I completed a parent teacher conference with the mom. We were able to discuss her goals for herself and her child more in depth. She discussed with me that she has been doing research regarding Penn Foster online high school. We discussed the options of doing the online school, or going to GED classes. She said, " It will be easier for me to do online because I will be able to work on my school work when the baby is sleeping, and at my own pace." I see this as a huge step for her. She asked me if I would help her get more information about the online program and I agreed. I was able to go online and have a packet of information sent to her home discussing the program. Mom and I planned that after the packet arrived at her house, she would call me so we could discuss how she was feeling about the workload, and what her plan would be to complete all of it in a timely manner.
The baby: The child is doing well. The speech sessions seem to be boosting her language, and the feedback I am getting from the speech teacher is positive.
Successes: I thought that the conference was very successful! I felt like mom was right on track to getting this goal started. The fact that she wanted to discuss moving forward with her education, and had started to develop a plan was a success for me. I also felt as though this is a successful conference because mom has made a plan and is moving forward with it.
Limitations: I find that one of the limitations during this session with the mom was the fact that we also had to discuss information regarding her daughters development also. Even though I feel that this is the best way to get to her and show her that I do care about both her and her daughter, I feel that it can also be a distraction. I also feel as though because she has so many goals for herself that she also gets overwhelmed discussing goals for herself.
The next step: The next step for our work together is going to be
getting together and filling out the required financial aid paperwork
to turn into the school. I will continue to discuss with her planning time for her homework, readings and making sure that she does not overwhelm herself.
How often do you conference with the mother? Do they both attend a center experience/activity or does she just attend sessions where she receives counseling?
ReplyDeleteShe is lucky to have you mentor her through this. Having a dream is great but reaching the goal is difficult when you don't even know where to begin. I am glad you are helping her step by step through the process. Guidance will help her feel more comfortable and reassured of what and why she is doing this. Awesome!
ReplyDeleteIt is fantastic to hear that mom has asked for help with the online high school and financial aid. This is a huge step for her by being vulnerable and trusting you to ask for help! That speaks to your respect and the validation you have given her. Sometimes having one person believe in you, saying you can do it, is all that is needed. I can't wait to hear how it goes after your next meeting!
ReplyDeleteShannon,
ReplyDeleteI see her twice a day, once at drop off and once at pick up. We talk at that time, but we also do once a week meeting for about 10 mins to see where we discuss the project and goals.
Wow Heather, what a fantastic teacher you are! You are not only helping the baby, but you are helping the mom. You are showing her you care about her family, her baby, and her as a mom and a person. It sounds like a successful meeting and setting goals are a wonderful way to work with parents. I'm so excited for you!
ReplyDelete