[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdlq3Dr4br4]

Goal: Begin to work on ways that you can be a better listener and engage parents to be your partners in the work that you do as an educator…share it with a colleague.

Quote: “You don’t really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around – and why his parents will always wave back.”  ~William D. Tammeus

Challenge: 1) Join The Teacher Mentoring Project on The EduPLN. 2) Support new teachers at Edutopia.org by responding to their questions and concerns. 3) Really Listen to what your parents need from you. 4) Offer a Professional Development opportunity to share with parents. 5) Reconnect with “distant” parents, and apologize…even if the issue wasn’t your fault.

Did you reflect on this goal? Please leave a comment that you accomplished this goal by either posting your own video reflection on YouTube, using the hashtag #30Goals, posting on the 30 Goals Facebook group, adding a post to the 43 Things web/mobile app, or adding a comment below! Feel free to subscribe to The 30 Goals podcast!

Keep an eye out for the book, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators, that will be published by Eye on Education in the Fall of 2011!

Thanks for joining me on The 30 Goals Challenge Journey…