Early this week, I visited a fourth grade class that I had earlier observed during the first few days of school. On that day, students were understandably tentative. Now, when the teacher asks a question, students’ hands shoot into the air. Kids are interacting with one another, commenting on how they each approached the various math problems in different ways.  It was captivating to watch this group of ten-year-olds approach math problems creatively and then describe their thinking. Amid the enthusiasm and constant wiggling, there was a sense of happiness and complete engagement in the room. This is the kind of progression and growth we are excited to share as parents and teachers meet for conferences.

 

Thank you to all those who were able to attend conferences this week and who set aside time for these important meetings. This is a time for all of us to connect about student progress. Communication between families and schools is critical to a student's success, and it is important to remember, that although we set aside time for formal meetings, conversations about student performance can and should happen throughout the year and can be initiated by either party.  If you have a question, please follow up with your child’s homeroom teacher, student advisor, or class instructor. 

 

Working at another school, I once heard a long-time teacher tell a group of freshman parents, "Your child is not at the apex of his or her intellectual development."  The audience gasped.  Then, the teacher asked, "Do you want your 15-year-old to be at the apex of his or her intellectual development?"

 

In conferences, we learn all kinds of things about our children: the good, the bad, and the ugly.  I urge parents to keep an open mind to constructive feedback. Growth can only happen when we identify and respond to areas of weakness.  That word "weakness" is one that inspires dread in so many parents; we all want our students to succeed.  Driving around Denver, surely you’ve seen bumper stickers with "My Kid is an Honor Roll Student at School X."  We don't see bumper stickers that say, "My Child's Teacher Told Me My Child Was Disruptive in Class" or "My Kid Struggles with Grammar."  We’re here at CA because we want children to face challenges and learn from failure.  There is no teacher at CA who expects students to be perfect -- our jobs would be quite boring if that were the case. I think we all love to work with students to help them grow.  

 

Back to that fourth grade class for a moment; I am reminded of a “primer” written for teachers on everything they should know about teaching fourth grade students.* The authors describe children at this age as no longer young children and not quite adolescents. They say, “One of the most commonly recognized characteristics of fourth graders is their intensity and inclination to be self-critical. Fourth graders tend to be sensitive, industrious, curious, and serious about fairness and justice. It’s not uncommon to see a group of fourth graders on the playground spending more than half of their recess time arguing about who gets to pitch in kickball.” Know that our approach as teachers is to view children along a spectrum of human development—a highly complex process by which children grow socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively.

 

So, no matter what you learned at conferences, remember that the school year has really just begun. Every student has a good deal of time to grow and evolve. After a well-deserved break and long weekend, I encourage you talk to your child about what you learned at conferences. Your efforts at home to reinforce both the positives and constructive feedback will be essential to your child's long-term development.  And remember that there is a good deal of time for your child to reach that “apex of intellectual development."