Getting to Know Your Student

For the past couple years, I've given homework on the very first day of school. But the best part, it's not kid homework -- it's homework for their parents. Throw in a small prize for those who return it, and I get a pretty good response. 

I call it "Getting to know your student" because I'm all about the fancy titles!

I ask general questions, like what your child likes to be called, email addresses, what's the best way for me to reach the adult, who the child lives with. Then I ask for words they might use to describe their child, and some of their child's favorite things. I ask the adult to brag a little and also where they hope their student will improve. And finally I ask, is there anything else you want me to know. 

Whoa - that seems like it's really the meat of it. Parents tell me things that I might not know otherwise -- and sometimes they make a big difference, or really help me understand their child. 

But sometimes, that form just gets shoved into the file cabinet.  

Until today -- I somehow happened to see this:

link

Which really seems like a dur to me, because I sorta like analyzing the data. 

So instead of that information just sitting in my filing cabinet, I can put it on a chart and maybe do something with it -- like help in forming different groups, have an idea what to talk to a quiet child about, etc.  

I'm really excited to try this!