My wife teaches at the local elementary school, and my daughter attends the local high school. In this school district, parent-teacher conferences are optional. In fact, they almost seem to encourage you not to attend unless you have serious concerns.
My wife and I have many frustrations with the local school district. This is just one of them.
There are not options where we live in rural Tennessee. We have one school district or homeschooling. That's it. Homeschooling isn't an option for everyone.
If we lived in an urban area with multiple districts, private schools, etc... then yes, we might have choices. But that isn't our current situation.
Yes, too far and inconvenient where you are. IF it were a top priority you might pull up stakes and move to where there were better options but that may not be in the cards for your own personal reasons.
And in a nutshell, THAT’s one of the main consequences that will be felt as this administration continues to wreak havoc on all public school institutions in our country—in his aim to privatize it all. Millions of families who have limited or no other options will be dealt the biggest blow thus widening all access gaps between, well, you know. The parallel narrative that is unspoken is the intentional “dumbing down of America.” In 1987, Allan Bloom wrote: “The Closing of the American Mind.” I bought that book because I agreed with his premise given the times we were in at that time. I need to reread that book because it’s more relevant now than it’s ever been—a full 38 years later! Unbelievable.
And doesn’t that send a definite message to everyone? School districts who maintain that level of disdain for conferences don’t get the bigger picture—and if the district is leading like that, then the parents and students themselves grow in apathy toward the importance of school. What a shame—we’re losing the opportunity Covid provided for us in the acknowledgement that schools are the only and final “village” that everyone in the community has in common. All that being said, every parent has the right to call a conference with any of their child’s teachers—even if the parent motivation is “I know she’s doing well, I just want to meet so you can show me just how well she’s doing in your class AND any areas she’s still working on or struggling in.” Of course, your daughter’s a teenager so good luck with any fallout if you go in like that. But even that being said, it would be a tremendous message to our kids if more parents took a more active role (speaking generally, not saying you don’t here!) in their schooling. Kids don’t forget powerful messages like that.
As for teachers in districts like yours, it’s an awful alluring thing to not have to meet with all parents during conference week. As you and your wife surely know, it’s such a highly impactful week that draws on all the internal reserves of energy a teacher can muster. But they can be energizing for the teacher too if she realizes SHE’s the expert and professional in the room—and then carries herself that way embodying the same kind of respect we offer to doctors. Teachers ARE mind surgeons afterall. And that’s not hyperbole.
Parent teacher conference is a three-legged stool. Student is one, perhaps the most important and without three legs the stool doesn't function for its intended purpose.
I was thinking about you when I wrote this one—knowing it would resonate and that you would agree with the essential theme that we all need to do better in both talking honestly about our children’s learning AND the esteem with which we need to hold our neighborhood schools and teachers.
This should be required reading for every school administrator, teacher, parent, and frankly . . . employer. Thank you for reminding us that teaching is important work.
My wife teaches at the local elementary school, and my daughter attends the local high school. In this school district, parent-teacher conferences are optional. In fact, they almost seem to encourage you not to attend unless you have serious concerns.
My wife and I have many frustrations with the local school district. This is just one of them.
Maybe you're in the wrong district? There are options.
There are not options where we live in rural Tennessee. We have one school district or homeschooling. That's it. Homeschooling isn't an option for everyone.
If we lived in an urban area with multiple districts, private schools, etc... then yes, we might have choices. But that isn't our current situation.
Yes, too far and inconvenient where you are. IF it were a top priority you might pull up stakes and move to where there were better options but that may not be in the cards for your own personal reasons.
And in a nutshell, THAT’s one of the main consequences that will be felt as this administration continues to wreak havoc on all public school institutions in our country—in his aim to privatize it all. Millions of families who have limited or no other options will be dealt the biggest blow thus widening all access gaps between, well, you know. The parallel narrative that is unspoken is the intentional “dumbing down of America.” In 1987, Allan Bloom wrote: “The Closing of the American Mind.” I bought that book because I agreed with his premise given the times we were in at that time. I need to reread that book because it’s more relevant now than it’s ever been—a full 38 years later! Unbelievable.
And doesn’t that send a definite message to everyone? School districts who maintain that level of disdain for conferences don’t get the bigger picture—and if the district is leading like that, then the parents and students themselves grow in apathy toward the importance of school. What a shame—we’re losing the opportunity Covid provided for us in the acknowledgement that schools are the only and final “village” that everyone in the community has in common. All that being said, every parent has the right to call a conference with any of their child’s teachers—even if the parent motivation is “I know she’s doing well, I just want to meet so you can show me just how well she’s doing in your class AND any areas she’s still working on or struggling in.” Of course, your daughter’s a teenager so good luck with any fallout if you go in like that. But even that being said, it would be a tremendous message to our kids if more parents took a more active role (speaking generally, not saying you don’t here!) in their schooling. Kids don’t forget powerful messages like that.
As for teachers in districts like yours, it’s an awful alluring thing to not have to meet with all parents during conference week. As you and your wife surely know, it’s such a highly impactful week that draws on all the internal reserves of energy a teacher can muster. But they can be energizing for the teacher too if she realizes SHE’s the expert and professional in the room—and then carries herself that way embodying the same kind of respect we offer to doctors. Teachers ARE mind surgeons afterall. And that’s not hyperbole.
Parent teacher conference is a three-legged stool. Student is one, perhaps the most important and without three legs the stool doesn't function for its intended purpose.
I was thinking about you when I wrote this one—knowing it would resonate and that you would agree with the essential theme that we all need to do better in both talking honestly about our children’s learning AND the esteem with which we need to hold our neighborhood schools and teachers.
This should be required reading for every school administrator, teacher, parent, and frankly . . . employer. Thank you for reminding us that teaching is important work.
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I absolutely loved these insights Kert! 👏🏽♥️