1. Collaboration WARNING!!!! You are not the parent and have not known the child as long or as well as the parent. However, you are a major player in the development of the child and possibly the family. http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/ videos/view/id/408214

2. Collaborating with Parents Why would it benefit a teacher to keep a strong parent relationship? What are some risks of not keeping in continual contact with parents? What kinds of information should go home through the student and what kinds of information should you contact the parent about directly? When meeting with a parent, how might you show student progress?

3. When collaborating … Develop relationships with partners-in-teaching; mutual respect and trust is imperative. Develop collaboration skills; such essential skills as listening, encouraging, objectivity, communication, and empathy. Focus on students; success depends on sharing a common goal. Maintaining students as the focus will keep partners united by a common goal.

4. Contact with Parents Keep it positive Be informative Give concrete examples Express ways the parent can help Seek answers to positive questions Look at tutoring permission letters

5. Parent Conferences Meetings –Take A L A P Avoid barriers to communication –Watch your educational vocabulary but still explain everything –avoid distance –do not blame –work with parents –avoid labeling, just describe How would you tell a parent their child is failing reading and needs extra help?

6. “What do you think about my tutoring my child?” Make sessions short (20 minutes max) Enjoy the time and make it positive Incorporate high child involvement Keep a running record for me to review Reteach and support our class lesson Warn me before you teach something new

7. Summary How do I prepare for a complicated and possibly angry parent meeting? How should a teacher take any perceived criticism? How should I avoid developing barriers to the collaboration? What are a few suggestions when parents wish to tutor?

8. Assessment What are the differences between authentic and traditional assessment? What kinds of artifacts can be collected in authentic assessment for different activities? What is the long-term purpose of a portfolio? What is a performance in performance based assessment? Why are rubrics easier for students to understand than simple letter grades?