in side conversations, and were told several times to be quieter.  Considering they’re having a quiz next Monday, the side conversations made me wonder if some had already given up.  And it’s only the 3^rd week of school!  The 6^th period responded very differently.  Considering it was the last class on a Friday, and an early release day at that, I’d expected this typically social group to be as distracted as the 3^rd period.  Contrary to expectations, they were quiet and attentive, recognizing the importance of the review.  Wow!

My mentor’s style and techniques are very consistent, yet get very different responses class to class. I’ve wondered about various ways I’d try to get attention and quiet with noisy classes, and then observed her using these same techniques, to varying success.   Teaching is a personal thing, and what works with some students does not work with others.  

My mentor teacher had a parent conference with 2 other teachers and a disruptive student and his mom.  The teachers and the mom were all concerned, with the mom stating that she’s out of options and may need to send him to live with his father in another state.  Each of the 3 teachers had called home individually with concerns.  When I take a look at the student and what’s happening inside and outside our classroom, I get a better picture of the student, although still incomplete.  After hearing about the conference, I felt increased compassion toward this young man who’s been making poor choices. While he’s still expected to behave respectfully in class, I felt an increased interest in finding out what he needed to help him be successful.  The day after the conference, I didn’t see much change in him, but I did see a change in me.