Cool School, Cool Kids

I need to take a quick minute to share, Smith STEM was a WFSB Cool School this last Friday. My classroom was featured having a video conference with NASA about Mars exploration! (Along with 3 other segments- one on our 3D printer, one on engineering mortar walls, and one on 'Bee Bots' robotics in primary grades) I always thought 'Cool Schools' was a great idea to expose schools and what is going on, and I couldn't be any more proud of my colleagues & awesome kiddos for representing Smith so well! Take a peek!

Smith STEM is a Cool School!

Anyways- on to more pressing issues. Parent-teacher conferences. This week is one of the longest and most important of the year. In November, teachers are still getting to know their students, and most conferences are lovely. By March, the honeymoon is over, the mandated testing has begun and it's time to really get down to business. In West Hartford we have 30 minutes conferences, which seems like a long time to talk about just one student but somehow I always find myself squeezing in last minute comments as the next parent is waiting in the door. For the past 2 years, I have used the same sort of routine to let parents know everything they should about the apples of their eyes. I always start with the comments- because I feel like if I didn't parents just flip to that page and read them first regardless. That usually jettisons into a conversation about the student as a whole, which I try to wrap into the personal and social section at the tops of our report cards. I then go through academics, and eventually we come to the specials report cards and more general chat about the kids.

I am bored though. This routine is feeling old, slow, and monotonous to me. I need some spice in my conference life!

Here is the question I am posing to all of you who read this: How do you/ would you do your parent teacher conferences? I am looking for a change in my routine so any and all suggestions are welcome!

Quality Comments

For those of you who don't already know, this is my second year teaching. That means I am going through the new teacher process called TEAM. (Formerly known as BEST.) TEAM consists of 5 modules that you complete under the guidance of a mentor. (My mentor happens to be one of my teammates, and is absolutely fabulous.) Anyways, I have just begun the last module and the topic is assessment. After looking at the teacher performance profile, I chose to focus on the indicator based on feedback. So- naturally I am in the process of finding resources on the topic of quality feedback so that I can implement a new system in my classroom, and eventually write a paper to be sent out into the queues of cyber-TEAM land for a "paper scorer" to score and send back. 

While looking for some resources online, I got distracted (per the usual) and decided to check out my classroom blog. I shouldn't have been so surprised, but as I was clicking through each students blog entries I was seeing some of the best feedback I have ever seen or heard my kids give to each other. Here are a few of the comments I came across: 

Brody, I’m so glad that you had a good time at recess. If you got hit with the ball, would your opinion change? When did you play soccer for the first time? Is goalie your favorite position? How did you feel when you did this? Great blog. I did the same thing when I was 5 years old. I had a hello kitty ball and I kicked it under my brothers legs.

Carlos, my favorite team is Barcelona too. who are your favorite players? you should make an entry on your favorite players next. that will be very amusing to read. My favorite player is definitely MESSI. If you could be on one of your favorite teams for 1 day which team would you be on? I liked the way you explained how the different teams play. Good entry.

(Clearly, my kids are soccer fanatics- but I can think of worse things!)

I disagree with you Santiago because I think that animals should not stay in zoos because the animals at zoos get Zoochosis. 

I am also wondering what is a poacher is 

Those were just a few of what I thought to be awesome comments. They were specific, asked questions, and in most cases added some of their own information. 

Another 'a-ha' moment for the new fifth grade teacher. Can I use my students comments as sources for my Module 4 TEAM Paper? Probably not. However- I can continue to be proud of them for handling their blogs so well, and learn as much from them as they (hopefully) learn from me. 

Animoto

A Day In The Life

So-this is my first Animoto video. A few years ago, I tried to use this tool and did not have much success. This time around, I am happy to report that the experience was much better.

That's all for now...watch, enjoy, and check back later for a more in depth reflection!