Teacher advice

Local Teacher Wisdom

BY HANNAH SCHMITT

Back-to-school season can be as challenging as it is exciting. Kids and parents alike can have a difficult time getting into the swing of school. We asked some local teachers from a variety of grade levels to give us their best advice for our readers.

The most important thing families can do to be ready not just for this school year, but for lifelong learning, is to create a culture of learning in their homes. To do this, parents can promote curiosity and questioning by talking about shared interests and what their kids wonder. They can create a culture of reading by devoting family time to reading and discussing what they have read. Parents can encourage their kids to be problem solvers and to understand that all people face challenges, but it is what we do when challenged that defines us. This powerful message can be shared in simple ways, like while building with blocks, learning a craft or baking together. When families create a culture of learning in their homes, kids will be eager to go to school and come home not just to tell parents how their day went, but what they loved about their day, and what they can do to extend that learning together.

Teresa Lansford MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science) has been a teacher for 14 years. She’s the Norman Public Schools 2018 Teacher of the Year and currently the teacher librarian at Lincoln Elementary School.

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The number one thing that parents can do to support their kids and their teachers is to simply talk to their students about school. Ask them what they’re learning about, what they did in their classes and if there is anything they would like to learn about more at home. Don’t ask yes or no

questions because your conversation will be over before it starts! If your student does open up about something they want to learn more about, get excited and get started! We are lucky enough to have wonderful resources through our school districts, public library systems and local colleges that can help any kid pursue their interests outside of the school day. Foster their love of learning at home and they will come to school ready to do work, ask questions and make new things! Also, encourage your kids to read at least 30 minutes every night. This would be a great family activity and data shows that reading for pleasure can increase comprehension skills. Reach out to teachers or librarians for good book recommendations for your kids!

Jessica Eschbach is Norman’s Alcott Middle School 2017/2018 Teacher of the Year. She’s been a teacher for five years and will be the teacher librarian at Kennedy Elementary in Norman this year.

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Leading up to the first day of school, talk often about what to expect. Kids going to school for the first time benefit from frequent conversations and pretend play around school. Create a goodbye ritual that will make drop-off easier and will reinforce with your child what to expect next. Give children some say in what happens by letting them pick out their clothes or the food they will pack in their lunch. Another handy thing to do for teachers is to provide them directly with your contact

information. Of course the office has it, but giving it to the teacher at the beginning of the year ensures they have immediate access to it if they need it. Remember, your child picks up on your vibes. So stay calm and confident at drop-off and they will feel calm and confident, too.

Cherry Mays has been teaching PreK for 17 years. She currently teaches at Cesar Chavez Elementary.

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My advice to parents would be to read with their child. I can’t overemphasize the benefits of this simple act. Every night would be great but I realize life is busy so strive for four to five nights a week, 15-20 minutes each night. A consistent reading habit will reap huge rewards for kids. Pick a book that you can take turns reading. The goal is for the student to hear the parent reading aloud using it as a model... students will learn how to read from their parents’ example. Do not use this time as a reading lesson.... if your child doesn’t know a word, just pronounce it for them. This time should be enjoyable reinforcing that learning and reading can be fun! If you are looking for a book to start with, I highly recommend “Land of Stories” by Chris Colfer.

DeAnni Tate is a 15-year teaching veteran. She currently teaches fourth grade at Deer Creek Elementary

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It’s really important for parents to be supportive. Teachers like to address any issues they see from the very beginning of the year. So if you get a call from your teacher about a potential problem, just be as supportive as you can be to make sure your child has a successful year in the classroom.

Tamara Moore has been teaching for more than 20 years. She currently teaches fifth grade at Midwest City Elementary.

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My advice to parents is don’t be a stranger. I love it when parents come visit my classroom whether it be at the beginning of the school year or throughout the school year. My students see me because they need a different way of learning and having open communication at home helps build a team for student success. One strategy I recommend to enhance learning is to try different available apps, whether it is to record a student reading to themselves, to make a stop motion movie, or to use augmented reality for math. You can always scroll through the top educational apps on iTunes; there is always something fun to discover!

Hannah Wahpepah-Harris just completed her first year teaching Special Education in Norman and currently works with fourth and fifth graders at Roosevelt Elementary. She’s the 2017-18 District Rookie Teacher of the Year.

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I wish that reading would be continuous throughout the year. Volunteer to go read through public reading programs, go to the library and join the free reading programs. If you stop reading throughout the summer, we generally have about six weeks of catch-up to do when we start school. I see during the summer and all the school breaks that if reading is continuous the students just perform better.

Sadoka Chandler, sixth grade teacher at Hillcrest Elementary School. She’s been a teacher for 13 years.

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Sit down and encourage your kids on the benefits and behaviors that are appropriate at school. If parents help their kids understand that school is an

opportunity to learn and grow and discuss the impact it will have on their life, then teachers can get right into teaching. It’s also extremely important for parents to read with their children. The parents in my community don’t have much time, but this is so important to do for 20 minutes a day. Also, if your child wears a uniform to school, don’t forget to find another way to help them express themselves. Let them choose their shoes or hairstyles (as long as they’re not distracting) so they can build some individuality into their uniform.

Karen Hairston, a seven-year teaching veteran who currently teaches sixth grade at Greystone Elementary.

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A motto I live by and remind my students of is...learning is messy, learning takes time and when you put in hard work it is the most rewarding feeling. Our society leans too much on being “perfect” which is a difficult ideal to meet. When we focus more on retaining and truly understanding what is taught, and less on “how can I get a 100,” more meaningful learning will occur.

Ashley Mackey has been a teacher for almost seven years. She currently teaches eighth grade U.S. History at Deer Creek.

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Homework is meant to be a meaningful time for children to practice or extend skills outside the classroom. The idea of homework is to allow students an independent experience with skills learned in the classroom. In case you were wondering, no teacher sits at their desk thinking up meaningless tasks or ways to make children (or parents for that matter) dislike learning. From a teacher’s perspective, we struggle with whether to assign homework or not. We weigh the pros and cons. We consider our lowest achieving students and the resources they have available to them. Many teachers continue to assign homework, because it’s what they’ve always done. And many more choose to omit homework to allow kids to experience “childhood” and spend time with their families.

How can parents avoid the dread that often comes with homework? First, recognize that your child’s teacher is not sitting behind her desk plotting to ruin your life. Their teacher has some very valid reasons for assigning homework,

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and your child will likely benefit from the extra practice or extension. Make it meaningful and as enjoyable as possible for both you and your child. Second, set up a homework routine according to your family schedule and the homework requirements. Designate a space, set aside a quiet time, and create a dialogue with your child. Third, be available for questions or clarifications, and stay calm if you don’t know the answers! It is ok for your child to see you struggle with a concept, too. Working through the problem together is an invaluable skill. Fourth, communicate! Communicate with your child, your child’s teacher and other parents. Communicate your concerns, questions and frustrations. Finally, don’t give up! Don’t let your child see you quit. This is also a skill, but it is one that is most difficult to overcome, and it almost guarantees failure for your child.

Paige Kelpine has spent 14 years as a teacher and is currently an eighth grade science teacher at Carl Albert Middle School.

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One tip I have was reiterated for me when I attended my own daughter’s fifth grade Open House and that is that kids must learn to be their own advocates. As parents we often want to “save” our kids and fight their battles for them; however, when students acquire the skills to inquire, ask questions and seek clarification themselves, they learn valuable life lessons. So, before I contact my own children’s teachers, I ask myself if I really need to be the one addressing whatever the issue is with the teacher, or are my girls learning more about independence and communication by speaking up themselves. Of course, there are times a quick email is all it takes to gain insight into a situation, but I joke with my students that their parents won’t be going to their jobs or college with them to complete their tasks and talk to their bosses or professors; thus, the earlier students learn to seek understanding on their own, the better prepared they will be for adulthood.

Dionne Wright Liebl teaches ninth and tenth grade English at Deer Creek High School. She’s been a teacher for 18 years.

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Making education a family’s priority:

Attend school. Sending children to school every day is the most important thing a parent or caregiver can do to support their student’s education. This shows students that education is a priority.

To minimize the disruption of a necessary absence, parents can buy a large desk calendar that lives on the refrigerator. Then have everyone write all school vacations, doctor’s appointments, family events, field trips, school project deadlines and test dates on it. If students are old enough, they can do this themselves and if they are just learning to read and write, have them do it with their parent on a sticky note. The visual reminder of things to come will keep everyone on the same page and keep parents from scheduling something when there is a big test or project due!

Encourage students to use their resources. If students have to miss school due to an illness or unforeseen event or are even struggling with an assignment or homework, parents should encourage them to utilize their resources. I always tell my students resources can be in the form of Google classroom, websites, YouTube, classmates, parents and of course their teacher. So before anxiety sets in, parents should ask, “Have you used your resources to solve your problem?”

Tracy Bates has been teaching English II to sophomores at Norman North High School for the past six years and is the 2018 Teacher of the Year at Norman North.

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Parents love their children more than anyone else on planet Earth! True fact. Who else loves children? Teachers. Also true fact. As educators, one of the most important, most necessary ways we love our students is to hold students responsible for their own learning. So, parents, a helpful piece of advice as we shop for supplies, pack those backpacks and sign all the back-to-school forms: encourage and do everything you can to ensure your children advocate for themselves in the classroom. Self-advocacy looks different among grade levels, but all children have a voice and can work toward ensuring they understand instruction, understand their grades and understand how to solve problems when they don’t quite grasp what happens in the classroom. Whether it be the first grader asking his teacher to repeat instructions, or the fifth grader asking her teacher why she missed points on an assignment she felt she excelled with, or a senior scheduling time to improve his government grade, all students should be their own first advocate. Parents help teachers who help students who make parents and themselves happy. It’s a beautiful cycle!

Gena Beeson, NBCT, has been a teacher for 23 years and is currently the Deer Creek District Teacher of the Year. She currently teaches Pre-AP English II, English IV and Reading for Fun Deer Creek High School.

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