Creativity

COVID put an extra stress on teachers and changed the way we teach from an in-person model to an in-person and online model. The effect of COVID caused children to be educationally and socially stunted. Colleges have stopped requesting ACT and SAT scores as qualifiers for entry. College courses are being created to teach students how to be students. Elementary schools are reporting more behavior and higher numbers of diagnosed ADHD and autism. This effect is adding to the stress of an already stressful job! Something similar happened to students during the great depression--it took 8 years for education to recover--but it did recover!

Teaching, while incredibly rewarding, is also one of the most demanding professions, often leaving educators feeling overwhelmed and depleted. This stress can make it challenging to tap into the creative energy needed to develop engaging lesson plans or solve classroom challenges! Creativity thrives in a relaxed and focused mind, yet stress can significantly hinder our ability to think creatively (Amabile, 1996). 

However, it’s important to remember that this is normal and entirely okay. Taking time for self-care—whether through mindfulness, exercise, hobbies, or simply resting—can help reduce stress and restore creativity. By prioritizing your well-being, you’re not only replenishing your creative capacity but also setting a powerful example for your students. When you take care of yourself, you can return to the classroom as a more inspired and effective teacher (Gouin et al., 2011).

Though it's easy to say "take care of yourself" I understand the constant push to improve my classroom. I've been up past midnight prepping Science Labs; I've spent my own money buying supplies. I don't have answers or a magic wand to make everything perfect. But I have found that taking a teacher recess is necessary sometimes!

So please, just remember: You are doing amazing work teachers! Keep going! I hope the lesson plans found here might be of some help to you.

References:

• Amabile, T. M. (1996). Creativity in Context. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
• Gouin, J. P., Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Malarkey, W. B., & Glaser, R. (2011). The influence of anger expression on wound healing. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 25(2), 298–303.

I love my job

 I love my work. 

It's absolutely amazing to work with teachers and students. I love creating lesson plans, creating visuals or games for teachers, but most especially I love teaching kids.

Yes, elementary kids still make me nervous. Middle/Junior and High school kids still are my main jam. 

Fellow teachers....are still the hardest to teach. (Though I'm still more nervous in front of a classroom of cute kindergarten students!)

I appreciate the opportunity to teach and I hope that I can continually learn and improve my own practice of teaching. I hope that I can improve my rigor, ungrade my questions and find new ways to teach students in an ever evolving world. 

My greatest hope is to unlock the realms of understanding of the works of the Creator, of the heavens, the earth and all that are in them. I have perhaps been shy of placing my religious beliefs with my science beliefs--so I'll say directly here...there is no conflict between science and religion. If a conflict ever arises then there is misunderstanding between one or the other which requires further study.

Go Out And Learn,

Mrs. R

Universal Design for Learning: UDL

 Universal Design for Learning: UDL is an interesting subject which plays on the ideas of "design for all, instead of remedial for some."

Lessons are meant to be dynamic enough to allow all students, regardless of background, experience or language to explain in a unique matter what they know. 

Are you an artist? A writer? A historian? A scientist? 

What are you? 

Imagine having a lesson which allows students to report their knowledge in a unique manner? Instead of having 210+ of the same assignment, now you have information flowing through art, written language, dance, mathematics... these dynamics combine to create a realm of vast knowledge both in life and in your classroom. 

Want to learn more about how you can add UDL to your classroom? 

Dive into UDL by Kendra Grant and Luis Perez: https://www.amazon.com/Dive-Into-UDL-Second-Immersive/dp/1564849333

UDL Guidelines: https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

SEEd Standards Science Summaries

 I love this document: SEEd Standards Science Summaries

I think it was complied by Alpine School District but I'm not sure. 

For integration and vertical alignment for grades K-6, I love it. Thanks, whomever put this together. (If you happen to know the author, I would prefer to add a reference link.) Thanks! Mrs. R

Concepts and Standards Subjects and Grade Levels
Living Things   - Needs of humans, plants & animals for survival, adaptation, resources.	K.2 - Living things and their surroundings 1.2 - The Needs of Living Things and their Offspring 2.2 - Living Things and Their Habitats 3.2 - Effects of Traits on Survival 4.1 - Organisms Functioning in their Environment 5.3 - Cycling Matter in Ecosystems 6.4 - Stability and Change in Ecosystems
Earth Changes  - Weathering, erosion, volcanoes, earthquakes, weather, cycles	K.1 - Weather Patterns 1.1 - Seasons and Space Patterns 2.1 - Changes in the Earth’s Surface  3.1 - Weather and Climate Patterns 4.4 - Observable Patterns in the Sky 5.1 - Characteristics and Interactions of Earth’s Systems 6.3 - Earth’s Weather Patterns and Climate
Energy & Force - Push & Pull, energy transfer, Electricity, Magnetism, Gravity, Heat	K.3 - Force, Motion & Interactions 1.3 - Light & Sound 3.3 - Force Affects Motion 4.2 - Energy Transfer 4.3 - Wave Patterns 6.2 - Energy Affects Matter
Matter - Physical & Chemical, changes, density	2.3 - Properties of Matter 5.2 - Properties & Changes of Matter 5.3 - Cycling Matter in Ecosystems 6.2 - Energy Affects Matter
Space - Planets, Earth, Gravity, Solar System, Sun, Stars	K.1 - Weather Patterns  1.1 - Seasons & Space Patterns 3.3 - Force Affects Motion  4.4 - Observable Patterns in the Sky 6.1 - Structure & Motion Within the Solar System

T.B.R.I.

"Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) is a therapeutic model that trains caregivers to provide effective support and treatment for at-risk children. TBRI has been applied in orphanages, courts, residential treatment facilities, group homes, foster and adoptive homes, churches, and schools." (Purvis, 2013).

I recently completed a course for TBRI. I plan to take it again since the entire course is packed with information. 

You can find more information here:
https://child.tcu.edu/sale/#sthash.y9rP2hgg.mg6Io6FK.dpbs

or a link to the course here:
https://child.tcu.edu/free-tbri-101/#sthash.cIISB5WY.kyMxUxXf.dpbs

It is free until August 31, 2020

TBRI is more than just a way to address kids that come from hard places. It is a therapy provided to help children who come from hard places. It has suggestions for connecting to difficult kids. 

I see applications for many uses in and out of the classroom. 

How do we connect with our students? 

TBRI would suggest that we first have to connect with kids. The course used examples that included play therapy, feeding therapy, puzzles therapy. All of which are ways to get the child to talk to you.

In a Science Classroom this could be figuring out a new interesting phenomena! In a younger class you could have students eat a gobstopper and experience the sudden change of flavor as it dissolves on their tongue.

These may seem like simple, but they can lead the way to having honest good connections with students.

Part of TBRI is that you show caring for the whole child. We are not just concerned about their current grade or if they memorized a set of definitions. We are looking to connect with the whole child. Does your student enjoy drawing? Can they present their understanding with a drawing? Will that drawing better represent how they understand? It could be a student drawing a picture of the Coriolis effect rather than writing a paragraph about it. It could be a presentation on the effects of Entropy instead of a series of Entropy equations.

Every student connects in a different way. Can your class accommodate a full variety of learners? 

Go out and Learn!

~ Mrs. R

Purvis, K., Cross, D., Dansereau, D., and Parris, S., (2013) Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI): A Systemic Approach to Complex Developmental Trauma URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3877861/#:~:text=Trust%2DBased%20Relational%20Intervention%20(TBRI)%20is%20a%20therapeutic%20model,homes%2C%20churches%2C%20and%20schools.

Phenomena!

This year has been filled with new and interesting teaching challenges.

Admittedly, I am a secondary Science Teacher, not an elementary teacher. I have great respect for my fellow teachers, especially those who work with elementary aged students.

I had the opportunity to present three separate Science lessons to elementary students in Kindergarten and Second grade. Despite being horribly nervous (Why is it that middle schoolers don't faze me?) the lessons went well. The kids were engaged and it was actually great fun!

----Which leads me to my current topic of the day!

Have you taught using Phenomena?


What is Phenomena?
“Natural phenomena are observable events that occur in the universe and that we can use our
science knowledge to explain or predict.” (NGSS, 2016).

How do I use it in my classroom?
It’s common in the Science Classroom to deliver instruction and background information before
exploration and experimentation. When we teach using phenomena, we shift the exploration to
the beginning of a unit and use that phenomena to guide instruction into the curiosity and inquiry
of the student.

“By centering science education on phenomena that students are motivated to explain, the
focus of learning shifts from learning about a topic to figuring out why or how something
happens.” (NGSS, 2016).

As teachers we want to first introduce a new unit using a natural phenomena. Once the student
observes the occurrence they can begin to ask questions for why it happens. Teachers can
guide the instruction to help students solve real world problems. Appropriate phenomena should
spark curiosity, address the core standards, and can be investigated.
Phenomena does not need to be flashy. Careful engagement and questions from the teacher
can direct new inquiries into old phenomena and can engage all students. Use phenomena to
drive the interest of the student and it can become an anchoring idea that students will build on
for understanding.

More Specific Instruction:
2nd Grade-- Introduce the phases of the moon by having students observe the moon over a
series of days.(Do not just tell the students the phases of the moon, let them figure it out and how it's caused!) Have students come up with their own questions for why the lighted part of the
moon changes. (Standard 2, Objective 2). https://www.ngssphenomena.com/moon-phases

7th Grade-- Have students design their own experiment for testing Newton’s 3rd law of motion.
Allow students to observe the collision of small objects (i.e. marbles/softballs) of different mass
and determine their own reasons for why objects react the way they do. (Do not tell kids the definition of inertia, let them figure it out!)(Standard 7.1.2) A
small ping-pong ball balanced on a larger bouncy ball and dropped together works well for this
phenomena.

11th grade Physics-- Students can use data from high-speed cameras to observe elastic and
inelastic collisions and engineer new ways to decrease the overall impact.(Do not tell them how to slow down a collision, make them figure it out! Bonus if you have them calculate the final velocity/vectors of the collision.)  (Standard PHYS.1.3)

Several of my lesson plans already include phenomena, but I will be adding more phenomena soon, check back next week!

For more information on teaching using phenomena:
Phenomena for NGSS:
https://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/Using%20Phenomena%20in%20NGSS.pdf
Georgia science Teachers association: https://www.georgiascienceteacher.org/phenomena
#project phenomena: https://sites.google.com/site/sciencephenomena/
Mystery Science (Elementary):https://mysteryscience.com/
The Wonder of Science: https://thewonderofscience.com/
Next gen storylines: https://www.nextgenstorylines.org/


Go Out and Learn!

Mrs. R

For the Love of Learning

There are multiple learning models available for teachers. Today I share my two favorites. I personally used these learning methods in my classroom. 

First: 

When I view this particular learning pyramid, I notice instantly the bottom layer. 90% of what a student says and does is retained in memory. As a teacher, this makes me want to instantly assign presentations for every teaching unit. Technically, according to this model, if I have my students present only, they should pass all final exams with a minimum score of 90%! Awesome! But, do our students actually retain 90% of learning when they create a presentation? If you've taught for longer than a year you should know that isn't true. 

However, as a public school teacher who taught multiple class periods of the same topic, I could've taught that last class period in my sleep. Okay, not really, but after presenting a topic several times in a row, you tend to master it in your brain. On occasion I felt bad for that first period of the day, they were my first daily experience of teaching, my students on whom I was experimenting new lesson plans. Whereas, the last class period of the day, I had ironed out any wrinkles, patched any holes and overall presented a better lesson.   

There are other ways that is same pyramid is presented. 

Notice two things, "Doing a Dramatic Presentation" and "After 2 weeks we tend to remember". Hmm... interesting. Dramatic presentation doesn't necessarily mean that we are looking at a powerpoint/keynote or Prezi. It means that we are dynamically engaging our students in the presentation, this could be through asking higher order questions, having students teach, experimenting with real life applications (i.e. doing something a real scientist/historian/mathematican would do.). In reality, each of the steps of the cone/pyramid of learning are important and you can dramatically engage students in a reading activity, hearing lesson, seeing exercise, etc.  

Also, think of the timeline required, 2 weeks to master 90% of the subject: 2 weeks, or 14 days, appoximately 3 weeks in a standard k-12, M-F, non-year round school is the minimum time needed for each unit or subunit according to the Cone of Learning by Edgar Dale.

Second:  

  

The inquiry method learning model. This model makes all steps equally important. Learning is a cycle in which one relection leads into a new wonder. The cycle builds on itself; student learning should lead into the next area of understanding.  But sometimes as teachers figuring out the bridge between one subject to the next is difficult.

Which learning models are your favorite?


Dale, E. (2014) Cone of Learning: http://acrlog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/learningpyramid5.jpg

Dale, E. (1969) Audio Visual Methods in Teaching 3rd Ed. http://wiki.monroe.edu/images/7/7b/MediaConeLearning.png

Embi, M. (2016) Inquiry Learning Cycle Image: https://www.tes.com/lessons/Ur6rBJ5tyb5dcg/technology-enhanced-deep-learning

Aquaponics!

Instructions on making a mini-aquaponics kit. 

Aquaponics

How to build an aquaponics setup at home!

Materials:

2- liter soda bottle

Scissors

1 Straw
Water conditioner
Fish food

Rocks

Plant (semi-aquatic preferred)

1 water animal (tiny goldfish, snail, shrimp or mini frog. Ask your local pet store for advice.)

Cut off the top of the soda pop bottle at the shoulder.	When the top is flipped it should settle nicely on top of the bottle without falling into the bottle.
Wash 3-5 rocks and put them in the bottom of the soda pop bottle.	Add water to the soda pop bottle. Add a water conditioner to the water or let the water sit for 24 hours before adding fish.
Use a straw to blow bubbles in the water for a few minutes. This will jump start the CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) that the plant needs to survive.	Gently put your fish into the water.
Gently tuck your plant into the soda pop lid, use a small clean piece of sponge if you need something to hold the plant in place. (You will not need the bottle cap/lid.)	Place the plant on top of the bottle allowing the roots to hang in the water.
You can feed your fish as needed. I also suggest blowing a few bubbles into the water every so often.

Another Geography Lesson

Here's another Geography Lesson for you! Go Out and Learn! ~ Mrs. R

Geography

Hey, here at Rosenvall Science we LOVE more than just Science, we love learning! So here's a geography lesson plan video. The first one has all the instructions the second one is mostly coloring-- you can speed through it. Enjoy!

Go Out and Learn!
Mrs. R

Physical and Chemical Changes

More videos for 2nd grade (yes, again they can be for other grades, but I specifically made them for a younger audience!)

Solid Liquids and Gases Part 1

Physical and Chemical Changes Part 2

Physical and Chemical Changes Part 3

Go Out and Learn!
Mrs. R

More 2nd Grade Videos!

2nd Grade Videos for making edible "rocks" at home!

Igneous Rocks!

Sedimentary Rocks!

So, again, these can be used for more grades, but I did specifically make them for 2nd grade enjoyment.

There are many other ways that you can introduce rocks to your classes.

Sedimentary: Break open a kit kat and view the layers of the candy bar. (or a snickers also works well.) Or make Rainbow Jello as shown above. (rainbow jello can also be used to should how metamorphic rocks deform.)

Metamorphic: Get a bag of salt water taffy and have the kids squish them and mix the taffy in their fingers. Talk about how heat and pressure make the rock change, but notice that we aren't melting the candy.

Igneous: Put frosting between two layers of graham crackers and let the "molten" frosting ooze out from the cracks in the crackers aka rocks.

The one that the kids really have fun with is this one: (you can see part of it in end the video below)

You will need: 

1. a few different loafs of bread (a white and a dark bread like pumpernickel or rye work best.) 

2. a desk or flat area that you don't mind getting dirty that the kids can see easily.

Talk to the students about how rocks are formed. As they tell you about dirt/sediments etc (usually the kids come up with this on their own if not guide them.) Crumble up some bread on the desk.

"Oh Look! I have a lovely pile of sediments -- but that's not a rock. What needs to happen next?"

The kids usually will tell you that they need to be squished--- here comes the fun part!

Smash your bread "rock layers" use a hammer, your hands-- or the kids FAVORITE-- SIT ON IT!

After that you can talk to them about Sedimentary layers. The bread will be nicely squished together and if you rip it down the middle you will be able to see the flat sedimentary "layers".

Mush the bread slightly (while still keeping some layers intact) and you have a metamorphic rock!

Squish it up entirely until you cannot see the layers at all and you have an igneous rock!

Go Out and Learn!

Mrs. R

Teaching during Stressful Situations

COVID-19 has been on everyone's minds and I know that teachers are working through very difficult times to have everything available to their students.

I reached out to my kids teachers and asked where I could help.

Some teachers requested lessons plans and other videos.

Since I want ALL teachers to have access, here are my 2nd Grade videos. (They are listed for 2nd grade however they can be used for other grades. So this can be used for younger grades. I also kept them nice and short.

Enjoy!

My Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbksMGzni7mVYdowYZ9rWkg

The Rock Cycle (can be used through 8th grade, but I was speaking to a younger crowd.) 

Sediments!

Sedimentary Rocks!

Metamorphic Rocks!

Igneous Rocks!

Go Out and Learn!~ Mrs. R

History of Astronomy

The Teacher's Guide to Total Awesomeness

If there is any book that should be read and re-read by teachers it is this one: The First Days of School, How to be an Effective Teacher by Harry and Rosemary Wong.

You don't even need to read this post, just go buy the book. Buy it! Read it! Try it!

In this book we have:

The Four Stages of Teaching:

1. Fantasy
2. Survival
3. Mastery
4. Impact

Most teachers, especially new teachers, hang out in the Fantasy and Survival areas. I remember that time, when I was absolutely horrible as a teacher... I wanted to teach well and have fantastic labs! I wanted students to say that they learned.

Instead, I had students plugging my plastic lab tubing with hot glue and coloring my turtle tank with red food dye.

I got frustrated. I'd try a new lab or new lecture style, only to have it fail and I would resort back to worksheets-survival. Then feeling bad would try another complicated and fun (to me) lab-fantasy, again followed by more failure.

But from that I learned. I figured out what works and what doesn't. I improved my classroom management.

The Three Characteristics of an Effective Teacher
1. Has positive expectations for students success
2. Is an extremely good classroom manager
3. Knows how to design lessons for student mastery

I discovered that I had to show respect for my position and for my students. I lived by the motto, "You're the teacher, act like it." I lost my fear of authority (fear of asking other more experienced teachers for help), and gained authority instead (but not in an overbearing manner).

As I said before, I improved my classroom management.

I also discovered that student mastery can only be accomplished through a variety of lessons. Everyone learns differently and each concept will need to be taught in a variety of ways to be effective.

Which leads me to the discussion of today....and a student named Ty*.

Ty was a 9th grader in full special ed. He had been in special ed since elementary school. Considered low functioning, Ty struggled to read, write and draw. He had outbursts of anger in the middle of class. He screamed and threatened at times. Life was rough for Ty.

It wasn't my first year of teaching---if Ty had been in my classroom the first year, I would have failed him. The special ed. teacher approached me and asked if I would allow Ty into my class. I agreed and decided into which class section he should be added.

To understand you need to know how my classroom was organized. Students on IEP's were assigned helpers. I would painstakingly research my students and on the first few days of class I would pull aside students and tell them, "I have a student in my class who needs some extra support. I'm wondering if you would volunteer to sit next to him/her and help them out. This doesn't mean that you tell them the answer. Instead, if they are having a hard time focusing encourage them to focus. If they are behind let me know." 

Students would agree and I would tell them that I would put the struggling student next to them, but then I wouldn't tell them which student it was that struggled.

Ty was a different case. I knew that he would need more support than one.

I asked my class if they knew Ty. Surprisingly several had seen him in hallways and had attended elementary school with him. I told them that he was being moved into our class. I ASKED them if it would be okay for him to join our class. I warned them that he might shout and that if he became a danger that we may need to immediately put away a lab or other equipment.

I had the entire class vote, telling them that it was okay to say no.

The vote was unanimous, Ty was going to join our class.

Then I asked for help, "I need a volunteer to sit next to Ty. You must be extra positive with him. If he does nothing that's okay. If you have a team project and he does nothing your scores will not be affected."

My student Jess* volunteered. Then to the rest of the class I said, "I need you to be extra positive with Ty. Tell him, 'Nice to see you today.' 'Ty, I'm glad your in class.' If he shouts, ignore it, I'll handle it if he's angry. Your job is to keep things positive."

Ty came to our class with a personal nurse. Day 1 was not pretty and he left the class with his nurse.

Day 2 started by Jess saying to Ty, "Ty, I'm glad to see you in class today." and Ty responded by shouting, "Why did he say that!" the rest of class. The nurse asked me, "Should I take him out?" I replied no.

Day 3 and more my students praised Ty, just for being in class.

He didn't do much work, but he shouted less and less.

Then he got sick.

Really sick.

Ty was hospitalized.

I was sent a notice to send homework to him in the hospital. I greeted my class the following day with a  huge poster. "Ty is sick. He's in the hospital. I'm supposed to send him homework, but instead I want to send him a get well note. Please, if you have something good to say, write to Ty."

Everyone wrote a note. No one mentioned his shouting, his lack of work. They all told him, "We miss you Ty. Get better, take care of yourself." "See you when you get back Ty. We love having you in class."

When asked where the homework was I presented the card. And told the counselor, "I'll wait on homework when he gets back."

(This may sound like a nightmare to some parents and teachers. But really, when you're sick, horribly sick... you only get worse by not resting.) In this moment my students were shown, that I treated them like human beings. Not drones expected to accomplish tasks without any understanding of their abilities or lack of abilities. I would treat with with positive expectations. --Realistic Expectations.

In a hospital bed not far from the school, for two weeks a stack of homework sat piling higher, and a gigantic get well poster card was covered in fingerprints. I was informed that Ty read his card everyday.

He returned and very respectfully asked his nurse to leave. She did. He never shouted again.

When I gave my students their next assignment (a detailed drawing of the inside of the earth, the atmosphere etc from what we had learned over the course of the year) Ty presented me with the largest, most detailed picture in the entire class.

The following year, Ty was moved out of special ed. into all regular classes.

Last I heard, he was graduating from High School on time with his friends....some of which were together in my class.

There is a change that occurs when you impact the life of a student.

It's worth making it to that impact/mastery stage. It's not easy, but it's worth it.

Keep trying teachers.

*as always, names are changed.

Wong, H., & Wong, R.T. (2015). The First Days of School: How to be an effective teacher.

Apples Falling from the Trees

When it comes to teaching, classroom management is one of the hardest bits of teaching finesse to observe. You can read articles, books, information on all the techniques. (I'll even describe a few of them for you later.) However, it's difficult to notice that teacher who is standing inches closer to a chatting student. Proximity, speech, etc. are teaching cues that we take for granted which a teacher has learned to keep their class on topic.

(Classroom management:  It's sorta like standing under a ripe apple tree and at any moment several apples are going to fall, and you have to catch them all.)

However interesting, I'd prefer to discuss a different management:

Parent/Guardian Management. 

What? You thought you were only in charge of a classroom full of students?

True. You can't see those parents/guardians in your classroom. But parents are a dynamic and integral part of any class.

Cue my classroom management course: 
My classroom management professor decided to have us role play various scenarios. One student was given the role of the teacher and the other students was given the role of the parent/guardian.

Liz*, the student in training opposite me, was given this prompt: "You have called in a parent to discuss a student's behavior. The student's scores are good, but not perfect. But he is constantly disruptive, audibly yawns in your classroom and pretends to be asleep."

My prompt: "You are a parent who has been called in to talk to a teacher. Your child is a good student but is sometimes bored. You tell the teacher that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, if your child doesn't enjoy a class, it's the teacher's fault."

(This was going to be fun!) *names have been changed*

Before role play started I asked my fellow student, "What's your name?" -Me

"Liz."

"No. What's your teacher name? Ms....?" - Me

"Oh! Ms. Clark." - Liz aka. Ms. Clark

"What subject do you teach Ms. Clark?" - Me

"Math." - Ms. Clark, grinning and clearly excited.

I slouched far down into my chair, planted my legs and glared. "So, my son James is in your class. He says it's booorrrring..."-Me

"Okay. Well, if he's bored..." - Ms. Clark

"He has a B in your class. What's wrong with that?" - Me

"Well, I've been having some struggles..." - Ms. Clark

"I know all about your classroom Ms. Clark, my son's told me all about how you stand up at the whiteboard writing equations, blah blah blah, lecture lecture all day long. And I know about that stupid paper you want him to sign." - Me

"But..." - Ms. Clark

"APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE! If my son is bored in your class, it's YOUR fault!" - Me

At this point our professor stopped us and explained that at any point during a parent/teacher argument you can request help from administration. In other words, if you find a parent being unreasonable you can have the principal or vice principal proctor or even take over the discussion. 

But Liz Clark turned to our professor and with tears in her eyes asked, "What if I really am boring?" 

"Liz," I replied, "Do you enjoy your subject? Do you really love teaching math?"

"Yes." she cried.

"Then no matter what you'll find the ways to reach your students, and if you enjoy it, you won't be boring." - Me

I could end here. 

But, I haven't explained my favorite techniques for classroom management, or in this case:  Parent/Guardian Management. 

1. Contact parents frequently through email, phone etc. 

Make sure you're on the same page as the parents and that the parents fully understand your grading policies or the policies of your school in general. Make sure your communication is not all negative. Positive communication is just as important. (Sending positive notes home is also effective for teaching. See my post on Letters from School.)

2. Enjoy your subject 

Show that you enjoy the subject you teach, and if possible allow your students to show what they care about in the way they present in your classroom. (i.e. If a students loves drawing, have them draw their next report.) When you enjoy teaching the class, the students enjoy being in the class, the parents see their student enjoying to learn.

3. Fess up when you're wrong

Teachers are human too. There will be times when you lose a paper, score something wrong, accidentally teach a misconception. Or spill that cup of juice all over a student's report. Apologize, work through it, it's okay to make a mistake, it's not okay to let the mistake linger.

4. Stand your ground when you're right

Lastly, you may not always get along with a parent. Don't worry, I've been there too. Sometimes things don't work out and you may need help from an administrator. If this happens, don't fret too much. Education is rarely a solo activity. It really does take a village to raise a child--parents and administrators are included in that village.