This is the best jewel from Erin by way of Martina Bex. It involves getting not just the student but also the parent to do some self-reflection about her class. It’s brilliant:
3. Syllabus homework. I got this idea from the lovely Martina Bex. My syllabus somewhat wordily explains how my CI class works and what habits are important, stressing the Interpersonal Communication Rubric & the unannounced quick quizzes, along with all the listening & reading we are going to do. This year, instead of going over it in class, I gave it as a homework assignment, and the student AND their parent had to answer the same questions, regarding what they like about the class, what concerns them, and what they see as a challenge. There is also an opportunity for parents to ask me to call them if they have any further questions. I ended my Friday at school by reading over their answers, and I was really pleased with what I was reading. I could see that a lot of parents were worried about the pop quizzes, but they are enthusiastic about the expectations of listening & reading Spanish. It also gave me some ideas for some more things to put on my classroom website, like the jGR or write-ups of our class stories for students who were absent or need to review & practice. I think that it sets a tone for open lines of communication between myself and parents, and hope that it helps enhance the feeling of community that I want to cultivate.
