Guest Author - Jeanne Rutgers
If you have a child in the bottom reading group, conferences become a nerve racking ten minutes with other parents hovering outside the classroom door, as you try to get as much information from the teachers as possible. Here are a few quick tips to help you make the most of those conferences.
Prepare: If you have something specific that you feel must be discussed in your child’s conference, give the teacher some advance notice. A week before the conference you might send her an email that says, “I know my son is struggling with his reading. If you have any practice books, or worksheets that we could do at home could you please bring them to the conference.” Not only does this give the teacher some time to gather resource materials, but it also opens the door for some frank conversation about your child’s academic progress.
Notes: Bring a small notebook to the conference. Before the conference write down questions you want to make sure that you ask. Those ten minutes go by fast. It is easy to get side tracked and forget something you wanted to say. You can also write down any important information that the teacher gives you in that notebook.
Listen: Many of us are nervous talkers. Try to really listen to what your child’s teachers have to say. Of course as a parent, you know your child the best. However, teachers know your child as a student. A teacher may have some different insights to your child’s learning style.
Learn: If you have a child who is struggling with reading, you need to understand some of the basic principals of reading instruction and ways to work with your child at home. Very often I hear the parents of my students say, “I don’t understand why my son is such a poor reader. We read to him every night.” My usual response is, “Reading to someone is not the same as teaching them how to read. I listen to music in my car, while I am cleaning, and at the gym. But I can’t play an instrument, and birthdays are much happier when I don’t sing.”
The best book I have found on reading education for parents is Straight Talk About Reading by Susan L. Hall and Louisa C. Moats. The book explains the differences between whole language and phonics. It contains several easy to charts that show at what age a child should be able to recognize sight words, rhyme and blend sounds. After each chart the book gives specific instruction on how to teach the described skills. The book also answers questions like, “What Does My Child Need to Know to be Ready to Read?” (pg 163) and “How Important is Writing and Correct Spelling?” ( pg119). This book is a favorite among parents because it gives practical suggestions that can be done at home.
The Ten Minute Myth: You have more than ten minutes twice a year to talk with your child’s teacher. If after the conference you still have concerns, send her an email or a voicemail asking her to speak with you again. However, be reasonable. I have had parents request a weekly 30 minute meeting. That’s a little extreme. A meeting in a month to discuss progress is a fair request. A follow up meeting may also help keep you on track as well. Very often I see parents leave conference with phonics games, flash cards and big plans. However a few weeks after the conference the reality of a busy life sets in and the practice times become shorter and soon forgotten. Gaining ground academically is hard work. It takes a strong commitment to practice. However for the students and parents who put forth the effort, I have seen great rewards.
