September 8-11, 2015 ~ The Power of the Positive Phone Call Home

SEPTEMBER 8-11, 2015




I hope you each have a wonderful Labor Day!  This week's Learning Showcase is all about the power of the positive phone call home.  This is one teacher's experience with positive phone calls home. No one is expected to repeat her style but the points that she makes about this powerful tool are worth the read.

Have a terrific week!

Learning Showcase for the Week:

The Power of the Positive Phone Call Home

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: AUGUST 20, 2012 | UPDATED: AUGUST 7, 2015

An excerpt from Ms. Aguilar's blog.....

When I first started teaching and was overwhelmed by the demands and complexity of the job, my survival strategy was simply to take all the advice that came my way and implement it. So when my wise mentor suggested that after the first day of school I call all of my second grader's parents, I did so.

In spite of my exhaustion, I called each family and introduced myself. I asked a few questions about their child. I said that their kid had had a good first day. I said I looked forward to working together.

Throughout that year, and the years that followed, I continued this practice -- I had an intuitive feeling that it was key: The positive phone call home. After the first days, as soon as I'd identified the kids who might be challenging, I made it a goal to call home with positive news every week. I'd share this goal with my students, greeting them at the door with something like: "I'm so excited to see you this morning, Oscar! I am going to be watching you really closely today to find some good news to share with your mom this evening. I can't wait to call her and tell her what a good day you had!"

When I taught middle school, this strategy made the difference between an unmanageable group of kids and an easy group. You'd be surprised, perhaps, how desperately an eighth grade boy wants his mom (or dad or grandma or pastor) to get a positive call home. On the first day of school I'd give students a survey that included this question, "Who would you like me to call when I have good news to share about how you're doing in my class? You're welcome to list up to five people and please let them know I might call -- even tonight or tomorrow!"

First I'd call parents of the kids who I knew would be challenging, those I suspected rarely got positive calls. When an adult answered the phone, I'd say, all in one long breath, "Hi Mrs. ____? I'm calling from ____ middle school with great news about your son, ____. Can I share this news?" If I didn't immediately blurt out the "great news" pieces, sometimes they'd hang up on me or I'd hear a long anxious silence....

To read more go to:

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/power-positive-phone-call-home-elena-aguilar



Our Week at a Glance:

9/8/15—Distribution of Early Release Pre-reading selections

9/9/15- 3^rd grade Beginning of Year Test

9/11/15-4^th grade Wake Forest Literacy Program Kick-Off

AESOP Training:

Ms. McCandies will offer AESOP Training on Thursday, 9/10/15 and Friday, 9/11/15 from 7:50 am-8:10 am.  This is a quick training but very needful so that all absences are submitted into our new system.  Please come on the day that best fits your schedule.  You only need to attend one of the sessions. 


Looking Ahead:

9/16/15-Early Release Day 1

9/17/15-4^th and 5^th grade Winston-Salem Strings Ensemble @ 9:00 am in the Gym

9/29/15-Title 1 Parent Meeting and Classroom Visits @ 6:00 pm

We will have a Title 1 Parent Meeting and then release parents/guardians to visit your classrooms.  This is a great time to review expectations (homework, rules and procedures, etc.) and to talk about what the students will learn throughout the first quarter. More details will follow next week. 

Quote for the Week:

We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.

Jesse Owens

I see this as a strength for us at Bolton--I appreciate your determination, dedication and ALL the effort I see daily! Everything we do is in service to our children and families.  Have a great week!