Saturday, June 22, 2013

Student Motivation- Phone Calls Home

It's Saturday! I am headed out to an all day softball tournament. No, not playing, just rooting for my husband. It is going to be so HOT! I am drinking my very large cup of coffee in preparation.

I didn't want to miss Joanne's linky party though. It's time to Spark Student Motivation with Head Over Heels for Teaching!


How to spark student motivation: Call their parents with something POSITIVE about their child 


My principal has a big initiative at least twice a year to get us to make POSITIVE phone calls to our students' parents. She makes one of our  faculty meeting a contest to see which teacher can call the most parents and share something positive about their child.

Remember, I teach middle school. Parents don't normally get those positive calls often. As a matter of fact, they see the school number on their phone and don't answer.

We do it early in the year to make some positive contact with them and then we do it again (as a staff) after Christmas.

She encourages us to do it throughout the year as well, but twice a year she creates it as a contest for us. The winning teacher gets a prize. It may be an hour lunch break, leave early ticket, or something like that.

Trust me, if your students know you are calling home to tell their parents something POSITIVE, it will motivate them!

Link up and share something you do to motivate. I'll be checking back when I am all sweaty from being in the sun all day! Time to go apply sunscreen!

HAPPY SATURDAY Y'ALL! 

10 comments:

  1. I love the CONTEST idea! I'm definitely sharing this with my principal! (Not that I'm competitive or anything!) I think those positive phone call home in the beginning wins those parents over in case you do need their support later in the year!
    Thanks for sharing and linking up Elizabeth!
    Joanne
    Head Over Heels For Teaching

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  2. This was one of my areas to "definitely" work on for Kim's linky. So important, and at middle school so easy to forget. Love the contest idea!

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  3. I love this. I don't call home twice a year about something positive, but I do try to do it at least once-whenever I call I have to say "everything is great" before I really start talking because they instantly worry that something is going wrong! I am sure getting calls twice a year really does help to encourage your kids and their parents!

    Hunter's Tales from Teaching

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  4. We have to make 5 positive contacts a month. I use my Whooooo Did A Great Job cards frequently in addition to trying to call one parent a week. I love the idea that your principal turns it into a contest!

    Have a great Saturday!
    Carla
    Surviving Sixth Grade

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  5. So true! :) Positive calls are great motivators. :)
    ~Brandee
    Creating Lifelong Learners

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  6. I need to start doing this more. Thanks for sharing!

    Brandi
    Success in Second Grade

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  7. This is a great idea. Something I need to do more of...thank you for the reminder!

    Jessica
    Literacy Spark

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  8. Since my 1st year teaching, I call every parent the first and/or second night of school to make positive contact (I have 67ish kiddos).
    This past year, I had so many of the same kiddos from when I taught PK and K, I just e-mailed;)

    Deniece

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  9. I think that is AWESOME that you are doing this in middle school. I teach second grade and try to do this often.. especially for the boys who I'm calling parents on constantly for bad things. They are so excited when it's a good phone call! Great reminder for us teachers!

    Amanda
    Reaching for the TOP!

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