Parent Conferences

Parents conferences have gone well thus far. In all honesty though, I think that I have been overwhelming parents with so much paperwork at conference time that they haven't been able to process everything yet. Here are some of the highlights from the conferences so far:

Parent 1: After being told about the new grading system (more on that here) the parent told me "You mean to tell me that my son has to be above average in order to pass?

Me: "Yes"

Parent 1: "But that doesn't make any sense!"

Me: No it doesn't, does it?"

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Parent #2 : This parent was very worried when she saw that her daughter was working below grade level and asked me about the possibility if her daughter having me again next year. (She was already planning on her being retained) I told her that her daughter would most likely not be retained and that our system in the U.S. is different from the system that she is accustomed to in Mexico where if you don't pass the end of year test you don't go on tho the next grade. She was astounded by that information and couldn't believe it.

She then went on to ask me why we don't group kids by classes according to their skill levels. She again, very humbly, told me that in her opinion grouping kids that way would be easier for us to teach and for kids to learn. ( I agree!)
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On a lighter note...

Here is a photo of a pumpkin that my ELD class decorated today as a group. Tomorrow we will interactively write a paragraph about how we made our Jack -o-Lantern using transition words. (first, next, then,last) FUN STUFF!