Parent-School Communication
The following recommendations were compiled by members of the Parent Institute Committee of the Office of Gifted Education and Curriculum Development. They are based on the experiences of educators and parents of gifted students in Virginia Beach City Public Schools.
1. Discuss motivation with your child to help determine the ways in which she is motivated and what she finds to be rewarding.
2. Ask to meet with your child's teacher to collaborate about maintaining and enhancing his motivation to achieve.
3. Explain your understanding of how your child is motivated with the teacher(s). You may want to include your child in this discussion if she is emotionally mature and capable of understanding most of what is said.
4. Ask the teacher(s) to describe how the school can support and enhance your child's motivation.
5. Provide your suggestions for how the teacher(s) can help.
6. Ask the teacher(s) how you can support their efforts from home.
7. Establish how you will be kept informed of your child's progress.
8. Do not give any assurances to the teacher(s) about your own efforts unless you are strongly committed to following through with those commitments.
9. Summarize your understanding at the end of the collaboration and ask the teacher(s) to confirm that your interpretation is correct.
10. Whether at the meeting or in the home afterward, share your understanding of what is to happen with your child and confirm that he understands both what is being planned and why it is happening. Strive to get your child's concurrence with the plan.
Sandra Berger wrote an online article for the magazine Family Education with recommendations for parent-teacher conferences when you have a gifted child. See her suggestions in Tips for you gifted kid's parent-teacher conference.
1. Discuss motivation with your child to help determine the ways in which she is motivated and what she finds to be rewarding.
2. Ask to meet with your child's teacher to collaborate about maintaining and enhancing his motivation to achieve.
3. Explain your understanding of how your child is motivated with the teacher(s). You may want to include your child in this discussion if she is emotionally mature and capable of understanding most of what is said.
4. Ask the teacher(s) to describe how the school can support and enhance your child's motivation.
5. Provide your suggestions for how the teacher(s) can help.
6. Ask the teacher(s) how you can support their efforts from home.
7. Establish how you will be kept informed of your child's progress.
8. Do not give any assurances to the teacher(s) about your own efforts unless you are strongly committed to following through with those commitments.
9. Summarize your understanding at the end of the collaboration and ask the teacher(s) to confirm that your interpretation is correct.
10. Whether at the meeting or in the home afterward, share your understanding of what is to happen with your child and confirm that he understands both what is being planned and why it is happening. Strive to get your child's concurrence with the plan.
Sandra Berger wrote an online article for the magazine Family Education with recommendations for parent-teacher conferences when you have a gifted child. See her suggestions in Tips for you gifted kid's parent-teacher conference.
References
Berger, Sandra Tips for your gifted kid's parent-teacher conference [PDF document.] Retrieved from the familyeducation Online Web site: http://school.familyeducation.com/gifted-education/parent-teacher-conferences/38665.html