A Note on the Joy and Importance of Fall Conferences
from the TCEE office
"What I've come to understand is that the most important work I do to see a child in positive ways is within me. I must continually work to transform my own view of children’s behaviors, see their points of view, and strive to uncover how what I am seeing reveals the children’s deep desire, eagerness, and capacity for relationships. There is no more important or rewarding work than this." – Deb Curtis, author of the book “Really Seeing Children”
Every year around this time, as we’ve settled into the year and the High Holy Days have passed, we have the chance to take a breath and notice the changes around us. With the temperature dropping, the leaves changing colors, and the sun setting just a touch earlier each day, everything begins to feel just a little different, even as everything that was different just a month or two ago has finally started to feel familiar.
It is no coincidence that during this season of change, we set aside a day for parent-teacher conferences, a day our staff spends in conversation with caregivers about all the growth and change we have seen in their children since the start of school. Conference day, which this year falls on Tuesday, November 4, offers an opportunity for a child’s caregivers and teachers to sit together, without little ears listening, and talk about our shared interest: your child.
Over the past few weeks, the TCEE teachers have been reflecting and considering each individual child as they write the Adjustment to School reports that accompany these conferences. At first glance, these reports may seem like an intimidating series of checklists and developmental benchmarks, but they are so much more than that. They are a snapshot of your child at this time in their life, of what they’re working on and what they’ve mastered recently. They are a celebration of their words, their thoughts, and their goals as we keep moving through our school year. They are written with a tremendous amount of time, effort, and care, given willingly, because each child in our care is worth the focus and attention this kind of work requires.
And regardless of the areas they are excelling in, and which skills are still emerging, the goal of these reports and these meetings is to sit together and celebrate who they are as we develop ways to support their growth. Just as we all have when learning something new, children, as growing individuals, need support from the people around them who have the knowledge they are building. We hope you will join us, in person or virtually, for a conference on November 4 to delight together in your child’s achievements and partner in their learning.