Jeopardy
Five Teams. Pick a number between one and 15, closest team goes first.
They have 15 seconds to confer and suggest an answer to their question.
If their answer is incorrect, the team to their left will get a chance, this
continues through the teams. If none get the correct answer it is
revealed. If a team gets the answer correct their turn in complete and
the next team in line chooses a question to attempt. Team turns start
with the team that won the number pick and proceed to the right.
Communicating With Families
Electronic
General
Phone
Back to
School &
Report
Cards
10
10
10
10
10
20
20
20
20
20
30
30
30
30
30
40
40
40
40
40
Parent
Teacher
Conferences
Electronics 10
Question: When emailing a parent it is important to
do this before sending.
Answer: Edit
Electronics 20
Question: This form of electronic communication is
sometimes a good alternative to phone calls, but still
uses a phone.
Answer: Text messaging
Note: Some schools have automated systems that will sent
mass texts without revealing teacher phone numbers.
Electronics 30
Question: This is a central location where parents
and students can access information about test and
quizzes and upcoming events as well as basic
communications and links to assist students with
homework.
Answer: Class Website
Electronics 40
Question: Parent/Student Portal is an example of
this form of electronic communication that
Minneapolis Public Schools uses.
Answer: Web-based Access to Student Records
General 10
Question: This is one reason why parents might be
hard to reach.
Answer: ~Parents don’t speak English
~Parental involvement not a priority
~Work related scheduling conflicts
~Lack of transportation or child care
~Unsure where the school is
~Parental homelessness.
Note: See Practical Tips Pg. 160 Weinstein
General 20
Question: It can be helpful to find out these two
things for best result in connecting with parents.
Answer: WHEN and HOW are the best times
and ways to contact them.
General 30
Question: It is important to find out these to things
about who to contact.
Answer: Who has custody. Who should be
contacted. (Ex. Mom AND Dad, just Dad,
Grandma and Dad, etc.)
General 40
Question: Communication should foster these two
things.
Answer: Trust and respect
Phone 10
Question: This is one of the main problems about
telephone call communications.
Answer: Actually connecting
Phone 20
Question: It is important to call with this kind of
feedback as well as informing parents of any
problems a student may be having.
Answer: Positive
Phone 30
Question: It is important to let parents know this
information about getting in touch with you.
Answer: Availability
Phone 40
Question: This mnemonic device can help us keep
conversations with parents productive.
Answer: LAFF don’t CRY
Listen, empathize and communicate respect.
Ask questions and ask permission to take notes.
Focus on the issues.
Find a first step.
DON’T
Criticize people who aren’t present.
React hartily and promise something you can’t deliver.
Yakety-yak-yak
(See Practical Tips Pg. 163 Weinstein)
(Also, remember families can help develop and implement
strategies to change students’ behavior. Weinstien pg. 150)
Back-to-School and Report Cards 10
Question: This is one reason why report cards are
not very good methods of communicating with
parents about their child’s performance in the
classroom.
Answer: ~ Not very informative - What does a
low grade actually mean?, No indication of what
the child is struggling with.
~ Come at the end of the term - too late for
parents to intervene.
~ Parents may never see them.
Back-to-School and Report Cards 20
Question: One of the teachers who made
contributions to the Weinstein book Classroom
Management speculates that this percentage of
students remove progress reports from the mail
before parents can see them reducing their
effectiveness as a means of communication with
parents.
Answer: 50%
Back-to-School and Report Cards 30
Question: These are two common formats for
Back-to-School nights.
Answer: Open House Style, Class Session Style
Note: Back-to-School night is a great time to recruit for parent
involvement.
Back-to-School and Report Cards 40
Question: This is one of several things we can do to
make a good first impression at Back-to-School
night.
Answer: ~Making sure your classroom looks
attractive and neat
~Greeting people at the door
~Ensuring that your presentation is succinct
and well organized
(See Practical Tips Pg. 166 Weinstein for more
Back-to-School night suggestions)
Parent Teacher Conferences 10
Question: These are two things we might include in
materials for conferences with individual parents.
Answer:
~Examples of Students Work
~Attendance/Tardiness
~Grades on Individual Assignments
~Records of Detentions and Referrals
Note: For Students with IEPs ask parents to about student’s
out-of-school behavior, how they support the student at home,
interests, hobbies, activities. (Anytime, but at conferences if not
before.)
Parent Teacher Conferences 20
Question: This is something we teachers need to do
during conferences rather than just making it a
monologue.
Answer: Listen/Two-way conversation.
Be sure to allow time for parents to ask
questions and to express their concerns. Also
be sure to solicit parents’ suggestions.
Parent Teacher Conferences 30
Question: This is the type of conference that
involves the parent(s)/guardian(s), teachers and
students.
Answer: Three-way conferences.
All parties discuss
~Areas of strength
~Areas of improvement
~Future goals with support from each party as specified
~Teacher answers questions and summarizes
agreements
Parent Teacher Conferences 40
Question: This is a potential benefit to the three-way
conference.
Answer:
~Increased trust and communication
~Students take responsibility
~Provide effective opportunities to learn about
one another and the child
FINAL JEOPARDY!! Topic -Parent Involvement in Learning
Activities at home
*Make your wager*
Question: These are two ways parents can support
students even if they don’t know the content.
Answer:
~Encouragement
~Setting Limits
~Monitoring School Work
~Setting a Time for Homework to be Done
~Help Calm a Frustrated Student
(Note: Some parents will see these things as the student’s
responsibility. )