Unboxing Education

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Conferences can be hard. You have: determined which students need support. communicated, usually multiple times, in order to find a time to meet. held a conference with parents/students/other staff. Now what? First, setting the conference up for success is important.  See my previous post on managing virtual parent/teacher conferences.  During the conference, keep the goal in mind. SMART goals, that is. With as much student input as possible, set a short-term goal that is measurable.  Next, consider these tips to ensure you get the most return on your efforts to meet with students. 1. Manage Your Communication.  Where possible, you want to build relationships with students. You do this by tracking previous conversations so that each meeting feels like a continuation of the relationship. I use several Google tools to manage my communication with students and families. Google Sheets: I use a Google Sheet to keep a list of my students. I use this list to email students ...

When teachers begin to attend professional conferences, they sometimes develop an imagined perception of the speakers of those sessions as unparalleled experts in the field.  This creates feelings of imposter syndrome , in which the teacher in the audience feels like they could never be that teacher at the front of the conference. However, as someone who has worked both as a conference speaker and a member of a program committee, I can attest that the speakers at conferences are very normal people who learned something new and wish to share this with fellow teachers. This post offers tips for all teachers to gain confidence and seize the opportunity to share the amazing things they have learned.  The time to begin thinking about presenting is well before the conference begins. using about six months before the conference is scheduled, the conference committee will issue a call for proposals. Be sure to the on the mailing list so that you receive this notice as early as possib...

 Regardless of the educational setting, many parents and teachers enjoy the convenience of offering virtual conference options. Time savings and flexible schedules can serve to increase parental involvement in conferences as well. Hosting a successful virtual meeting, though, can benefit from some careful planning. 1. Advertise : Get the word out to parents and students about the options for virtual conferences. Send multiple emails in the weeks leading up. Be sure the options are communicated in district conference communication as well. List the method, time frame, and topics that you may cover. I send something like this:  Consider signing up for a short conference this week.  Signing up is easy. Simply click HERE and choose a time slot that works best for you.  Don't see a time slot? Reply here to let me know when you are available. We can meet by video or phone.  Some things we can discuss:  Simply meeting and greeting Concerns over content Making a pl...