Kindergarteners learn so many important skills throughout the year. It's essential to document their progress and keep track of their growth throughout the year. One of the best ways to do that is by making a kindergarten portfolio for each of your students. Read on to learn how to make a student portfolio and what the benefits are.

What is a Kindergarten Portfolio?

A kindergarten portfolio is an authentic way to assess a student's skills, growth, and progress throughout the year.

A kindergarten portfolio is a collection of student work samples, teacher notes and documentation, and assessments from the year. You can also add photos, art projects, and memories from the year.

What are the Benefits of Using a Kindergarten Portfolio?

Kindergarten portfolios have a ton of great benefits for students, teachers, and parents.

The items included in a kindergarten portfolio give everyone involved in a child's education a snapshot of the strengths, areas of growth, and progress made by the students during the year.

A kindergarten portfolio gives you documentation and examples of your students' skills so you can plan instruction accordingly. They are a great way to document student growth on various skills as well as keep track of skills they need more practice with.

This helps teachers guide instruction, lead parent teacher conferences, and make informed decisions for students. It can also be helpful in forming small groups.

Having a student portfolio helps teachers prepare for parent meetings or other meetings related to student intervention.

It provides visual proof to back up your concerns and areas of growth. A student portfolio is a powerful way to show parents how their child is progressing.

By including students in the process of choosing what work samples and special projects are included in the portfolio, they'll be encouraged to take ownership of their work and feel a sense of pride and motivation to work hard.

How to Make a Student Portfolio

To make a kindergarten student portfolio, have students decorate a plain folder and label it with their name. This will help them feel included in the portfolio and not see it as intimidating.

Have a designated place where you keep work samples and items for the student portfolio. This could be a drawer, basket, etc.

Once a week, file the items into each student's portfolio. Store the portfolios in a filing cabinet or in a basket in your teacher area or closet.

What to Include in a Kindergarten Portfolio?

The great thing about student portfolios is that they are super customizable and you can include a variety of items.

Student Work Samples

Student work samples showing progress on key kindergarten math and literacy skills are important to include.

You can use a no prep math and literacy worksheets to quickly assess or check-in on your students' skills. Once you record the data, the worksheet can go into the portfolio to back up your data and show the student's work.

Writing Samples

Writing skills are important to track progress on in kindergarten. In your kindergarten portfolio, include samples of various types of writing, such as name writing, handwriting, sentence writing, etc.

At the beginning of the year, your students will be working hard on writing their names and letters. By the end of the year, they'll be writing sentences with more detail.

Writing prompts are a great way to see students' writing skills and how far they've come. Save these writing pieces in your students' portfolios to show their writing progress as well as their progress with using writing conventions, vocabulary words, etc.

Math and Literacy Skill Samples

Collect math and literacy skill samples in your kindergarten portfolio to help showcase growth.

You definitely don't have to save every page of work your students complete. Choose one or two worksheet samples for each key skill you want to track.

For math, this may be number writing, counting, patterns, basic addition/subtraction, shapes, etc.

For literacy, it may be letter writing, rhyming, syllables, phoneme segmentation, story sequencing, etc.

Assessments and Progress Monitoring Checklists

Assessments, progress monitoring checklists, and data are also important to include in a portfolio. You may want to group these items with the work samples used to assess or collect the data.

Letter names, beginning sounds, sight words, number recognition, and counting are a few important skills to assess and monitor throughout the year and include in the portfolio.

To help make assessing letter naming fluency easy, you can grab your free copy of this assessment and teacher data tracker by filling out the form below.

Fine Motor Samples

Fine motor skills are key in kindergarten, so it's important to collect samples on these skills.

Have students complete no prep cutting, pasting, and coloring worksheets to use for skill checks and to include in your kindergarten portfolio.

Art Samples and Memories

A student portfolio doesn't have to be all about skills and data. It can also include fun art projects that students are proud of, pictures, and memories from the year.

Your students can help choose their favorite art projects to add to their portfolio, which is a good way to include them in making the student portfolio.

Teacher Notes

Teacher notes are another great item to include in a student portfolio. This could be notes on social emotional skills, behavior, learning styles, positive feedback, or special memories.

If you're ready to implement student portfolios with your students and would like more math and literacy worksheets to include in your portfolios, check out this Grab and Go Math and Literacy Worksheet resource bundle.

You'll be set for collecting math, literacy, and fine motor work samples all year long!

Do you use kindergarten portfolios in your classroom? Tell me in the comments below!

The post How to Make a Student Portfolio for Kindergarten appeared first on The Printable Princess.

]]> https://www.theprintableprincess.com/how-to-make-a-student-portfolio-for-kindergarten/feed/ 0 https://www.theprintableprincess.com/discussing-concerns-with-parents/ https://www.theprintableprincess.com/discussing-concerns-with-parents/#respond Wed, 27 Oct 2021 16:30:00 +0000 https://www.theprintableprincess.com/?p=82380 As a teacher, it's inevitable that you'll have to talk to parents about concerns at some point during the year. Whether they are behavioral, academic, or social concerns, these conversations can be uncomfortable. With these tips for discussing concerns with parents, you can be sure to make the experience as positive as possible for everyone....

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As a teacher, it's inevitable that you'll have to talk to parents about concerns at some point during the year. Whether they are behavioral, academic, or social concerns, these conversations can be uncomfortable. With these tips for discussing concerns with parents, you can be sure to make the experience as positive as possible for everyone.

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When everyone is on the same page and working together, that's where the magic happens! Whether you are reading this at the beginning, middle, or towards the end of the school year, just know, it is NEVER too late to start working towards establishing these positive relationships. 

Tips for Establishing a Relationship

When it comes to positive communication with parents, just like (almost) everything else in life: it doesn't just happen overnight. It takes a little work up front to ensure that you are establishing a solid relationship built on trust and collaboration. Once you do that, the lines of communication are open, making positive communication much easier.

Setting communication up for success.

The first parent-teacher communication tip is to express to the parents that you are excited to be working with them and teaching their child. Letting them know right away that you want to approach this as the team you are will make them feel more comfortable communicating with you.

Remember, it can be intimidating for parents to talk with teachers, who are the “experts” when it comes to their child's education. This is especially challenging for parents sending their first child to school. Invite them to come to you with their ideas, questions, and concerns whenever they arise.  

Determine methods of communication.

It is a good parent-teacher communication tip to ask parents how they prefer to communicate. Some parents like to email, send a text, or use the messaging feature of your virtual learning platform. Other parents prefer phone calls or talking in-person after school.

It is important to set expectations for them on how you will be communicating with the class as a whole. Ensure they are set up for your virtual learning platform so they have access to the messaging features. However, if you need to check in or ask a quick question, it is a good practice to know where they will most likely be reached. 

Highlight the positives.

Make every effort to ensure that your first communication with parents is to deliver positive news. Reach out to parents when their child has achieved something they have been working towards or has done something positive. You can send home a special note from the teacher in their child's backpack or via the form of communication that works best for them. You can even call them with their child at school and let their child tell them what they have accomplished. The child will feel so special and it will make their parents' day!

Communicate regularly.

It is essential that communication with parents happens regularly. That doesn't mean you have to email or call home every day. Getting into a good routine with weekly communication will ensure those lines of communication are always open and parents are in the loop of what is happening in their child's education.

A key parent-teacher communication tip for communicating regularly is to send a weekly newsletter or check-in message. This can outline the skills and objectives the students are covering that week. You can give parents ideas of what to work on with their child, go over any important events or dates to be aware of, and also leave a positive note focusing on something great their child did that week. 

Choice boards for at home learning.

This Kindergarten Homework Yearlong Bundle is the perfect way to do just that! These choice boards are full of meaningful, DIY activities that parents and students can do together to encourage learning at home. These activities also encourage them to spend quality time together at home. Skills progress throughout the year and the directions are written in a parent-friendly format.

There is an editable box at the bottom of each page that you can type in the week's sight words, key skills for the week, or notes to parents. There are 40 weeks worth of engaging activities along with 12 themed monthly reading logs. These choice boards work great for in-person or virtual learning. 

Tips for Working Together 

Now that open lines of communication are set, you are ready to work together with parents as a team. This will help you deliver the best possible education and opportunities to the students. With your support at school and their support at home, great things will happen!

Invite parents to be involved.

Inviting parents to play a role and be involved in their child's learning is an essential part of establishing these positive relationships. One of the best ways to do this is to get parents involved with the class and their child's education. As always, check with your district and school's policy on visitors and volunteers. A few ways to get parents involved is by using parent volunteers, having parents come in as guests, and asking for parent feedback.

Utilize parent volunteers.

Parents can be involved by volunteering in your classroom if allowed. They can help with things such as going over homework folders, helping with an art project, or reviewing sight words with students. They can also help outside of the classroom by making copies, cutting lamination, or prepping centers. For more ideas on working with parent volunteers, check out this blog post.  

Guest appearances. 

It is also fun to involve parents in special ways, too. Parents can be guest readers or surprise readers! Seeing a student's eyes light up when their parent walks through the door to read is the best! You can even invite parents to come talk to the class about their job or share about something special like a hobby or a trip they've taken. This opens the eyes of all students to the world and opportunities around them.

Ask for feedback.

Another important parent-teacher communication tip is to allow parents to share their feedback and suggestions. Parents know their children better than anyone. They know their personality, strengths, weaknesses, and likes/dislikes. You can ask parents for feedback on these characteristics. This will help you structure your lessons, the types of activities you use, and how you address the child. This gives parents the opportunity to share their expertise. 

Benefits of involving parents.

When you involve parents in the learning, this makes it even easier to work together if there is an academic or behavior concern. When parents are in-the-know and have an idea of how your classroom is ran and what your expectations are, they are more likely to be on board with your suggestions and have ideas and suggestions of their own. If you've already made positive contact and established that relationship, they are more likely to be supportive and valuable team players.

Tips for Communication

No matter what time of year it is or in what scenario you are communicating with parents, whether it be at the beginning of the year, after school, or during parent teacher conferences, there are a few ideas to keep in mind when it comes to communicating effectively. This will help both you and the parents feel comfortable and make the most of your conversations.

Be patient and open-minded.

Parents may be nervous to communicate with you, especially if this is their first child in school. Be patient and open-minded with the parents when they have questions. Seek to listen first. Make time for them and their questions, even if the answer or solution seems clear to you. The fact that they are asking is a huge step in the right direction and shows they are invested in their child's learning. 

Be relatable. 

This parent-teacher communication tip is huge! Be relatable to the parents. Explain yourself and answer their questions in terms that they will understand and connect on a personal level. Leave the high-level educational or medical terms for your coworker conversations. Imagine yourself as the parent in their position and how you would want to be approached. Let them know that you understand their concerns and value their opinions!

Use the glow and grow strategy.

This strategy is important, especially during parent-teacher conferences or special meetings. When discussing students' progress and giving feedback, always start by highlighting the positives. These are the things that students are “glowing” in. Then, address the feedback and concerns. These are the things that students are “growing” in. Follow it up with another positive, making a glow, grow, glow sandwich! This ensures that the conversation begins and ends on a positive note.

It is a good practice to update parents often on their students' progress, especially after talking about ways in which students can improve. This can be done formally via a meeting or phone call, or informally by sending a quick message to tell them the positive growth you are seeing. 

Taking the time, no matter what time of the year, to establish positive communication, work together with parents, and communicate in a positive manner will ensure a solid parent-teacher relationship. Everyone will benefit from this relationship, but most importantly, the best interest of the student will always be in mind.

Do you have a great parent-teacher communication tip you'd like to share? I'd love to hear it!

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The ultimate goal is for the students to leave feeling excited about school and ready to come back and learn with you. These Meet the Teacher ideas and tips will help you host a successful event from the preparation stages all the way through the event and beyond.

Before Meet the Teacher

When gathering your Meet the Teacher ideas, it is so easy for your brain to feel like a tornado with ideas and to-do's spinning around like crazy. So much to do, so little time, right?! Instead of feeling distraught, let's break it down and take it one step at a time. First, begin with tasks to complete before your Meet the Teacher event.

Clean and Tidy Up

Depending on when your Meet the Teacher event is held, your classroom may or may not be complete. Some schools host their event before the first day of school while others host it days after school has started. Don't stress if you don't have everything labeled yet or if your curriculum books aren't in their forever home.

Your first task is to clean and tidy up your classroom. Dust off your shelves, pick up those pesky crayon wrappers that always seem to hang around, put away projects that you are working on, etc. This will make your room look welcoming and neat, making everyone feel more at ease.

Put Away Important Items

Once you have cleaned and tidied, take a walk around your classroom and put away items that you don't want touched. Your new students and their siblings that visit your room can be curious, leading to lots of exploring, if you know what I mean.

If you have items that are breakable, have a lot of pieces, or are very valuable to you and/or the school, put those away or out of reach for now.

Set Up a Kid's Station

Your Meet the Teacher event is a great opportunity to get to know your students and talk with their parents. Setting up a kid's station in your classroom with baskets of toys or a table with coloring pages and crayons is a good way to keep siblings busy while they wait. This Back to School Monster freebie could also be added to your kid's station.

If you want to chat with the parents one-on-one, your new students can take advantage of this station too. It doesn't need to be fancy, just a few simple toys that won't leave a big mess or be too loud. Think toys like blocks and simple puzzles. Easy set-up, easy clean-up.

Set Up a Supply Station.

If your Meet the Teacher event is before school or on the first day, your students may come with their supplies. Having a designated place for them to put their supplies will save you from having to direct everyone. Either hang up a sign telling them to put their supplies in their desk (brown grocery bags work great for this) or have a labeled bin for them to put their individual supplies in.

Individual bins with the students' names on them will keep all supplies separate, easy to access and move around, simple to sanitize, and will cut down on sharing.

Include a Meet the Teacher Letter and Surprise

One of the first steps in building a great relationship with your students is to get to know them AND let them get to know you! Type up a simple, one-page Meet the Teacher letter that tells them about you, your background, and your favorite things. Include a picture or two of you and your family. They will love learning where you went to school, what your favorite food is, how many pets you have, etc!

It also makes them feel special if you have a little surprise for them! A few ideas for a Meet the Teacher surprise are a back to school decorated cookie in a cute bag, a goodie bag with a back to school pencil and sidewalk chalk, a new tube of bubbles, or anything small you know they will love. Place your letter and surprise on their desk for them to take home.

During Meet the Teacher

Now that you are organized and your room is ready to go, it's time to open your doors and your heart to your new Kindergarteners. Keep these Meet the Teacher ideas in mind during the event.

Set the Scene

To make your room feel welcoming, play soft, calming music in the background. Not too loud, just enough to make the room feel soothing. You know that music that plays at a spa? Think something like that! You can search “relaxing music for the classroom” on your internet browser and great options will pop up.

Bonus tip: You can play this music in your classroom every morning as students enter or when your students are working. It's magical what it will do for their focus and noise level!

Another idea for setting the scene is to project your Meet the Teacher letter on your board or screen. Family members will enjoy reading this while they wait to chat with you or as their student explores the room. The students will enjoy it too!

Designate a Photo Area

Parents will be eager to take photos of their student in their new classroom and with their teacher. Designate an area in your room for students to take pictures individually and with you. This may be in front of your back to school bulletin board or by the welcome sign.

Ask For Volunteers

Working with parent volunteers is a great way to get them involved in their child's school and build positive relationships.  Whether they are volunteering for a classroom party, helping check folders, making copies, or working with students during reading groups, it is best to get their names down early.

If your school does not allow for parent volunteers in the building, they can volunteer at home by cutting out lamination, recording a read aloud for the class, or simply working with their own child.

Include a volunteer sign up sheet at a small table with information about what they can choose to help with at your Meet the Teacher event. This will help you get your volunteers organized so they can start helping you and your students early in the year. For more ideas on working with parent volunteers, visit this blog post.

Greet Everyone

The most important thing to remember during your Meet the Teacher event is to greet everyone. Talk with each student and their family members. Ask them questions and get to know a little bit more about them. Relationships are EVERYTHING and this is the first step in building them. For more ideas on building relationships with your students, check out this blog post. 

After Meet the Teacher

You made it! Your event is a wrap, but there are a couple more Meet the Teacher ideas for you to make this a total success.

Make Notes

After the event, make note of any important observations and conversations that you don't want to forget. You may have observed a certain behavior that you want to keep an eye on or had a parent tell you about a dietary need to keep in mind at snack time. Write those down right away as well as any other to-do's that came to your mind during the event.

Follow Up

It is a good practice to follow up with the parents after your Meet the Teacher event to thank them and their student for coming, ask them if they have any questions or concerns, and let them know the best way to reach you. You can do this via email or a written thank you note that you send home.

Dress the Part

The last tip is to wear the same outfit on the first day of school as you do at your Meet the Teacher event. This will help your students identify you and remember where to go. Another idea is to dress in matching shirts with your grade level team if you have one. This will help students and parents know that they can go to any of you for help.

With these Meet the Teacher ideas and tips, you can make yourself a checklist of items to keep in mind. You are sure to make a great first impression at your Meet the Teacher event.

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Without help, it’s nearly impossible to do it all. That’s where parent volunteers can be invaluable. Not only can they make your life easier, they can also be a great benefit to your students and your school as a whole. After all, research has shown that family involvement is critical to student achievement. 

Here are four tips to help you make the most of parent volunteers in your classroom. 

Have a grand plan.

Think about how helpers can have the most impact for you. Where do you need the most help? Is there a certain task or time of day where you could use an extra set of hands?

Maybe you like parents to do one-on-one reading with students. Or maybe you need parents to help coordinate or oversee small groups during center time. Maybe you need behind the scenes help like copying, filing or gathering materials for lessons. Or maybe you need someone to be your go-to for parties and special events.

Every teacher’s needs and comfort level for having other adults in the room are different. It is important that you stick to what is comfortable for you and works for your schedule.

Approach volunteers early. 

The beginning of the school year is the best time to recruit parent volunteers to fill these roles.  Have a sign up available at back to school night or kindergarten open house. (Check out the one I included at the end of this blog post.) If possible send out an email before school even begins. 

Make parents aware of your needs, but also ask if they have any talents they would like to share. Maybe you have a techie parent who wants to help you maintain your website. Maybe a parent is a physician and wants to come in to talk to the kids about safety. Or maybe you have an exceptionally artistic parent that wants to do all your bulletin boards.

Every year the pool will be different and being open to using parents’ gifts will help them feel involved and welcome. 

If parents are required to fill out volunteer forms, be sure to let them know and send home a copy of the form. Check to make sure the paperwork is completed and on-file in the office before volunteer work begins.

Be organized and prepared.

Most people these days juggle busy schedules, so it’s a bummer to set aside time to come into school to volunteer only to find there’s not really anything constructive for you to do. Planning ahead and having tasks ready to go makes parents feel that they are really making a contribution to the classroom.

I liked to have a designated spot for volunteers in the classroom with an ongoing list of tasks that needed to be done posted along with all the materials necessary. Volunteers come in, go straight to the list and get going without interrupting the classroom flow. 

In addition, if you have any changes to your daily schedule like an assembly or field trip, be sure to let parents know ahead of time so they don’t waste a trip. 

Show volunteers appreciation.

Nothing burns volunteers out faster than not feeling noticed or appreciated. Take the time to thank the parents that support you, even if it’s just a quick email or a shout-out in your newsletter.

I always liked to give my volunteers gifts at the holidays and again at the end of the year. Nothing fancy- a candle or small plant or gift card- just a small gesture expressing my gratitude. If a small gift isn't in the budget, a handwritten, heartfelt note goes a long way.

A few ideas for parent volunteer roles:

It's a great idea to have a variety of tasks that parents can help with. Some parents will be ready and willing to jump right in and work with students. Other parents would prefer to work on tasks “behind the scenes”.

Both types of parents can be incredibly valuable, so keep that in mind as you are planning and preparing.

Here's some examples:

Working with students:

Station helper: a weekly volunteer that can come in and help supervise and manage classroom centers. They can either run their own station or circulate the room while you work with small groups.

Reading helper: someone who comes in during reading group time to read one on one with students

Academic helper: someone who comes in to work with one to two students who could use some extra practice

Special guest reader: parents who volunteer to do a read-aloud (while you get other things done!)

Library helper: a volunteer who helps kids pick books on library day, or fill students’ at-home book bags, or helps keep your classroom library neat and organized. 

Working behind the scenes:

Office helper: a person who helps prepare for lessons and activities by copying, laminating, cutting and collating, etc. This person can also tear out workbook pages or file papers. 

Supplies helper: a person who sharpens pencils, cleans paintbrushes, checks for dried-out markers, cleans work surfaces, fills glue bottles, etc.

Decorator helper: a person who takes down/hangs up student work or bulletin board displays

Homework folder preparation: someone who helps you assemble and organize your weekly take-home folders

Other Ideas:

At home helper: a parent who cuts, staples, assembles, or collates pages at home

Special project helpers: anytime you’re doing a big project that requires a few extra hands like a science experiment or special art projects, these are volunteers that can come in and lend an extra hand

Parties and events coordinator and helpers: people who plan the activities and snacks for class parties. They coordinate with other parents for supplies and station helpers.

Field trip chaperones: volunteers who come with you on field trips

Free Parent Volunteer Forms

Organization is the key to a successful parent volunteer program. You need to find out when parents available, find out their interests, and then create a schedule.

To help you get and stay organized this school year I've put together a free kit of classroom volunteer forms. These forms will help you recruit parents, find out their availability, and create a schedule. Some of the pages are editable, so you can customize them to fit your classroom needs. (You will need Power Point to edit the file.)

Included is a sign-up form that you can leave out during parent events, a letter and survey to help you organize, and an editable calendar that you can share with volunteers. 

Download your copy of the free Parent Volunteer forms.

Kindergarten is a very special year in the life of young students and for their parents as well. Open up your classroom and involve families as much as you can. Everyone will receive the support they need and you may even be surprised to walk away with some lifelong friends. 

The post Using Parent Volunteers in Your Classroom appeared first on The Printable Princess.

They may not understand educational acronyms like SLP, IEP or SST. They are also probably not familiar with terms like benchmark, fluency, or grit. But parents are smart, and let’s face it- they know their child far better than we do. Most just don't happen have the professional training that we do as educators.

Therefore it’s our responsibility to inform parents of their child’s progress in the classroom in a clear and helpful way. And report card comments are a great tool to provide parents with authentic commentary that reflects their child’s unique strengths and challenges. Report cards also can include next steps for improvement.  

Here are a few tips to help you write effective, accurate report cards comments.

This article, along with many other articles on The Printable Princess, contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through the link I earn a small commission.  Clicking these links does not cost you any extra but helps this website to keep great articles and freebies coming your way. 

Tips for Writing Report Card Comments

1. Plan ahead.

Looking back and trying to sum up months of work is a difficult task without documentation. One of the best tools for keeping track of your students’ progress is an observation notebook.

At the beginning of each school year I put together a three ring binder with divider tabs, one for each student. This is a special binder that I treat myself to. I make sure it's pretty so I want to write in it often. 

Behind each tab I include observation sheets, broken down by quarter, for documenting each student’s behavior, strengths, weaknesses and progress. I also include a simple parent communication log so I can quickly jot down when I've spoken to parents.

I wish I could say I write in them every day, but realistically I shoot for at least an entries or two per student each week. Jotting down notes on a regular basis makes report cards infinitely easier.

Another tip I have found for this system, is keeping post-it notes handy. When I'm short on time but need to document, I will write a super short summary and the date on a post-it note. Then I open my observation notebook and stick the post-it note on the student's page.

When I have time I go back and transfer the information on to the formal observation page.

I'll put a link to the student observation page at the end of this blog post. 

2. Proceed with compassion.

As you summarize a student’s performance for the report card comments, think about what you would want to hear if this was your child. It's natural for parents to feel vulnerable when someone else is evaluating their child, especially families who have just recently entered the school years phase of life. 

Every child has things to celebrate! Start with things the student is doing well before addressing any shortcomings, and keep the overall tone of your comments positive and encouraging. 

3. Be authentic.

Don’t be one of those teachers that copies and pastes the same canned report card comment for every kid. Take the time to think about each student and provide a personalized accounting that paints an accurate picture. 

It's okay to have a few generic report card comments that you can tweak and tailor to each child. However if you are copy and pasting the same exact comment for each student, you might want to reevaluate your process.

When possible, include anecdotes and quotes that show you really know the child as an individual. Keep in mind that if your comments are not authentic, they’re not helpful.

4. Make sure the facts support your comments.

It’s very important to use the data available to you to provide an accurate report. Don’t give a child an unsatisfactory grade if you don’t have documentation to back it up. This is where keeping ongoing student portfolios comes in handy.

If there is a paper or assignment that you need/want parents to see, make a copy of it for your record. Send home the original but keep a copy to support the grade assigned on the report card. On your copy you can even make a note on the date it was sent home.

Report cards should give parents specific, detailed information about the concepts their child has mastered as well as areas that may need extra attention.

5. If there are issues, be honest about them.

If there is a problem the report card comments shouldn't be the first time a parent is hearing about it. Ideally you would first have a parent-teacher conference. But since report cards serve as documentation, it is important to have proof that you have expressed concerns in writing.

Sometimes it’s hard to address the challenges students face, but that is a very important part of your professional responsibility as an educator. The best way to address issues is through direct, yet tactful, communication. 

Focus on how the issue, whether academic or behavioral, is impacting the child's learning and if applicable, the learning community as a whole.

From there you can mention one or two practical, actionable ways to help the child improve, especially ways parents can help support their child at home. Working together, you can accomplish the ultimate goal- providing their child with the best education possible. 

If you're wanting a copy of the observation page and parent communication log, you can download a copy by clicking here. It's nothing fancy, but it works for me. 

Writing report card comments doesn't have to be a grueling process. Think of it as a valuable opportunity to make sure you're on the right track with your students as well as on the same page with your student's families.

Remember that with a little planning and lots of reflection, your input will provide the valuable professional insight that will only benefit your students in the long run. 

Until next time,

The post Practical Tips for Writing Report Card Comments appeared first on The Printable Princess.

It’s only natural to get defensive, weepy or even angry in the face of conflict.

Just like preparing for Parent-Teacher conferences, there’s a few things you can do to prepare for a meeting where you may be dealing with upset parents. There are strategies you can use to ease their concerns regarding their child and work together to achieve positive results. 

With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you deal successfully with upset parents.

Tips for Dealing With Upset Parents

Be prepared.

If you will be meeting with upset parents, consider asking an administrator to sit in. If that's not possible, at the very least, leave your classroom door open and give your teammates a heads up so that they can walk by or keep an ear out.

Should the parent become angry, they would be available to call for admin back-up. 

Set a positive tone.

It’s natural to feel uneasy going into a potential conflict. When the parent arrives for your meeting approach them in an open and friendly manner. Have a smile on your face and greet them with a handshake. As hard as it may be, don’t start out on the defensive.

Approach with the mindset that the meeting will lead to a positive resolution.

Hear them out.

Now is the time to model those listening skills you’re trying so hard to teach your students. Sometimes parents, like all of us, just need to vent and once they get it all out they’ll be in the right frame of mind to work together.

Show that you are listening by making eye contact and nodding. Avoid crossing your arms. Do your best to see the conversation through calmly and professionally. 

Keep an open mind.

Before you jump to conclusions, do your best to see things from their point of view. After all, every story has multiple angles. The parents may have a legitimate beef or there may be a history there that you don’t know about.

Approach with compassion. Validate their concerns and let them know that you want to help. Ask questions if you need clarification.

Take a team approach.

You all have the same goal here: doing what’s best for the child. Take a problem solving approach as you seek mutual understanding.

Assure the parents that you are committed to working together with them to find a solution. It's okay to ask them for their suggestion. Come up with a plan together. 

Keep it professional.

When dealing with upset parents, try not to take the upset personally. People are passionate when it comes to their children. Focus on the issue at hand; don’t wander off topic or allow them to.

Above all, don’t worry about whether they like you or not- you’re not looking to be their best friend. You’re responsibility is to advocate for what’s best for the student.

Set boundaries.

Should the situation escalate at any time to the point where you are feeling threatened, your top priority is to protect your safety. Call a timeout, ask an administrator to come sit in on the meeting or reschedule the meeting for a later time when everyone has calmed down.

It is okay to tell stop a meeting if a parent is shouting or using inappropriate words. Being bullied is not part of the job description and is absolutely unacceptable.

Follow up.

Follow up with a personal phone call. Tone and emotion can often be misconstrued via e-mail, so making a quick phone call to check in and update is best. It let's the parent know that you are following through.

Be friendly, and above all always start with positives. By going the extra mile with a phone call, you may be able to set the tone for a positive relationship that will last the remainder of the school year.

Hopefully, dealing with upset parents is something you don't have to deal with very frequently.

But when it inevitably happens your best course of action is to set a positive intention, approach the conflict openly and professionally and keep the goal of doing what's best for the child foremost in your mind.

Until next time,

The post Dealing with Upset Parents appeared first on The Printable Princess.

Parent teacher conferences help me build relationships with students and their families. This is vital so that together we can understand and support their child in getting the most out of their time at school.

Sure, conferences can be time consuming and a lot of extra work. They can also be intimidating. But they don't have to be! (And if you're a new teacher, don't worry they do get easier.)

With careful preparation, you may just find that parent teacher conferences are a wonderful opportunity to create the supportive network that you need to help your students get the best education possible.

Here are a few tips and trick for before and during conferences to make them a positive experience for everyone.

Before Parent Teacher conferences:

Be prepared.

The most important tip for making the most of parent teacher conferences is having a clear, consistent format and preparing materials ahead of time. The more organized you are ahead of time, the less stress you’ll feel when you’re sitting down face to face with your students’ parents.

If you are a new teacher, ask other teachers in your grade level to share their format and what work's for them.

Send out reminders.

Include a blurb in your weekly newsletter reminding parents of upcoming conferences. Send home an e-mail couple days before each conference session asking parents to confirm their conference time.

Create a welcoming environment.

One of my best tips for helping parents feel comfortable in my classroom during conferences is to set up a warm, inviting meeting spot. You might want to have bottled water and/or mints available. I like to have pens and paper handy for parents who might want to take notes during the parent teacher conference.

Be sure to set your area up with adult sized chairs and table- there’s nothing more awkward and intimidating than trying to cram an adult-sized body into a student-sized chair!

Consider your best seating strategy.

Pick the seating arrangement that will help both you and parents feel comfortable and at ease. And the seating arrangement may change depending on what you are expecting the conference to be like.

Sitting side by side on the same side of the table sets the stage for a collaborative conversation and makes you seem more approachable and relatable as you look through samples and reports together.

Alternatively, sitting across from each other allows you all to have direct eye contact and creates a safe zone in case of difficult conversations. If you do sit on opposite sides, make sure to seat parents with their backs toward the door so they won’t be distracted by any action in the hall, and you can keep an eye out for the next family waiting their turn.

Either way, it's also a good idea to position yourself where you can see the clock so that you can keep on schedule. Also, facing the clock with prevent you from needing to look at your watch.

Stage a waiting area.

If you're holding conferences back to back, have chairs for parents to wait in outside your door. A defined waiting area is inviting and shows that you are prepared and eager to meet with them.

Set up a table or desk with paper, markers, stickers, etc. for the parents to make a note to leave on their child’s desk while they are waiting.

Be prepared for students and younger siblings to attend.

Have a simple activity set up away from the conference table to keep kids occupied. Materials such as blocks, a puzzle, or art materials will keep them busy so their parents can focus. Put away things you don't want kids to get into.

During Parent Teacher conferences:

Take the lead.

You’ll be amazed at how quickly those fifteen or twenty minutes fly by. Set the stage for an effective conference by having a clear, consistent agenda. Take the lead and provide the information parents need, then leave time for questions at the end. 

You don’t want to get off track and have parents leave the conference without getting the valuable information they need about their child.

Start on a high note.

Always start parent teacher conferences by sharing students' strengths.  Hearing the good news first allows the parents to relax and be available to actively participate in the conference.  Share a cute or funny story that shows you really know and appreciate their child.

Some teachers like to structure their conferences with the ‘compliment sandwich' strategy.  Start the conversation with students' strengths, then tackle their challenges and finally, end with on a positive note.

Ask questions.  

Seek out parents' advice with any issues you are having with their child. After all, they have a lifetime of experience with them and may have valuable insight into how you can help their child be successful in the classroom.

Give parents the opportunity to ask questions. If you don't know the answer, make a note so you don't forget. Be sure you follow up in the days after the conference to provide answers.

Have everything you need right in front of you.

Organize any papers or work samples in the order in which you want to talk about them. This will help you stay on track with your agenda and not waste valuable time searching for resources.

The one thing you shouldn't have right in front of you is your cell phone. Leave your phone on your desk or out of sight.

Provide examples of grade level work.

In addition to samples of their own child’s work, you might want/need to provide parents with peer examples. Sometimes parents, especially first time parents, don’t really know what kindergarten level work should look like. Whether their child is working at or below (or above!) grade level, these samples will give them an idea of what you are working toward.

Just remember, if you’re using another student’s work, be sure to cover their name to protect their privacy. (Post-it notes are great for this.)

Have an exit strategy.

Even before the conference begins, know how you will end it. Out of courtesy for your next set of parents, keep a close eye on the clock. Work toward a logical spot to wrap it up, then recap the important points you have talked about and end with an action plan going forward.

Signal them that the conference is over by being the first to stand and thank them for coming.

Most importantly, take care of yourself!

Try to schedule a few minutes between each parent teacher conference to catch your breath and regroup. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes and eat well that day.  Practicing self-care will allow you to put your best foot forward and be fully present when you meet with parents.

Putting in the time and effort to plan carefully for parent teacher conferences will definitely pay off in the end. The insight you gain into your students and the relationships you build with families will help you create a happy, successful classroom.

Just be sure to follow up with a quick e-mail or note thanking parents for coming.

Until next time,

The post Winning Strategies for Parent Teacher Conferences appeared first on The Printable Princess.