By now, parents should have a goal setting parent conference scheduled. Conferences are a wonderful opportunity to establish clear, meaningful home/school communications. All children learn in different ways. Each has his/her own unique personality, interests, likes, hopes, dreams, and fears. To aid their students in acquiring new skills and knowledge, teachers need to be aware of each child’s special interests, concerns, and learning style. No one knows a child better than his/her parents. Teachers have valuable information about how your child works in a group setting, and how well he/she is mastering grade level standards and skills. The parent conference is a great way to encourage two-way communication. Conferences are meant to facilitate parent involvement in students learning. At Woodbury, we believe students whose families are directly involved in their learning do better in school. Research supports this belief. A 1994 compilation of research entitled, “The Family is Critical to Student Achievement” edited by Henderson and Berla states:
“….. the evidence is now beyond dispute. The most accurate predictor of a student’s achievement in school is not income or social status, but the extent to which that student’s family is able to:
- Create a home environment that encourages learning.
- Express high (but not unrealistic) expectations for their children’s achievement and future careers.
- Become involved in their children’s education at school and in the community.”
This year’s fall parent conferences will be held August 28th through September 1st. In collaboration with you, teachers will be setting goals for your child’s learning. In addition, you will receive a report of your child’s progress, but no report card. The first trimester report card will be sent home in November following the end of the first trimester.