Field Study 5 Episode 5

1. 1. ON PORTFOLIOS Name of FS Student _Deliman, Jundel

L.__________________________________________ Course _Bachelor of Secondary
Education________________________ Year & Section _III_ Resource Teacher _Mary
Juliet A. Doño ________ Signature __________ Date 02-06-17__ Cooperating School
_JH Cerilles State College Dumingag Campus H.S. Dep’t. ____________ Performance
(How I Will Be Rated) Field Study 5, Episode 5 - On Portfolios Focused on: Types of
learners’ portfolios Tasks Exemplary 4 Superior 3 Satisfactory 2 Unsatisfactory 1
Observation/Documentation 4 3 2 1 My Analysis 4 3 2 1 My Reflection 4 3 2 1 My
Portfolio 4 3 2 1 Submission 4 3 2 1 Sub Totals { Over-all Score Rating: (Based on
transmutation) MARJOREY C. CABIGAS Signature of FS Teacher above Printed Name
_______________________ Date Transmutation of score to grade/rating Score Grade
Score Grade 20 - 1.0 - 99 12-13 - 2.50 - 81 18-19 - 1.25 - 96 11 - 2.75 - 78 17 - 1.5 - 93
10 - 3.00 - 75 16 - 1.75 - 90 8-9 - 3.5 - 72 and 15 - 2.00 - 87 7-below - 5.00 - below 14 -
2.25 - 84
2. 2. My Tools Checklist Classify the portfolios examined. Use the checklist below: Type of
Portfolio Tally (How many did you see?) Frequency Documentation portfolio IIII 4
Process portfolio II 2 Showcase portfolio 0 Observation Checklist Elements of a Portfolio
Put your check here 1. Cover letter – “About the Author” and “what My Portfolio Shows
About My Progress as a Learner” 2. Table of Contents with numbered pages  3. Entries
– Both core (required items) and optional items (chosen by students)  4. Dates on all
entries to facilitate proofs or growth over time  5. Drafts of aural/oral and written
products and revised versions, i.e. (first drafts and corrected/revised versions) 6.
Reflection 
3. 3. My Analysis 1. Did I see samples of the 3 different types of portfolio? No, most of the
portfolio shown were documentation portfolio and process portfolio. 2. What did I
observe to be the most commonly used portfolio? Among the three (3) portfolio,
documentation portfolio was commonly used. It is also known as working portfolio and is
done by collecting the works of students. It shows the growth and improvement of
student’s learning. 3. As I examined 3 selected portfolios, did I see all the elements of s
portfolio? No, not all elements were present on the portfolio that I examined. 4. Is it
necessary for a teacher to use varied types of portfolio? Why? Yes, in order to cater the
different works and products of the students. If the teacher will only use one kind of
portfolio, some work may not be suited for that kind of portfolio. So, as a result, the
product that the students had accomplished will not be collected. 5. If one element or two
elements of a portfolio are missing, will this have any impact on the assessment process?
Explain your answer. Yes, even if one element of portfolio is missing, it will surely have
an impact to the assessment process. If the missing element is included in the criteria of
portfolio assessment, then the assessment result is different to those that have complete
elements of assessment.
4. 4. My Reflections Have portfolios made the learning assessment process inconvenient? Is
the effort exerted on portfolio assessment commensurate to the improvement of learning
that results from the use of portfolio? No, not at all. In my own opinion, if portfolios are
included in the learning assessment process, it would be convenient but it do need an
extra time and effort in assessing it. But, it is also not good to remove or not include
 portfolio in the process because portfolio is an integral part to students’ learning.
Portfolio is a collection of work and product of students. It is tangible evidence of their
learning. Therefore, it is very essential. For me, effort exerted on portfolio assessment
commensurate to the improvement of learning that results from the use of portfolio. It
happens if the teacher is very particular with student’s learning and he/she make sure to
assess the portfolio accurately. On the other hand, some teachers do not seriously
takeportfolio assessment. This made the assessment to not commensurate to the
improvement of learning. This thing must be avoided in order to create educated and
learned students for the future.
5. 5. My Portfolio Types of Portfolio Functions of Portfolio Functions of Portfolio gives a
comprehensive view of what has been learned let students to have themselves as learners
encourages self- directed learning offers peer-supported growth fosters learningabout
learning meets the instruction and assessment demonstrates progress
6. 6. Elements of Portfolio Elements of Portfolio Cover Letter Table of Contents Entries
Dates of Entries Drafts and Revised Version Reflection
7. Portfolio is one of the most important in the student and teacher. It may benefit student
by reviewing all his works to improve. It may also benefit the teacher as well because
through this the teacher can somehow show evidence to the student`s parent for
questioning about the grading basis.

Read more: Have portfolios made the learning assessment process inconvenient? is the
effort exerted on portfolio assessment commensurate to the improvement of... - Have
portfolios made the learning assessment process inconvenient? is the effort exerted on
portfolio assessment commensurate to the improvement of learning that results from the
use of portfolio? :: Ask Me Fast at
[Link]
onvenient_is_the_effort_exerted_on_portfolio_assessment_commensurate_to_the_impro
vement_of-[Link]#q5486781

Portfolios are personalized long term documentation of student mastery of course material. An
essential element of portfolios are student reflections on their own learning and progression
towards the mastery of the material documented in the portfolio. As such, portfolios are windows
on the metacognitive process of [Link] portfolios are by their nature long term records
of student progress and achievement they can be used to assess programs, courses or projects.
Although the aspect of long-term change in student content content knowledge and
metacognition may not be as marked when portfolios are used to assess courses, the process of
portfolio development tends to focus students on deciding what the essential elements of learning
are and what samples of their work best display these elements. In Chapter 5 of [Palomba and
Banta, 1999] they discuss three critical elements of student portfolios in promoting and
supporting student learning. These are: Student involvement in the selection of entries Student
preparation of written reflections about learning Continuing discussion with faculty regarding
written reflections Timothy Slater`s portfolio website (more info) provides an in depth discussion
of the use of portfolios in introductory science courses, including an example for an Introductory
Environmental Science course.

Read more: Have portfolios made the learning assessment process inconvenient? is the effort
exerted on portfolio assessment commensurate to the improvement of... - Have portfolios made
the learning assessment process inconvenient? is the effort exerted on portfolio assessment
commensurate to the improvement of learning that results from the use of portfolio? :: Ask Me
Fast at
[Link]
ent_is_the_effort_exerted_on_portfolio_assessment_commensurate_to_the_improvement_of-
[Link]#q5486781

Standards-based grading and reporting will improve

education
By Marco A. Muñoz and Thomas R. Guskey

Making clear linkages between standards, assessment, grading, and reporting that are concisely
reported work for the betterment of ALL students.

Grading and reporting are foundational elements

in nearly every educational system. Grading represents teachers’ evaluations — formative or
summative — of students’ performance. Reporting is how the results of those evaluations are
communicated to students, parents, or others. Because of their fundamental nature, educators
must ensure that grading and reporting always meet the criteria for validity and reliability. And
because of their primary communication purpose, educators must also ensure that grading and
reporting are meaningful, accurate, and fair.

What research tells us

The first step in sound classroom assessment practices associated with grading is to ensure that
grades are meaningful. In determining students’ grades, teachers typically merge scores from
major exams, compositions, quizzes, projects, and reports, along with evidence from homework,
punctuality in turning in assignments, class participation, work habits, and effort. Computerized
grading programs help teachers apply different weights to each of these categories (Guskey,
2002) that then are combined in idiosyncratic ways (McMillan, 2001; McMillan, Myran, &
Workman, 2002). The result often is a grade that is impossible to interpret accurately or
meaningfully (Brookhart & Nitko, 2008; Cross & Frary, 1996). To make grades more
meaningful, we need to address both the purpose of grades and the format used to report them.
Purpose and criteria

The purpose of grading is to describe how well students have achieved the learning objectives or
goals established for a class or course of study. Grades should reflect students’ performance on
specific learning criteria. Establishing clearly articulated criteria for grades makes the grading
process more fair and equitable. Unfortunately, different teachers often use widely varying
criteria in determining students’ grades, and students often aren’t well-informed about those
criteria.

Recognizing that merging diverse sources of evidence distorts the meaning of any grade,
educators in many parts of the world assign multiple grades. This idea provides the foundation
for standards-based approaches to grading. In particular, educators distinguish among the
product, process, and progress learning criteria (Guskey & Bailey, 2010).

Product criteria are favored by educators who believe grading’s primary purpose is
communicating summative evaluations of students’ achievement and performance (O’Connor,
2002). They focus on what students know and are able to do at a particular point in time.
Teachers who use product criteria typically base grades exclusively on final examination scores,
final products (e.g., reports, projects, or exhibits), overall assessments, and other culminating
demonstrations of learning.

Process criteria are emphasized by educators who believe product criteria don’t provide a
complete picture of student learning. From this perspective, grades should reflect not only the
final results but also how students got there. Teachers who consider responsibility, effort, or
work habits when assigning grades use process criteria. The same happens when teachers count
classroom quizzes, formative assessments, homework, punctuality of assignments, class
participation, or attendance.

Progress criteria are used by educators who believe the most important aspect of grading is how
much students gain from their learning experiences. Other names for progress criteria include
learning gain, improvement scoring, value-added learning, and educational growth. Teachers
who use progress criteria look at students’ improvement over a period of time, rather than just
where they are at a given moment. Scoring criteria may be highly individualized among students.
For example, grades might be based on the number of skills or standards in a learning continuum
that students mastered and on the adequacy of that level of progress for each student. Most of the
research evidence on progress criteria comes from studies of individualized instruction (Esty &
Teppo, 1992) and special education programs (Gersten, Vaughn, & Brengelman, 1996; Jung &
Guskey, 2010).

After establishing explicit indicators of product, process, and progress learning, teachers then
assign separate grades to each indicator. In this way, they keep grades for responsibility, learning
skills, effort, work habits, or learning progress distinct from grades that represent students’ level
of achievement or performance (Guskey, 2002; Stiggins, 2008). The intent is to provide a more
accurate and comprehensive picture of what students accomplish in school.
Typically, the “achievement grade” is expressed as a letter grade or percentage that represents
the teacher’s best judgment of the student’s level of performance relative to the explicit learning
objectives for the class or course. Computations of grade point averages (GPA) and class ranks
are exclusively based on these achievement or product grades. For nonacademic factors such as
homework, class participation, effort, and learning progress, teachers typically record numerical
marks (e.g., 4 = consistently, 3 = usually, 2 = sometimes, and 1 = rarely). The development of
rubrics helps make this process explicit for students and parents. For example, in the case of
homework, teachers may use categories such as: 4 = all completed and turned in on time; 3 =
only one or two missing or incomplete; 2 = three to five missing or incomplete; 1 = more than
five missing or incomplete. The key is to ensure that students understand the various performance
levels so they know exactly what the mark signifies and what must be done to improve the mark
(Guskey, 2006).

Teachers who report multiple grades for these different criteria don’t have to worry about how to
weight or combine the grading evidence. This avoids difficult arguments about the
appropriateness of various weighting strategies. Reporting multiple grades also increases the
validity, the reliability, and the fairness of the grading process. Furthermore, to the degree that
classroom assessments of student learning are aligned with student learning outcomes addressed
in large-scale state assessments, the relationship between product or achievement grades and the
accountability assessment results will be much stronger (Guskey & Bailey, 2010).

Best practices: Reporting

Most states today have common standards for student learning that identify what students should
learn and be able to do. Despite these common standards in English language arts (ELA) and
mathematics, few states have developed well-aligned and effective standards-based reporting
forms that overcome multiple design and implementation issues (Guskey & Bailey, 2010).
Kentucky, however, has initiated a statewide effort to develop a common, standards-based
student report card for elementary and secondary grades (Guskey, Swan, & Jung, 2011).
Kentucky also was the first state to start implementing the Common Core State Standards. The
Kentucky experience in standards-based reporting shows us:

 Teachers need to know the domains or strands, clusters or organizing elements, and
standards;
 Teachers need to base grades on explicit criteria derived from the clearly established
learning standards that appear in the national standards; and
 Teachers need to clearly distinguish among product, process, and progress criteria in
assigning grades (Guskey, 2009).

Furthermore, if the standards-based approach is going to work for all students, the guidelines for
reporting must consider how well it will reflect the achievement of students with disabilities and
English language learners (Jung, 2009; Jung & Guskey, 2010). The end result is the
transformation of the traditional approach into a standards-based report card that creates a
straightforward link between curriculum and assessment.

Standards-based procedures
The first step in any standards-based reporting is to develop a deep understanding of the student
learning standards. From this, educators can develop the critical strands of standards that will be
meaningful for reporting. Typically, three to five standards in a given subject are appropriate
(Guskey & Bailey, 2001). The goal is to develop reporting standards that mirror the strands in
the ELA standards and the domains in mathematics standards.

In ELA, for example, teachers may consider the strands or subdomains of reading, writing,
speaking/listening, and language. In math, teachers consider strands associated with operations
and algebraic thinking, number and operations, fractions, measurement and data, and geometry.
Some teachers might contend that the Common Core standards apply only to ELA and math.
However, professional organizations in every subject area have established standards for student
learning that are arranged in similar strands or subdomains. For example, the National Science
Teachers Association and the National Council for Social Studies have developed their own
standards; so have the national organizations for music education, physical education, arts
education, and others.

Finally, success in grading and reporting will be augmented as Internet-based applications are
developed that allow teachers to record student performance and tally it to determine grades.
Such applications should be teacher friendly and include procedures for printing and distributing
report cards.

Structure and format

Standards-based reporting forms that include students’ photographs add a personalized element
to the reporting process. Other demographic information such as address, class, grade level, and
school should be included as well. This demographic information is followed by the standards-
based information about a student’s school performance.

The look of the report card changes with the grade level of the student. For elementary report
cards, each subject has specific content strands so teachers can provide separate grades for each.
This requires teachers to keep more detailed records of student performance and so it gives
parents and students more specific information about a student’s learning strengths and areas of
needed growth. This process helps unpack the standards and also contributes to having more
targeted supports for students, parents, and out-of-school organizations. Rubrics are developed to
determine the marks for process learning goals related to preparation, participation, homework,
cooperation, and respect.

Another possibility is to include process goals in sections labeled work habits, study skills,
and/or citizenship. Finally, elementary school report cards need to include a section for
description/comments with two components: (a) two or three sentences explaining more
precisely the emphases of instruction during the grading period and (b) a sentence or two about a
particular student’s strengths and areas for growth. The more specific the suggestions, the more
helpful they will be to students.

For secondary report cards, it is also important to personalize them with the names and
photographs of each student’s teachers. Merging the class schedule program with the reporting
program is essential. As with the elementary report card, there is a section dedicated to academic
achievement (product) grades for each subject area or course. These grades are used to determine
course credit and to calculate GPA. The achievement grade must be based on the evidence of a
student’s academic performance and not include nonacademic factors related to work habits or
class behavior. Standards are based on the strands or domains in each content area. In addition to
reporting on academic achievement, process goals related to participation, cooperation,
homework, and punctuality are developed. Rubrics should be available for students and
parents/guardians. The description and comment sections include general statements for the class
as well as individual comments about each student’s performance.

Report cards at both the elementary and secondary levels should allow teachers to attach custom-
scoring criteria for students who may be working on modified and/or accommodated standards.
The specific strategies developed to support these modifications can then be described in the
Individual Education Plan (IEP) for students with disabilities and the Individual Student Plan
(ISP) for English language learners. This, in turn, helps parents and youth organizations support
the targeted response-to-interventions.

Implications for grading and reporting

If assessments are graded and reported the right way, they can be a powerful tool for student
learning. Classroom assessment practices that inform instruction will be invaluable as teachers
work to implement the Common Core standards, which are meant to prepare all students for
college and/or career. Grades should be carefully computed and summary comments should be
carefully formulated. Grades are most effective when they reflect only achievement. When
grades include other aspects of student performance (e.g., effort or progress), they have less
meaning as a summary of achievement.

Grading

Based on countless interactions with teachers, we’ve concluded that the first step in sound
classroom assessment practices associated with grades is to make them meaningful. The primary
issue is to figure out how to weight and combine different factors into the final grade and
summative comments. When the guidelines provided within the standards are applied, the
problems associated with hodgepodge grading methods may be eliminated. The standards
provide a sound alternative or grading system that can be used to replace traditional grading
practices.

The second element of the system is about identifying factors that relate to achievement in direct
or indirect ways; teachers must decide what evidence best serves the purpose. Under the
suggested system, teachers would assign separate grades for achievement, effort, and progress.
Grades become more meaningful when separate grades are assigned for each category. Grades
reflecting academic achievement are determined separately from undefined aspects of process
and progress. The end result will be not only more meaningful grades but more useful grades that
will inform teaching and learning.

Reporting
Student assessment reports should be based on a sufficient body of evidence. In addition, student
assessment reports should provide a summary of student learning in a clear, timely, accurate, and
useful manner. Students, parents/guardians, and others with legitimate permission should be
provided with assessment reports that accurately summarize what students have learned in the
classroom. Report cards have the primary function of clearly communicating the level of student
performance in relation to the attainment of the learning expectations for a reporting period.
These reports should identify students’ strengths and areas for growth and inform decisions
concerning future class placement, retention/promotion, and admission.

Reporting should be meaningful for the educational teaching and learning process. A standards-
based report card that creates a straightforward link between curriculum and assessment is
required. This approach overcomes the problems of poorly aligned report cards. The suggested
system helps ensure that reporting reflects students’ progress on mastering state standards. The
suggested reporting system involves the clear identification of curricular aims or learning
objectives rooted in national standards. In this system, the final reporting standards are organized
around strands or domains coming directly from the national standards. The reporting system
also clearly identifies the product, process, and progress criteria so that the reporting can separate
these factors and avoid hodgepodge grading. This approach also recommends taking advantage
of Internet technologies, as well as structuring reporting to reflect the variety of needs of
different school levels — elementary and secondary report cards should be designed
appropriately. Early results from pilot implementation indicate that teachers and parents favor
this standards-based reporting over the traditional approach.

Conclusion

It is time to change our traditional approaches for grading and reporting in our nation’s schools.
The scaling-up process of the suggested approach for grading and reporting will enhance student
learning. Reporting must be valid, reliable, fair, and useful; nothing less should be expected if we
want to link grading and reporting with students’ mastery of content and practice standards.
Standards-based grading and reporting has much more to offer over the traditional scattershot
approach.

All grading and reporting should start by having a clear purpose, followed by an in-depth
understanding of the various criteria that can be used. Equally important is the effort to explicitly
link curriculum standards with grading and reporting systems. We are striving for consistency,
validity, and fairness in grading and reporting practices. We are striving for enough detail to
allow grading and reporting to serve as a road map of student progress in achieving their learning
goals. This will assist us as we work to close the gap between current and desired states of
learning and levels of achievement. Ultimately, grading and reporting are other important tools
for what matters most: improving student learning.

For most of the country, Labor Day weekend signifies the last hurrah of summer and the
beginning of a new school year. Whatever your child's age, butterflies are all aflutter, new
haircuts abound and another grade older means new subjects that will be both challenging and
rewarding.

Once children are settled into a routine, parent-teacher conferences will make their way onto
your calendar. Walking into the classroom prepared for this important chat will make for a
smooth conference that will be educational for you and your child's teacher. Here are some tips
to help you navigate the process:

1. Your Child's Academic Abilities

It's hard to assess what kind of student your kindergartner is at 5 or where he or she will
be at 15. However, taking the temperature of his or her academic abilities at the
beginning of the school year can pave the way for seeing which areas need a little boost
or which ones need to be more challenging.

Hollye Grayson, M.A., MFT, believes knowing as much upfront as possible will lead to
an easier transition, as subject matters become more detailed throughout the school year.
"Don't wing it -- go into your parent-teacher conference with a list of concerns or
questions," Grayson says. "This is your opportunity to have the teacher's full attention.
Ask which method of communication he or she prefers -- email, phone call -- and the
time of day it is best to reach him or her. Make a mental note of when the teacher returns
calls or emails so that you won't panic should you have a serious issue to address."

2. Expectations for the Year

It doesn't matter if your child is in first grade or tenth grade, discussing the teacher's goals
for the year is a significant part of parent-teacher conferences. Getting an overview of the
curriculum will help you and your child organize, manage time and structure after-school
activities. Sometimes you will receive the information during back-to-school night. Your
parent-teacher conference, however, gives you the opportunity to ask specific questions
and find out additional details.
3. Social Interaction
It's hard to know what our children are like when they're not under our own microscopes.
Ask the teacher how your child gets along with others -- does he or she have friends to sit
with at lunch or is he or she isolated on the playground? It's also a good idea to find out
Does your child seem to prefer talking to one person or many simultaneously?
4. Classroom Behavior
This topic goes hand-in-hand with the social aspect of school. What are they like in a
classroom? Do they raise their hand, ask for help and listen when the teacher talks?

"Children are different in school than they are at home, but they equally test out new
behaviors in both settings," Grayson says. "While at the same time, it's important your
child is being respectful to the teachers and other students, it is also a good idea to find
out whether your child is getting involved in the community or if there are cases of
withdrawal or inappropriate behavior."

Inappropriate classroom behavior can be a red flag for something else that is going on,
whether at school or at home. If you discover your child is misbehaving in some form,
 work with the teacher to dig deeper -- is there an academic issue you are not aware of? Is
your child being bullied? Is there something going on at home that needs to be discussed?

5. Social Media Usage

For middle-school and high-school parents, social media is at the forefront of everyone's
mind. With technology fulfilling instant gratification requests, our children are one step
ahead (possibly more) of parents. Does your child's school or teacher have any social
media policies or rules that you need to be aware of?

Also ask whether your child's school uses social media in the classroom. As these
technologies continue to transform and re-invent themselves, find out how your teacher
will use them to his or her advantage: Is it a way to capture students' attention and
communicate with them in a language they understand and appreciate, or is it a
distraction and are traditional teaching styles are preferred?

Many teachers around the country are using a program called Edutopia, created by the
George Lucas Educational Foundation, which gives guidelines to schools on how to
incorporate social media into lesson plans. Several teachers have created Facebook pages
that are subject-specific, where students are instructed to "friend" the page and comment
on an assignment the teacher has posted. This has proved to be successful for language
teachers.

6. Ways to Support Your Child

It is a hard pill to swallow when you discover that your child is struggling in one or more
subjects or socially. "Homework can be an area of stress for children," says Julia
Kozusko, LPC, parent coach and child/family therapist. "Be aware of the homework
policy in your district and don't be afraid to approach the teacher if the load your child
receives is out of line with the recommendation, especially in the younger grades."

Should your child need extra academic support, ask the teacher how the school handles
those situations: Are there after-school tutoring options? Do you need to hire an outside
tutoring service? For social issues, does the school work with a child psychologist? How
does the school identify and manage bullying situations? Remember, be open-minded as
much as you can, it's always hard to hear that your child is bullying someone or failing
math, but lean on the school and know that they are equipped to help should your family
need additional support.

Education is a partnership between parents and the school, and it's important that you have a list
of topics and questions prior to the conference. This will ensure you and your child's teacher will
have open lines of communication and can address any issues and, of course, celebrate any
successes.
Parent-Teacher Conferences are right around the corner and it's time to gather a few materials
and to get ready for this important connection time with parents. I thought I would share some
things I've learned along the way about how to make Parent-Teacher Conferences a success.

1. Be Prepared

Conferences are definitely a time to share information with parents and to work on solving any
challenges the student is facing as a team. However, any major problems, whether the child is
struggling academically, behaviorally, or socially, should be communicated to the parent before
the conference time. As you know, it's always best to communicate ongoing issues with parents
early, so you can work together to help the child. Unveiling them for the first time at a
conference is not the best way to handle these types of issues.

Another way to be prepared is to write out notes about each child beforehand. I have a form for
each child that I like to use to fill in some information from assessments (like reading fluency,
comprehension, knowledge of math facts, etc), as well as strengths that I notice in the child and
areas which are challenges. It's really nice to have that information ready and in front of me so I
can remember exactly what I wanted to say for each child, without having to think of it on the
fly. The form I use is included in the free (and editable) packet of Parent-Teacher Conference
materials in my TpT store.

2. Be Warm and Welcoming

From the moment you open the classroom door, you want parents to feel comfortable and
welcomed into your classroom. A friendly smile and greeting help establish a warm atmosphere
for the conference. As far as where to sit, I think it's best if you don't sit at your desk and pull up
some chairs around it, as the desk can be viewed as a type of barrier and might feel intimidating
to parents. Sitting at a group of desks together or at a table with the same sized chairs works
really well and makes it feel more like a conversation for everyone involved.

3. Include the Student

I always love to have the students attend parent-teacher conferences and have found them to be
extremely successful for the 2nd - 5th graders that I've taught. Having students attend
conferences makes them part of the conversation and helps them take more ownership for
learning and for behavior.

Before the conference, I give my students specific reflection forms to fill out, so each child is
able to give some input about how he/she views classroom learning, behavior, and personal
character traits so far this year. I really like to give kids the opportunity to reflect about
themselves because I think it brings things into their awareness more and hopefully prods them
on to continue the good work or to make a few changes to improve.

At the conference, I ask the student to go over what he/she has written on the reflection form and
we all listen and make comments about what the child has to say. I think it is always amazing
how insightful and how spot on students are about their own strengths and challenges, for the
most part.

4. Keep the Conference as Positive as Possible

Keeping the tone of the conference positive is important. Don't get me wrong, there are times
when you'll need to discuss some difficult behavior issues or some really deep academic issues...
This type of conversation is never easy but if you take a "let's work together approach" to
whatever the problem is and enlist the parent's help as part of a team effort, rather than viewing
them as an adversary, this goes a long way.

Another thing that helps is to offer concrete suggestions for what can be done to make the
situation better. Getting the student's input and buy-in when you can is beneficial too. One thing
I like to do is to start with some positives, sandwich in the challenging area(s) and then end with
a positive. I try not to have more issues to discuss than the positives that I've mentioned to try to
balance things out.

Also, remembering to keep it as positive as it can be with no shaming and blaming but more of a
matter of fact..."This is what I am seeing/noticing, what can we do to make this better?" kind of
attitude, has always been really effective for me.

5. Be a Good Listener

Parent-Teacher Conferences are not just times for teachers to share information about the child,
but it is a great opportunity for teachers to learn more about our students by listening to parents. I
like to always leave some time at the end of the conference to ask parents if they have any
questions or if there was something we didn't cover that they'd like to talk about. When parents
feel that we genuinely care for their child and care about them, they will offer their support
freely.

One thing I like to do is to keep a notepad handy during the conference so I can write notes about
things I need to do. It might be something to remember to do or something to look into but these
notes help jog my memory after the conferences are over.

6. End the Conference Well

After parents have all of their questions answered (if they had any), I give them some forms to
take with them (assessments page, the student reflection page, a few samples of work, and the
report card).

As they walk out, I like the student to show his/her parents a few art pieces he/she has done on
the way out of the classroom. The parents usually ooh and ah and it gives the conference a nice
warm and fuzzy ending.