Create a parent helper folder that is always in a consistent location where your volunteer knows where to get it. In that folder you can communicate with your volunteer in that folder regarding what you need done and they can let you know what they did without stopping your classroom routine. Reading with struggling readers and general paperwork (not grading) are great things to do as well as put up new bulletin boards.

You have so little time during these mass conferences it's always good to plan. I generally have the students lead the conferences pulling material beforehand that shows an artifact they are proud of and one showing a skill in which they need improvement. The student always starts. This shows a student's learning investment and we plot out the pathway for improvement. (Parents/student/teacher). I always leave the end of the conference for questions from the parents (at least 2-3 min) and then invite them to email me with further questions to answer as time wraps up with a business card or a small piece of paper with my e-contact.

In our class we always begin with the scientific method. Until stude ta grasp these concepts, any other hands on activities during the year become meaningless.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1KGCvZCJmUGb-4jyXVGAq4HCFNeUbUUQw0W8NegTLoW4/edit?usp=drive_link

The attached lesson provides an example of the video content.

I know I repeat this all of the time but data is key. I'll add to this that knowing your student is equally if not more so important. You need to look at all of the data from your evaluations in class and qualitative data about your observations of that student to make a valued judgement on whether that student moves up, stays level, or needs to have a more intensive intervention. How many absences have they had? Is their progress impacted by those absences? Is there something going on at home that may interfere with learning? What about socially at school? Have you gotten input from parents about what they observe about their child's progress? All of these questions' answers will contribute to your decision but the good news is that a team of people from your school will help to make that decision with you.

The 5E's are a helpful guide for initiating hands-on inquiry-based teaching and learning in your classroom. Created by Dr. Rodger Bybee of BSCS in Colorado, the E's stand for Engage, Explore, Explain, Expand, and Evaluate. The Engagement step has students attention drawn to the topic through questioning strategies (i.e. Bloom's lower level questions) to assess how much students know on the topic being introduced and to give you a chance to correct misconceptions. Explore places hands-on materials with labs and experiential learning in the hands of the students while you guide them through the concept with more questions now in the mid-high range of Blooms so they can start connecting the concept with vocabulary and helps them to critically think about what they are observing. Explain then concretely connects the actual vocabulary to what they did in the exploration phase. Expand provides more opportunities for students to learn about the concept through other activities such as research, project-based learning, field trips, etc. Finally evaluate is your chance to use formative and summative assessments to measure how successful those experiences were in learning. For more on Dr. Bybee: https://science-teaching.org/learn/talks/creating-teachable-moments-with-rodger-bybee

If only you could connect all subjects to space or dinosaurs --you'd be in with every student.

www.nasa.gov has a wealth of FREE educational resources that connect STEM concepts to NASA missions. Additionally you should engage with NASA STEM Express: https://www.nasa.gov/stem/express which provides opportunities for your students to meet virtually with NASA experts on a variety of topics via Zoom or Teams...they even have opportunities to receive some of their retired artifacts for your classroom or school! Another wonderful resource is GLOBE (www.globe.gov). Training is online for this program and your students use an app to record citizen science observations where the data is used by NASA scientists.

Collect as much data as possible. Everytime a habitual absence happens, make your counselors and front office staff aware so they can follow up. Keep a journal of these absences and subsequent behaviors when the student returns. After sufficient documentation, refer to your school's system of referrals for supportive assistance. Communication with the parents is also key so they know that you care about the success of their child. Document those conversations keeping a record of dates, times, and conversation content. Enlist the support of team teachers and admin in any meetings that you have.

Invest in some training with Kagan Cooperative Learning. This system teaches you specific strategies to engage your students in the idea that they work as a team. They give you ways to select your working teams in the classroom, strategies for answering questions, and classroom management tools that promote cooperation among the entire class. It truly is a well-researched way to instruct your students and promote SEL with your students.

Our school has recently adopted Magic School AI (https://app.magicschool.ai/auth/signin)

It has an amazing amount of material not only for faculty but for students as well in a safe environment. The AI's training information is updated to 2023 which makes it reliable but like all AI always needs to be checked. Additionally, I would also recommend ISTE.org and check out their AI ethics curriculum. I am using it this year with our 6th graders before introducing them to the Magic School tools. Our staff will be undergoing training this year for the Magic School tools and it has a wealth of online training available as well as certifications.

Absolutely! Check out the resources on NASA.gov or https://earth.gov/ has amazing data that you can interact with. Another NASA program where students become Citizen Scientists is GLOBE (globe.gov). Students can input data from various observations and then pull the data from all over the world from other students to do comparisons.

IEP goals should be written with all test result data in front of you. The data tells the story. With AI and so many platforms that use that technology, you can make that job easier by using that particular tool, but after AI constructs the IEP goals, you need to go back and read them making sure that the areas of concern are being addressed specifically for that child and that they are achievable. Goals should always provide room for growth and then once achieved, new goals should be in place to continue that growth.

This really should be a two-way street. The very best admins can be seen often. Don't be afraid of the opportunity to have them in your classroom. They should be there to observe not only you but your students and what is going on there. Welcome them warmly and train your kids to do the same. Take some time to communicate what you are doing at that moment. This opens the door for good communication between you and them. Take the time to pop into their office and just say hello and ask how they are doing. Remember that you both have tremendous responsibilities and acknowledging the human side of your administrator is so important. Anytime you have a concern about your job performance or stress on your team level that cannot be resolved on your own first should be addressed with the admin. Be prepared to share what you have done to come to a resolution. Remember that just as much as you would hate hearing someone complain all of the time, approach your admin with that in mind.

There are a variety of web-based tools that our school uses to engage students in their learning. I am including that list below. Some of them have "free" subscriptions with limited skills available to entice you to the premium subscription. Check with your school system to see what may be available and if they do not have a subscription, try it for a year with the free version and then make your case for its adoption.
Quizizz
Quizlet
IXL
Magic School AI (AI is awesome to save YOU a ton of time but also great for your students. However - please look at the ISTE.org site to download how you can teach ethical uses of AI to your students FIRST.)
Kahoot
Gimkit
Nearpod

I agree with Gina. But will add here that data is important and it starts with what you observe in your classroom. Set up a Google or MS file where you can document any behavior or academic concerns that are consistent in your classroom first. Support those concerns with the school work that provides evidence for those concerns. In the State of Florida, once several in-class strategies have been provided students are then taken to MTSS for additional strategies and evaluation before they are advanced for consideration for testing. Also - communication is key with the parents. I always present my concerns by inviting them to meet face-to-face with you where you share your observations. Then ask them what they have observed at home and in previous grades. Parent input is critical in this process.

The most important tool in any teacher's tool kit is data. In this day and age of advanced technology tracking for schools, your LMS can provide some really important pieces of information such as time spent on assignments, grade means for an entire class, etc. Before meeting with a parent who may be a little sensitive, gather all of the data necessary to share the facts. And stick to those facts. You cannot allow yourself to get emotional in a meeting such as this. Remember that parents have the best interest of their child at heart. They don't always understand that you have the best interest of MULTIPLE children at heart. Many times a situation like this can be avoided if you have communicated both positive observations and items of concern WELL in advance. The more that parents hear from you (and I always document all conversations whether its email, Remind messages, or phone calls) the less likely they will be upset. Meeting with any parent that may be upset should also be done with a team of people to support you such as your administration and grade level team. Always provide support for yourself as you do for your parents of your students.

The most important tool in any teacher's tool kit is data. In this day and age of advanced technology tracking for schools, your LMS can provide some really important pieces of information such as time spent on assignments, grade means for an entire class, etc. Before meeting with a parent who may be a little sensitive, gather all of the data necessary to share the facts. And stick to those facts. You cannot allow yourself to get emotional in a meeting such as this. Remember that parents have the best interest of their child at heart. They don't always understand that you have the best interest of MULTIPLE children at heart. Many times a situation like this can be avoided if you have communicated both positive observations and items of concern WELL in advance. The more that parents hear from you (and I always document all conversations whether its email, Remind messages, or phone calls) the less likely they will be upset. Meeting with any parent that may be upset should also be done with a team of people to support you such as your administration and grade level team. Always provide support for yourself as you do for your parents of your students.