Parent involvement is a big factor in a child's success in education. Parent involvement is an essential component in becoming a good teacher. I am going to encourage it in my class in variety of ways. I am going to help by doing hands on and just encouraging communication with the parents. Parents are the teachers outside of the classroom, so if parents are informed, they will be able to help the student achieve good grades and help students to want to continue their education.
The variety of ways of communication and instruments that I will be glad to use is newsletters (weekly or monthly - depending on the class), blogs, websites, and Skype. I know that it will be more work, but it is worth it. If the parents feel connected to the classroom, they are more likely to help. This information being posted in different places also helps to keep the working parents updated too. I also want to collect e-mail addresses to send e-mail. I don't want all of this to take away from parent/teacher conferences; I just want to help keep the parents updated when they have a hard time stopping to meet me.
I also want the parents to be welcomed into the class. When I was younger, we had room parents that would come in and help with activities in the class. They would read to us, or show us arts and crafts. This was a very fun and educational way to keep parents involved. We also would have holiday parties, and some parents would come to help set up and distribute the food. I don't think that I will let the parents just come in whenever, but on special days, times, and events, it would be good to have structured activities. I want to encourage parents to become active in the education process, because this creates a sense of team between parents and teachers. This way both of them are striving to help the student succeed. I think parent involvement is a big priority.
A little bit about me...
I am a student at the University of South Alabama. I am majoring in Elementary Education/Special Education. This is a dream that I have had for a long time. I love children, and I love working with them. My grandfather was a college professor, my aunt is a teacher, and I have several cousins that are teachers and professors as well. I guess some may think that it may be in my "blood" to be a teacher, and maybe it is. I would like to teach the younger kids from kindergarten through second grade.
My experience in teaching, I would have to say comes from teaching dance. I started dancing at the age of 2, and began teaching dance when I was a teenager. I am now the dance coach at St. Luke's Middle and High School. I teach ballet and Zumba to little kids at the YMCA and Zumba here at South.
My experience in teaching, I would have to say comes from teaching dance. I started dancing at the age of 2, and began teaching dance when I was a teenager. I am now the dance coach at St. Luke's Middle and High School. I teach ballet and Zumba to little kids at the YMCA and Zumba here at South.
