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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Parent Involvement Linky



Mrs. Bee is having a parent involvement linky. I have a number of things I do that probably everybody does: Friday folder, daily assignment book, website,volunteers...

However, when I began teaching 3rd grade six years ago, I began a great activity that kids and parents love! About a month before we do our state testing, I send home a letter to my parents explaining the testing and thanking them for all of their support...At the bottom of the page, I stick a post-it note for each day of the testing. Parents are asked to write encouraging words to their child and send the notes back to me (preferably without their child knowing) before testing begins.

Each day during testing, I place a different post-it note on the child's desk. They almost always think their parents came to the classroom and put the post-it on their desk! They look forward each day to see what their parents wrote! I firmly believe it gives them an extra boost as they sit down to take the tests.

Parents are often very creative and loving in their comments to their children. Some of them nearly make me cry.

The notes can't be on the students' desks during testing, but many of them keep the notes lined up on the inside of their desks for weeks after testing. Even as our testing changes in the coming years (Hurrah!), I will find some way to keep this activity going in my room.

11 comments:

Delena Allen said...

I do this also-such a great boost for the students (no matter the age). I do this for my daughter too. She loves it and she just completed fourth grade.
Delena

Learn with ME in Grade Three

Adrienne said...

What a great idea! I am definitely going to try this.

Anonymous said...

That is a great idea! I'll have to try that this year for sure!

Mrs. Bee said...

Oh my gosh, this is wonderful!! Thank you so much for sharing such a great idea!!!

Mrs. Bee
Bee's KinderGarden

Jayhawk Teacher 3 said...

Awesome idea! I shared this with my team and linked it up to my pinterest followers =) SO SMART. thank you for sharing!!

Tracey said...

I am definitely going to do this! I am also going to have some note cards so they can write a night at Orientation and leave for the first day of school for their child.

シ Tracey
Our Cool School

Jennifer Gibson said...

Great idea, Tracey! I have post-its available at Open House, Parent-Teacher conferences, and any other time that parents are at school. Children who have empty desks because their parents were unable to attend receive an anonymous note from me. Everyone gets a note!

Unknown said...

I will definitely link up over the weekend! Parent involvement is my "thing"!!!

Unknown said...

never mind! I didn't realize that this was from July!

Crystal said...

This is great! I just have one question - what do you do if one or more parents don't respond? Do you just write notes for those students? Thanks so much!

Jennifer Gibson said...

I usually check to see if I can't get a special teacher or the secretary or janitor or someone else to write them. If I can't find someone like that, I write them. If parents don't write the sticky note, then we don't sign it. LEaves a little mystery, and sometimes the kids think it is their mom or dad..