We recently hosted Parent Observation Mornings again at HRS after two years of hiatus during the pandemic.
At these events, parents of HRS students are invited to observe morning assembly, question of the day, and then visit the classroom for a multi-sensory writing lesson.
It is a perfect opportunity for parents and guardians to immerse themselves in the classroom and for students to demonstrate what they're learning. In fact, our students are very excited to show off and explain their work. Who doesn’t want the chance to share their day with a loved-one?
For lots of schools, having parents in the classroom is a daily or regular occurrence. At HRS, because of the previous experience and layers of emotion many of our students bring to the classroom, having parents present can be an added layer of stress. It can result in avoidance or other behaviors we know students adopt when trying to hide their ability or inability to do something. We know students want to be successful. They don’t want to fail in front of their peers, and they certainly don’t want to fail in front of their parent, or their friend’s parents for that matter.
We work hard to normalize trying – and to normalize trying something over and over until we learn it. That is ok – it is in fact, normal.
These observations serve several purposes. They provide context. When a student is talking about what they do in class, showing or practicing homework, a parent can now connect the dots to what they observed. They see the intentionality, the repetition, the consistency, and the multi-sensory approach. They also see how much time, effort, and energy (from the teacher and the student!) goes into this work.
Observation days also provide reassurance.
They help families see the difference between a traditional educational setting and an HRS classroom. Until this point, what’s happening in the classroom might seem like a mystery – but really, it’s a decades-old, gold-standard methodology that is based in the science of reading.
We say this often and practice it every day; there is intentionality in what we do. It isn’t an accident to have our assembly, reading, and writing classes first thing in the morning. We know from research this is when students learn best. We also know the way we teach reading and writing is very structured, and students have a more sustained ability to focus at the beginning of the day.
Even though these observation events take place in the morning so reading and writing can be observed, we are also intentional in providing students with lots of creative and active outlets.
Throughout the rest of the day students enjoy PE, art, drama, technology, music, coloring, playing, and more. Our buildings are light and bright with spaces designed especially for our learning community. We want our students to have a comprehensive, full, vibrant school experience. And they do!
So, afterward, when I heard parents say this experience was validating for them, it was also validating for me. It was reassuring and affirming. Our program is doing what it is supposed to be doing. Our teachers and students are working hard. We know how students with dyslexia learn best – and we are focused on making sure they achieve authentic success in the classroom while helping them know and understand themselves as learners. That’s a win in my book.
Stacy Turner
Head of School
