Kathleen Williams wants parents to know what is going on in classrooms today and what resources are available to them to be sure that their child is receiving a quality education.
As principal of Ranch View Elementary School in Naperville, Williams set up a three-part informational symposium for parents to let them know what they can do to ensure their child is learning to his best ability.
”I think it`s important to let parents know that what is going on in the classroom is different than when they went to school,” said Williams. ”so my instructional coordinator and I planned this series.”
One of the things they do in the symposium, she said, is explain the types of techniques being used in the classroom to determine how each child learns best.
”Children`s needs in a classroom can range from one with attention deficit disorder to one who who wears glasses to one whose parents are divorcing or one who`s not developing socially as well as others,” she said. Then, she said, they go into great depth with parents about different learning styles and adapting teaching methods to fit them.
”A classroom teacher that relies on lectures isn`t going to get real far with a child who relies on hands-on learning,” she said.
Further, the class addresses the sort of resources a parent can request to meet his child`s individual needs.
”Parents need to find out, and have the right to find out, what avenues their schools are pursuing in program development,” she said.
The program has been very popular with parents, said Ron Gibson, associate superintendent of elementary education for Naperville Community Unit School District 203.
”It`s worked to her advantage,” said Gibson. ”The parents have been very appreciative of her efforts to communicate.”
”We got absolutely fabulous response from the parents,” agreed Williams. ”Several said I should do it every year.”
