Meet Me in the Middle - Chapter 15: Parents as Partners in 21st Century Learning

This chapter is about how to keep in touch with students and parents as a teacher. It is important to be able to do it both electronically and personally because some conversations are better off being spoken face to face but help with homework can be just a simple e-mail away. The chapter suggests using a website such as balckboard in which we use here at UMF to connect with students and teachers. Parents are able to access it and see what their students have for homework that night and what is coming up. Apparently, this has really made a difference in students getting their homework done, because it can’t slide by their parents. The chapter offers ways to reach out personally through postcards, home visits, and newsletters. All of these are a great way to get to know both the student and the parents.

I really liked the suggestions this chapter had to offer for both the internet uses and personal uses. I never really thought of using a device such as blackboard in my classroom when I get started. But when teachers have used it in my classroom I have always found it very useful, or even a wiki. I think it is really important to have class information listed somewhere that is easy to access for teachers, students, and parents. Some of the personal approaches that I liked were the home visits, I have always thought of it a little weird having a teacher go to a student house. But teachers are people too, and if a teacher can see a student in their home environment then they have a better chance at understanding that student. I really really likes the quarterly newsletters, I think it would be great to have whatever is going on during that quarter in paper form some parents have something physical to hold on to and look at. I would be really interested in making a newsletter to send out at whatever school I start working at. The index card inquiries are a good idea as well, it’s always good to see what parents feel you need to know about their child.