Comments on: BTSN Ideas http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/btsn-ideas/ Challenge The Status Quo Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:32:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Damian Bariexca http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/btsn-ideas/#comment-17536 Sat, 10 Nov 2007 16:31:27 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/btsn-ideas/#comment-17536 If the goal is as you describe, then I think the current BTSN format is inappropriate, because it's impossible to talk to each student's parent in any depth in that arena. The elementary model of day-long (or multiple-day) "parent conferences" seems to suit that need better. I don't know any elem. teachers personally; I wonder what their thoughts on that model are. If the goal is as you describe, then I think the current BTSN format is inappropriate, because it’s impossible to talk to each student’s parent in any depth in that arena. The elementary model of day-long (or multiple-day) “parent conferences” seems to suit that need better.

I don’t know any elem. teachers personally; I wonder what their thoughts on that model are.

]]> by: Todd http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/btsn-ideas/#comment-17519 Sat, 10 Nov 2007 01:14:59 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/btsn-ideas/#comment-17519 Maybe I'm wrong and so are you. Maybe schools want BTSN to be about introductions and letting parents meet teachers, but parents want it to be for discussing how to improve grades and skills. We argued about the purpose, too. For our parents, though, there is no argument: they want to talk about their kid. If that's what the parents want, that's what we should look into giving them. Reading over my own entry, I think I also am only looking at what I want. BTSN is for parents, not for teachers. What the parents want might be unreasonable, though. Yikes, I just dunno... Maybe I’m wrong and so are you. Maybe schools want BTSN to be about introductions and letting parents meet teachers, but parents want it to be for discussing how to improve grades and skills. We argued about the purpose, too. For our parents, though, there is no argument: they want to talk about their kid. If that’s what the parents want, that’s what we should look into giving them. Reading over my own entry, I think I also am only looking at what I want. BTSN is for parents, not for teachers. What the parents want might be unreasonable, though. Yikes, I just dunno…

]]> by: Damian http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/btsn-ideas/#comment-17440 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:09:05 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/btsn-ideas/#comment-17440 Wow - Lots to say here, but I'll try to contain myself: Numbers: In the past, we've tried to track, but our school is so big (3000+ students) that I think admin has just given up. The last time we were asked to keep track of attendance was in preparation for... Establishing Multiple BTSNs!: Our classes run on a block schedule, which means we have 9-week quarter and 18-week semester classes, and our calendar runs similar to a college calendar. We went from having one BTSN in September to one in Sept, one in Feb. Recently, we've gone to 2 separate ones in Sept (to accommodate all the parents - parking is a nightmare these nights) and a third in Feb. Personally, I think it's only a matter of time til we're at 4. I understand the reasoning behind this, but as the parent of a young child, this is pretty damned inconvenient for me. I don't live close to my job, and getting a babysitter 2 weeks in a row is not easy for us, especially on weeknights. I can't speak for other teachers, but in my classes, the parent turnout hasn't justified three separate nights. Purpose: Our purpose is not to have parent-teacher conferences; in fact, admin strongly discourages that. Rather, it's so parents can see their kids teachers and learn a little bit about the course. As a parent, I understand wanting to meet your child's teacher, but at our BTSN, they don't actually get to meet us in any meaningful way - they get to watch us give a 10 minute presentation on the class - nothing that couldn't be established by recording a video and putting it on a website. I've got more to say, but I promised to restrain myself. Wow - Lots to say here, but I’ll try to contain myself:

Numbers: In the past, we’ve tried to track, but our school is so big (3000+ students) that I think admin has just given up. The last time we were asked to keep track of attendance was in preparation for…

Establishing Multiple BTSNs!: Our classes run on a block schedule, which means we have 9-week quarter and 18-week semester classes, and our calendar runs similar to a college calendar. We went from having one BTSN in September to one in Sept, one in Feb. Recently, we’ve gone to 2 separate ones in Sept (to accommodate all the parents - parking is a nightmare these nights) and a third in Feb. Personally, I think it’s only a matter of time til we’re at 4.

I understand the reasoning behind this, but as the parent of a young child, this is pretty damned inconvenient for me. I don’t live close to my job, and getting a babysitter 2 weeks in a row is not easy for us, especially on weeknights. I can’t speak for other teachers, but in my classes, the parent turnout hasn’t justified three separate nights.

Purpose: Our purpose is not to have parent-teacher conferences; in fact, admin strongly discourages that. Rather, it’s so parents can see their kids teachers and learn a little bit about the course. As a parent, I understand wanting to meet your child’s teacher, but at our BTSN, they don’t actually get to meet us in any meaningful way - they get to watch us give a 10 minute presentation on the class - nothing that couldn’t be established by recording a video and putting it on a website.

I’ve got more to say, but I promised to restrain myself.

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