"Why is my daughters grade a B? She has always had an A. It is not fair that her work is harder than other kids. She has scholarships to compete for! It is like you are punishing her for being smart!"
With DI, teachers will have different assignments for different students based on their ability levels; it is entirely possible the above conversation will take place. So knowing eventually this conversation, or one similar to it, will occur a teacher can be proactive. (It is important to note that unhappy parent meetings are part of teaching no matter what form of instruction you choose.) So how can a teacher be proactive? Communicate! "Successful partnering between teacher and parents is based on proactive communication (pg. 44)." By communicating with parents about what a DI classroom, or project, is like before hand a teacher can prevent parents from being shocked. Any change can be scary to some people especially if they do not understand. The more teachers keep parents informed the easier the transitions will be. Email would be an excellent form of communication to parents. A teacher could simply create a mailing list and BCC all parents whose students are on the same path at the beginning of unit. For example, a teacher drafts a sample letter with details of the project/unit. Then modifies the letter to make three letters (one for remediary, average, and advanced) with the only difference being expectations for each group. Then the parents know what specifically their child is going to be doing in school. Regardless of how communication is made to parents it is crucial that it be done in any classroom. The easier communication is the more frequently it will occur.
What do you think would be the most effective way to introduce students to a DI classroom? What about parents?
I would create a classroom blog about DI and continually update it based on projects we are working on how and why we are doing this and providing occasional news articles and studies about the benefits of DI. Parents and students alike could comment and provide feedback as well as keep parents in the loop.
ReplyDeleteI once had the conversation with a colleague not a parent - the other teacher wanted to know why a straight A student "got" a B in my class - I said that she had earned it. That same student's mother thanked me for getting her daughter to learn how to "work" for a grade (she's now a math teacher by the way).
ReplyDeleteI like Isaac's idea of blog. It's a good way to interact. I still send home a letter the first day of class explaining my expectations and my classroom procedures. I give parents and students a chance to address them from the get-go. Many students/parents feel like they don't have a "say" in classrooms. Some teachers could care less what they think, but I truly most of us are open to discussion in that area.
Issac- Your idea of creating a blog that updates parents and students is a terrific idea! Even if some parents don't use it, what a good way to provide a resource for stakeholders. Students could even refer to this when they are absent.
ReplyDeleteApril- Keeping stakeholders informed is key when implementing a successful DI classroom. By address expectations early you are preventing confusion and many problems from arising.