Monitoring
your child’s education through observation
Now that half of the school year is behind us, it may be a good
time for parents to schedule an observation of their child’s educational
setting. In order to be proactive in
your child’s educational progress, it’s important to know what’s occurring
during the time they’re at school.
·
Look at your child’s schedule and decide which
time would be most productive. If your
child does well during math, but struggles during reading or writing, you might
want to schedule a time during the literacy block. This will give you an opportunity to offer
input that may assist the teacher during potentially difficult times for your
child.
·
Be prepared to give your child’s teacher at
least 48 hours notice as to when you’d like to visit the classroom.
·
When you arrive, try to sit in a location that’s
nonintrusive to the children. If the
children are grouped at one side of the room, try to sit on the opposite
side. Make every attempt to sit facing
your child’s back. If your child sees
you watching him/her, their behaviors may be altered.
·
Be prepared to take notes. During the observation is not the time to
point out concerns that may come up.
·
Do not engage with the teacher unless she
initiates the conversation. You are
there to observe his/her interaction with the students and the instruction that
your child is receiving.
·
Some things to look for:
o Is
your child seated in an appropriate location to benefit from instruction?
o Is
your child receiving the necessary amount of adult support to be included
within the setting and activity?
o Are
all assistive devices being utilized (postural supports, graphic organizers,
communication devices, pencil grips, technology, etc)?
o Is
the room organized and can your child tell what the schedule and expectations
are?
o Is
your child given opportunities to engage in the lesson?
·
Give yourself a few days to think about what you
observed, then schedule a time to review your notes with the teacher.
·
Thank the teacher for her time and being
accommodating to your presence. When
meeting with her, find at least two things that were positive about what you
observed. You want to keep your
relationship with the teacher as positive as possible, while still advocating
effectively for your child.
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