On the Mark: Dr. Todd Kenreich and Jessica Moore

As students head back to the classroom, the routines established at home can shape their success throughout the school year. In this episode, President Mark Ginsberg is joined by Towson University College of Education faculty members Jessica Moore and Dr. Todd Kenreich for a conversation grounded in research and real-world experience about helping students thrive. They discuss strategies to reduce anxiety and build confidence, from consistent routines to managing screen time, supporting your student with homework, and establishing a strong partnership with their teachers.

Transcript

[Music]

[00:00:00] 

Narrator: You're listening to a Towson University podcast. 

[Music]

[00:00:06] 

Mark Ginsberg: Welcome to On the Mark and the Season 2 finale of our series. On the Mark is where we have candid conversations about the meaningful and consequential work that's happening here at Towson University. I'm Mark Ginsberg. It's my honor to serve as president of TU. And on this podcast, we'll be introducing you to members of our university community who are engaged in high-impact teaching, research, and student success initiatives, and initiatives that are in the public interest. 

As students of all ages return to classrooms this fall, establishing strong routines can make all the difference. Today we're discussing best practices that can help students succeed this academic year, from building productive habits and effective study strategies to setting goals and also fostering curiosity. I'm delighted to be joined by two faculty members, experts from Towson University's College of Education. First is Jessica Moore. Jess is a teaching professor in the Department of Special Education. Before joining Towson University in 2009, she spent 10 years teaching in the Baltimore County Public Schools as both a general and special educator. She holds degrees from Towson University and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Philosophy here in Instructional Technology at our university where her research focuses on practice-based teacher preparation. 

I'm also joined by Dr. Todd Kenreich. He's a professor of secondary and middle school education. Todd is an expert in geography education and global education and academic success. He too is a former classroom teacher at the high school level and is the co-author of a 2024 book entitled Learn Like a Dragon: The Secrets of Success in College and Beyond. This book shares research-based strategies to help students succeed in school throughout their lives. Todd received his doctoral degree in education from THE, I want to emphasize that, THE Ohio State University. Did I get that right, Todd? And Jessica and Todd, thank you so much for joining me today on On the Mark. 

[00:02:06] 

Jessica Moore: Well, thank you so much for having us today. We really appreciate the opportunity to take part in this conversation.

[00:02:11] 

Mark Ginsberg: Oh, great to have you, Jess.

[00:02:11] 

Jessica Moore: It's a great topic, very timely moving into the start of the school year. So just thinking about some kind of general ideas for parents to think about in preparation for sending their students back to school. I think the first thing that I would think about is just consistency – coming up with a consistent plan, a consistent routine – and then having conversations with their children so that there's kind of a shared understanding of the "why" behind the consistency of the routines. So that would be my kind of first talking point, just that consistency is so important. 

[00:02:47] 

Mark Ginsberg: But helping kids understand the reason for that, the "why." You use that word "why" very deliberately. How do you see that in terms of being able to explain to children why this time is so important to them? 

[00:02:59] 

Jessica Moore: That's a great point. I think sometimes as parents... Well, I can speak for myself, I have the dual lens, if you will. I am a parent, but I'm also an educator. So I kind of have that dual lens of understanding the importance of students understanding the reason behind the request, if you will. So being intentional for that opportunity for students to realize there's a reason why we're doing this. So, if it's, let's say, a bedtime, for instance, and it's a specific time, rather than just kind of stating it as a requirement, having them understand the reason behind that. So the idea of good rest and what good rest can do for you and how a good night's sleep is going to help you in the morning, and so that they can kind of make those connections. And I think that shared experience allows then that child to be part of that conversation. 

[00:03:54] 

Mark Ginsberg: Now, let's come back to that issue because that's a really important one. The patterns of sleep and the patterns of when a child goes to bed, when they wake up, can change dramatically as school begins. Todd, what are some of your thoughts? 

[00:04:06] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: Part of this is about communication and making sure that the young people maybe in your home have a good understanding of, number one, when does school start? Across the 24 districts of Maryland, there has been new interest in having a transition day for kindergartners, for sixth graders in middle school, and for ninth graders in high school. And so I know in my county of Montgomery County, that new transition day has been designed in part to help those young people become more comfortable with a new environment for learning. And I think as parents, one of the things that we need to do is to help our young people understand why the school puts something like that in place and how that can be helpful to maybe take away some of those, shall I call them, first day jitters that kids justifiably have when they think about going into a new setting, maybe with new people and a new teacher for the new year. 

[00:05:00] 

Mark Ginsberg: Talk a little bit more about the transition day. When is that and what does the research tell us about it?

[00:05:04] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: So, in Montgomery County, if I have my calendar straight, I believe Monday, the 24th of August is what's now designated a transition day. So, in elementary schools, only kindergartners will be in the building that day. 

[00:05:17] 

Mark Ginsberg: Ah-hah.

[00:05:17] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: Middle schoolers, only sixth graders, and in high schools, only ninth graders. And part of the programming for that day is certainly by design to help folks get to know the map of the building and where their kind of flow of movement is throughout the day. Get to know some faces of the adults that will be part of their learning environment. And what does the research tell us? The research absolutely focuses on the importance of those first several days and weeks of school will be setting some of the habits of expectations for young people. And literally, if students feel lost when they come into a new environment, that doesn't bode well for them starting to find their footing and maybe developing some good habits of mind along the way. 

[00:05:57] 

Mark Ginsberg: Well, fabulous. What a fabulous idea. It reminds me a little bit of what we do here at the university, where we bring our incoming students to campus before the semester begins, either during the summer or soon before classes begin, to orient themselves to the environment and to learn where to go, but to just feel comfortable in the setting. My guess is by having children who are entering a new building, in that building, in a more safe kind of environment, it gives them that level of comfort. 

[00:06:23] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: Also, I would add, if we've been in local schools recently, some busy schools, you're literally kind of elbowing your way, maybe through the hallway to make your way to the cafeteria or elsewhere. And so I think, especially for kindergartners, maybe also for middle schoolers and ninth graders, it feels nice to be in a space where you're not sort of getting maybe elbowed along the way but have a little bit of room to breathe and start to figure out your new routine. 

[00:06:48] 

Mark Ginsberg: That leads me to ask a question about the stress of entering, not just a new building, but entering a new school year. So a child entering a school for the first time, I suspect for many young people, there's a sense of anxiety, maybe a sense of the unknown about a new environment. But even for children going back to the school for the second or third year, returning can be a very stressful experience or maybe anticipatorily a very stressful experience. How do you see that and how do we help children prepare for that abrupt transition that will take place in their life? 

[00:07:21] 

Jessica Moore: So, when Todd was speaking and to kind of touch on that particular topic, the term "gradual" release kind of came to mind for me, and so thinking about kind of that gradual release into that experience. So thinking about ways in which we can support students really even prior to that first day of school. It could be starting some routines the week before, two weeks before, talking about what the expectations are going to be, some things that they can expect when they go into the school building. I know often, schools will host opportunities for students to go in and tour the building prior to the first day...

[00:08:00] 

Mark Ginsberg: Right. Right.

[00:08:01] 

Jessica Moore: ...which is a wonderful opportunity. So any strategies that really just kind of take that unknown away is going to allow the student to be more present within that first day, that first week. Even having an opportunity possibly to meet their teacher, if not in person, maybe just a visual. So they could go on the school's website, they could look at this is your teacher, this is the cafeteria, this is what the library is going to look like. There's so many resources available that could be part of that gradual release process. So when they get into the classroom, some of those unknowns are no longer causing the anxiety. And then they'll be able to be more present and engage in those first several days where the teachers are really laying the foundation for the school readiness and the routines, and that really would be an opportunity for students to have that positive experience. So by being proactive, we're creating an opportunity for that positive experience, which then gives way for the start of the school year. 

[00:09:08] 

Mark Ginsberg: Yeah. And Todd, you were saying that establishing those kind of habits early, soon after school begins, is a good way to kind of ingrain in children a sense of what to expect, but also how to be successful. 

[00:09:19] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: Absolutely. Part of the work that I've done here at Towson has been looking at this question of academic success, and so I think one of the things that I want to at least help listeners maybe allay their fears about is grades are one barometer of academic success. 

[00:09:35] 

Mark Ginsberg: Sure. But not the only one. 

[00:09:36] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: But not the only one. And so I think it's really important as parents to not necessarily just be drilling down on, "We want you to bring home high grades this marking period," but also trying to remember that there's importance in being able to say, "What did you learn and how was it meaningful for you? And what hard work did you put in?" So, in other words, showing us effort, not always just achievement as the benchmark for maybe what type of either praise comes from home and from the family. 
 
 

But in, I think, that early stage of the school year, helping to establish some of those habits that might include things like time management, clearly for the younger set – a kindergartner or kind of early elementary students – they're going to need a lot of support from home for that process. But as we start to make our transitions into middle school, where now instead of having maybe one, two, or maybe three teachers in a day in elementary school, middle school all of a sudden is often sometimes an abrupt transition for our sixth graders who now are in a setting where the school building itself might be...

[00:10:34] 

Mark Ginsberg: Great point. Great point.

[00:10:34] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: ...two to three times larger than it once was.

[00:10:37] 

Mark Ginsberg: Yeah. Yeah.

[00:10:37] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: And then at the same time, their school day now, let's say, starts at 7:45, ends maybe sometime around 3:00 or 3:15, and has been segmented throughout the entire day along the bands of different subjects. And so that's an abrupt kind of transition, I think, for some folks coming out of fifth grade. And I think as parents and certainly kind of at home reminding folks that you're going to do the best that you can to get from period one to period two, but that it will take something of a switching of your thinking to be able to move from PE class, physical education, to math class to another class and being okay with the idea that sometimes we want all of these pieces to fit together, but sometimes as a student, you're going to find that it feels a little bit abrupt moving from one classroom to the next, but you simply kind of flip a switch and help yourself kind of move from one to the next. 

[00:11:28] 

Mark Ginsberg: And that phenomenon, my hunch is that even amplified as you go from middle school to high school. 

[00:11:32] 

Jessica Moore: Mm-hmm.

[00:11:31] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: Exactly. 

[00:11:32] 

Mark Ginsberg: Yeah. Yeah.

[00:11:33] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: Exactly. 

[00:11:34] 

Mark Ginsberg: Let's get into a related kind of subject. As a parent myself and as a grandparent now, I know that mornings can be a little chaotic...

[00:11:41]

Jessica Moore: Mm-hmm.

[00:11:43] 

Mark Ginsberg: ...for every family. Not just for my family or your families, but for every family. Mornings can be a little chaotic. Yet, I also know that when that routine shifts – and it gets back to your habit question as well, Todd – as the child is getting ready for school at 7 a.m. as opposed to going out to play with friends at 9 a.m. or going to a camp activity or doing something, a switch in those routines can also be challenging. A switch in those routines, not only for children, but for families. How does that play out and how can we help families prepare for that, not just their children? 

[00:12:16] 

Jessica Moore: Absolutely. That's a great topic to think about in terms of supporting families for student success. The first thing I would think about, just really from my own experience as a parent, is the kind of preparation prior to the morning. So having the book bag packed, having the decision, are you buying? Are you packing? Do we need to make the lunch the night before? I know with my children, I would allow them to pick out what they were going to wear the night before based on maybe three choices that I had given them. 

[00:12:49] 

Mark Ginsberg: Mm-hmm.

[00:12:51] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: So, I'm giving them... 

[00:12:52] 

Mark Ginsberg: Not the whole drawer. [Laughter] 

[00:12:53] 

Jessica Moore: That's right. That's right. I learned that the hard way. I'm empowering them to make a decision that is important, but I'm also giving them guidance in how to do that. So again, I think it's that shared experience that children really respond to. And then it takes away from that kind of push/pull, if you will, that some parents might experience with their child. So that giving them the idea that they're part of the conversation, they're part of the decision really, in my view, is empowering, and that allows them to know that they are going to be able to make some choices that will allow them to feel successful. 

[00:13:29] 

Mark Ginsberg: How important, Jess, is it for families to be consistent with those behaviors? 

[00:13:33] 

Jessica Moore: I would say that consistency is really key. It's really key because again, by being consistent, we're alleviating opportunities for anxiety to kind of impact the child's behavior. And we know that all behavior is purposeful. So whenever the child is behaving in a certain way, they're telling us something. They're anxious, they're scared, they're nervous. They might not have the language yet to pair with the feeling, so then it comes forth in that behavior. So as parents, if we're able to decipher what that behavior is actually saying to the parent, then again, we can go back to that conversation. 

[00:14:10] 

Mark Ginsberg: In other words, read the messages that children are sending.

[00:14:12] 

Jessica Moore: Absolutely.

[00:14:13] 

Mark Ginsberg: Not just by what they're orally saying, but what they're communicating non-verbally. 

[00:14:16] 

Jessica Moore: Absolutely. 

[00:14:17] 

Mark Ginsberg: And that's hard for a lot of parents, by the way, because kids will, in my experience, be very expressive, but perhaps not expressive in the way that adults necessarily fully understand. 

[00:14:27] 

Jessica Moore: Absolutely. And I think that again, as a parent, you are so busy and there's other children possibly and you're trying to get out the door yourself for your eight o'clock meeting that you have to meet. The dog needs to go out. So all the things are happening. So by being proactive in terms of the preparation, that's going to hopefully allow less opportunity for those kind of hiccups, if you will. And then putting your child on the bus or dropping them off at the school building knowing that they're in a calm place is really important for not only the child, but the parent. Because then the parent can go into their day knowing their child is in a good space. 

[00:15:03] 

Mark Ginsberg: Right. Yeah. Yeah. Let's flip the switch a little bit on that because we're talking about the morning routine. The other area that I think can be very complicated for families is bedtime and making the switch to get ready for bed so that you're ready for school. What about that evening experience, Todd? How do you see that? 

[00:15:22] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: As a parent of twin daughters...

[00:15:24] 

Mark Ginsberg: Oh, my.

[00:15:25] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: ...who are headed into their sophomore year, one of the things that's on my radar... 

[00:15:29] 

Mark Ginsberg: You've had your hands full. [Laughter] 

[00:15:30] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: We do. But it's great. One of the things that we think about is screen time in terms of trying to help my daughters think a little bit about the work that they're doing for school. Maybe it looks like homework, or they're involved in other activities. But then, like most young people, they like a little bit of downtime. And so part of that downtime might look like that they're spending time on a device like their phone. And so one of the things that we know can happen is that while you're on your phone, I think all of us could agree as adults, you can lose track of time. And so helping my daughters and helping young people be able to say to themselves, when is the system shutdown? When am I going to be off of my device so that if I'm going to shower or kind of do some of those routines right before bedtime, that I'm not necessarily tethered to my device right up until I try to close my eyes? Or I would argue worse, that a child has gone to bed. We think that the phone has been put away, but then it turns out that they're on their screen late into the evening, which obviously doesn't set them up for a good night's sleep for the next day. 

[00:16:32] 

Mark Ginsberg: The inference is that that's related to middle school or high school kids, but I also know that with young children, kids have an affinity for screen time, be it perhaps differently using screens, watching cartoons or movies, watching an iPad and giving them the chance to balance, I suspect, the use of screen time with non-screen time, but also how to make the most use of screen time that's educationally productive. 

[00:16:57] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: And I do know that some families use timers where they're able as parents...

[00:17:01] 

Mark Ginsberg: Uh-huh.

[00:17:03] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: ...to be able to let young people know that you've already been on your device for X amount of minutes, and so maybe that's it for the day. Or maybe for whatever reason it's extended a bit, but at least helping everyone, adults and young people together, to be mindful of where those minutes are going. 

[00:17:19] 

Mark Ginsberg: Yeah, it's a little out of the range of this topic but let me just put it on the table anyway. How can parents model effective use of screen time? I also have this sense sometimes that children are watching their parents, and parents are sometimes quite, almost hesitate to use the phrase, informally perhaps addicted to their devices. 

[00:17:42] 

Jessica Moore: Yeah, I think that's a really fair point to consider. We are our children's first model, first role model, so they are seeing what we are doing. So if our words are saying one thing, but our actions are saying something else, that can prove to be challenging. So, again, if we're kind of thinking about what Todd was sharing, if I'm asking my child to not be on their device prior to their going to bed, but then they see I'm on my device, that's kind of counterproductive. So I would go back to that idea of being intentional and going back to giving them some choices prior to going to bed. So rather than it being an abrupt, "It's time for bed," start early. And so if the screen time needs to be ended by a certain time, then going back to that idea, "Okay, well, we have 30 minutes before it's time to go to bed, here are two choices. You pick what you would like to do. Would you like to read a book, or would you like to lay in your bed and, let's say, play with your stuffed animals?" if you will. 

So again, that idea that as the parent, we are the first role model, so that we need to be cognizant of what they're seeing us do, so that when we're asking them to do something, they understand that we are also kind of following the guidelines, if you will. And students or children, they might not necessarily have the language to say, "Well, mom, but you're doing this," but then I go back to behavior. Their behavior will tell us that they're picking up on kind of that inconsistency on our part.

[00:19:11] 

Mark Ginsberg: Right.

[00:19:12] 

Jessica Moore: Again, going back to being consistent. 

[00:19:14] 

Mark Ginsberg: Consistency's really important. You mentioned something that I think is very important, too. You said that parents are the child's first role model. The National Association for the Education of Young Children, NAEYC, has written that parents are a child's first but also most important teacher. As we think about the summer period, you think about the early fall period, you think about preparing kids to go back to school emotionally from a physical standpoint, getting enough sleep, let's talk a little bit about the academic preparation. I think so many families are worried that there'll be a summer lapse, that what children learn during the school year may be lost a little bit in the transitions of summer. What are some things that parents can do to help to prepare their students, their children, to both retain the academic work that they learned during the school year, but also be ready to resume learning in the fall? What are some tips for parents in that sphere? 

[00:20:04] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: One of the areas that I would point to is the importance of reading. And so even if, as a parent, you might say to yourself, "What my young person is reading at home is not necessarily related to school or related to algebra or related to government," just the very practice of being a reader at home. And, of course, as Jess mentioned earlier here, that modeling, being able to show the young people in your home, that you also take time to read and think about big ideas. 

That's important because I think that's something that, for young people, often, if they've taken an entire summer away from reading, just moving their eyes again on a page to read can be a little bit stressful and require some, I guess I would say, focus that maybe they've lost over the summer. So being able to say that reading is part of the habit of what we do as a family. Sometimes, I know some families will even try to carve a little bit of time where everyone is in the same room quietly reading something, whatever that might be. But sort of shifting the culture a little bit because I think for most of us, many of us are so tethered to our phones that in many cases we're sort of pulled in different directions. And so as a family, where do we sort of hold up reading as an important component for helping young people over the summer not have what you mentioned, that summer slide? 

[00:21:21] 

Jessica Moore: And if I could add to that, Todd?

[00:21:22] 

Mark Ginsberg: Please. Please, Jess.

[00:21:23] 

Jessica Moore: That's exactly what I was thinking about. Reading was the first thing that came to my mind, and I'd love to give a plug to the public libraries. I know that is a resource as a parent that I use summer after summer.

[00:21:33] 

Mark Ginsberg: Yeah. Great point. Great point.

[00:21:34] 

Jessica Moore: They have reading programs where there are incentives for the children to read a certain amount of books, and then there's some prizes at the end. But more importantly, it's that kind of intrinsic reward that the student feels when they've read the amount of books that were allotted for their age range. And then I know within the county where my children went to school, which is Hartford County, the elementary schools then piggybacked on that. So, the students would bring in their summer reading lists, and it was celebrated as the start of the school year began. So, the public library is a wonderful resource for parents, for books but also interactive opportunities, play, just really a great place for parents to bring their children over the summer, but then also through the school months as well. 

[00:22:24] 

Mark Ginsberg: Yeah. It's been said that learning begins at home, but it's also been said, and I think it's many families' experience that learning is a shared responsibility between the family and the educators in the school. Talk a little bit about when school begins and children are bringing home homework, and one of the dilemmas that I know many parents are faced with is how much do I help versus how much do I leave the child to be independent? How much do I encourage versus how much do I do? What's some of your advice and your experiences with that very challenging issue for a lot of different families? Many, I'd say probably all families? 

[00:23:00] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: You're asking there the million dollar question.

[00:23:02] 

Mark Ginsberg: [Laughter] 

[00:23:03] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: I think as parents, certainly, we're always having a balancing act. 

[Crosstalk 00:23:06] 

[00:23:06] 

Mark Ginsberg: ...it was an important issue for me when my kids were growing up. [Laughter] 

[00:23:08] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: And the same for me as well. And so, I think in the end, there's sort of a question of what's that frustration level? So, I think for most of us as parents, we recognize that there's an important value in learning how to do some problem solving on your own, but clearly that looks quite different for a kindergartner or a first grader, who at that stage is usually, if they're not kind of learning to read, they're at some stage reading to learn. But if they're in that early stage and maybe struggling a bit as a young reader, just compounding that at home and not providing some of that additional support, I don't think is productive. 

[00:23:42] 

Jessica Moore: And just to add to that, Todd, another idea that I was thinking about that I used as a former classroom teacher, I would encourage my parents to let me know where the frustration hit. So, I would, at back to school or in my newsletter going home early on, I would ask parents to just write me a little note. There's no sense having tears. There's no sense in having arguments. So, let's say there were 10 math problems, and frustration hit at problem five. Write a note that we got to this point. And that also gives me data as the educator to understand where the child's kind of abilities were and then possibly, I might accommodate or differentiate moving forward, where maybe they don't need to do 10 problems. Maybe they only need to do four to show their understanding. So, the communication with the teacher in the school is really important, especially when it comes to homework because we have to also remember that children have been engaged all day long. So they're getting home. 

[00:24:39] 

Mark Ginsberg: Yeah.

[00:24:40] 

Jessica Moore: They're fatigued. There's physical fatigue. 

[00:24:41] 

Mark Ginsberg: That's a great point.

[00:24:42] 

Jessica Moore: There's cognitive fatigue. As a former classroom teacher, I was very purposeful and mindful of what I was asking to be done at home. And then I love the point that you made, Todd, about that independence. So, we want that independence as students become older. And so giving them that responsibility to take ownership over, maybe that conversation now isn't parent to teacher, it's student to teacher, and they go in and they say, "I was having trouble with these problems, and this is why." 

[00:25:08] 

Mark Ginsberg: Yeah. An educator once told me that the role of the parent is to help problem-solving skills rather than solving every problem for their child. And that was great advice, I thought. Let me kind of talk about a related issue and ask your advice about it. It's not only the child developing a relationship with their teacher, whether it's a young child going into a classroom and having one or two or three teachers they deal with every day, or a high school student going in and maybe having seven or eight teachers. How do you suggest that parents develop relationships with their child's teacher? 

[00:25:40] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: Having been a high school teacher in Montgomery County, I can remember that back to school night often happens for the teacher at the end of a long day, and it may run until about 7:30 or 8 o'clock at night. So it's a long day. 

[00:25:51]

Mark Ginsberg: Yeah. Yeah. 

[00:25:52] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: And to put a face with maybe a guardian or parent of a kid in your classroom is really valuable. And I think at the same time for parents, it's really helpful to sit in a classroom. Often, you're sitting maybe in those kiddie chairs in elementary school or you're sitting in the actual desk that students sit in. You get a really good glimpse of what a classroom looks like by sitting in it and seeing what's up on the bulletin board, what posters are presented. You get a really good picture. In my mind, especially as a teacher educator, I will argue that within a minute or two, I can have some sense of the flavor of this teacher and the class going forward just by the presentation that they offer to parents. And so, if you're not able to pattern your life so that you're able to go to back to school night, I think following up with some type of either email to the teacher or trying to have your first communication with the teacher and educator as a positive one rather than your first email or your first reach out to the teacher as a negative one or trying to fix a problem or complaining, I think that goes a long way in beginning to build that relationship between home and school for learning. 

[00:27:02] 

Jessica Moore: Yep, Todd, I absolutely agree. And I echo what you said about thinking about within teacher preparation, one thing that I stress with the students that I work with who will be in the classroom serving as educators is that first conversation really should be a positive one. I remember early on in my career that was something that I was told and we divided the class lists and everyone took X amount of phone numbers. This is back when you're making phone calls, not necessarily emails, just to touch base and have that positive open communication. And then for families to know and guardians that the relationship with their teacher does change from the elementary level to the middle school level to the high school level. 

[00:27:44] 

Mark Ginsberg: Yes, yes. Of course.

[00:27:45] 

Jessica Moore: Where there's typically more involvement at the elementary level, but there's absolutely still opportunity at the middle school and the high school level to make those connections. And it's so important for the students to know that it's a kind of three-way conversation. That home is talking to school and that the child is kind of the focal point for those conversations. 

[00:28:08] 

Mark Ginsberg: I also want to raise with you the issue of a parent who has a child with special needs, maybe some learning needs, maybe some mobility needs, maybe hearing or sight, whatever those special needs are. Back to school is one time when parents want to express that. But what are the best ways, if you have a concern about your child, a concern of any sort, to be able to communicate that to the school, particularly as school is beginning, to be sure that there's an awareness of what you think your child needs and the school can begin to think about how can they best meet that child's needs? 

[00:28:41] 

Jessica Moore: Absolutely. And as a former special educator in the public setting and now as an instructor within the Department of Special Ed within Towson University, the first thing that I really think about, and it really goes back to the statement we said where the parent is the child's first role model. The parent is also the child's first advocate. 

[00:29:00] 

Mark Ginsberg: Sure.

[00:29:00] 

Jessica Moore: So, to know that there is no question that should not be asked. There is no concern that is unwarranted, if you will. So anything that you're thinking, feeling, wanting to know, that is your right by law. But in addition to, as the parent to have that conversation. Often, in my experience, schools will put in place what we call kind of transitional meetings that happen before the school starts so that the team will sit down and they'll look at if the child does have an IEP or a 504. 

[00:29:35] 

Mark Ginsberg: Those are plans that express the child's needs. 

[00:29:38] 

Jessica Moore: Yes. Exactly, exactly.

[00:29:39] 

Mark Ginsberg: Yeah.

[00:29:40] 

Jessica Moore: So, it will be outlined for the team to look at. And I know that for me as a special educator, that was a very important meeting because again, I know that the parents have that level of understanding that I don't have yet of their child. And so I need to listen to what it is they feel and think and want for their child. And often, it really gives way to information that allows me then as the educator to help move their child in the right direction. For instance, I had an experience where my assumption was the focus was on academic success, but in actuality, the goal from where the parents sat was socialization and being immersed socially in the classroom. And that was a real turning point for the work that we then were able to do for that child. 

[00:30:25] 

Mark Ginsberg: So, parents need to understand that teachers not only want but need that information. 

[00:30:28] 

Jessica Moore: Absolutely.

[00:30:29] 

Mark Ginsberg: So they shouldn't be shy in expressing it and sharing it. 

[00:30:31] 

Jessica Moore: Absolutely, absolutely. 

[00:30:32] 

Mark Ginsberg: Yeah. Todd? 

[00:30:33] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: I would argue that at least some of the initial challenge for parents is feeling that they maybe aren't listened to at school, and so I will kind of echo what Jess said here about that advocacy piece. So, I think it's going to be really important for parents if they have sort of a nagging question of is my daughter on level for reading? Or is my daughter struggling extra with processing or writing? That some of those pieces that you may notice at home, that you're bringing that forward, as Jess mentioned, to folks at school, whether it's immediately the classroom teacher or starting to reach a little bit more broadly. 

Most public schools have a staff of folks that part of their charge is not just working day to day with students, but instead the big picture of being able to identify students with exceptionalities and to provide that support going forward. So, I guess I would just echo that piece of advocacy and saying to yourself, even if you don't always feel welcome as a parent at a school, that it's still your right to make sure that your concerns are heard and that you find folks at the school that can help be advocates with you. 

[00:31:32] 

Mark Ginsberg: Engage and communicate. Time is always so short when we have these conversations, but I do want to ask you each one more question, if I might. The question is if you could give a parent, and give them advice about, what's one message that you'd like for them to remember as they send their children back to school this fall, what would that message be? 

[00:31:54] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: I would anchor it on gratitude. So in other words...

[00:31:55] 

Mark Ginsberg: Gratitude. Uh-huh.

[00:31:56] 

Dr. Todd Kenreich: ...as a parent, I think one of the most important gifts that we can offer to our young people is to recognize gratitude in the world around us. And so I think if there is some anxiety or stress that some young people are feeling as they get ready for the year ahead in school, if you as a parent help them appreciate that we can be grateful for the summer that we've had, we can be grateful for the chance to visit with grandparents, we can be grateful for some of the opportunities that we've had to do things that weren't school related. Then as we get back into this new routine, hopefully that gratitude sort of holds forward. And so one of the things we certainly try to model at home is the idea that sometimes we're grateful for big things and then also sometimes grateful for small things, and I think having that spirit of gratitude can be helpful for young people as they get ready for the year ahead. 

[00:32:47] 

Mark Ginsberg: Great point. Jess?

[00:32:49] 

Jessica Moore: Absolutely. I would agree with that, Todd. I go back to the word consistency, but in addition to that...

[00:32:54] 

Yeah. Important word as we're talking about this.

[00:32:55] 

Jessica Moore: Yes. I think that really is kind of the sweet spot, if you will, that it impacts all areas, home and school. But one thing I would say to parents, and I feel as though it can be very challenging and it can feel very overwhelming at times. I can see that when the parents are dropping off their children at school and you can see in their face that they're doing the best they can. And I would just echo, you're doing a great job. You're doing a great job. And it might not always feel the prettiest. It might not always look the way you thought it was going to look but know that you are the most important person to your child and that by being consistent and showing your child love, you're making a difference in your child's life. 

[00:33:43] 

Mark Ginsberg: And create that alliance between school and home. 

[00:33:44] 

Jessica Moore: Absolutely. Absolutely. 

[00:33:46] 

Mark Ginsberg: Well, thank you so much for a very important conversation about a very important topic about how to help our children and your children, even more importantly, succeed in school as the next academic year, the new academic year, begins. 

[Music]

[00:33:58] 

Mark Ginsberg: Very grateful to Jessica Moore and Todd Kenreich for joining me today on On The Mark about this very important topic. And we wish you, the families who are listening, success this academic year for your students, success in helping them transition to a successful new academic year, and success in all things having to do with their educational experience. Thank you again for joining us for On The Mark. This is Mark Ginsberg. Good to have you with us. Look forward to having you join us again as we begin Season 3 with the next edition of On The Mark. Thank you for listening to On The Mark. If you like what you've heard, please give us a follow or leave a review. It helps ensure that we can keep bringing you more candid conversations about the consequential impact of higher education. And if you have feedback about our podcast, feel free to send me a message at onthemark@towson.edu. 

[Music]

[00:34:55] 

Narrator: Founded in 1866, Towson University is a top-ranked comprehensive public research university recognized as Maryland's number one public institution by the Wall Street Journal. As Greater Baltimore's largest university, TU proudly serves as an engine of opportunity for nearly 20,000 students, the state of Maryland and beyond. Explore more than 190 top-ranked undergraduate and graduate degree programs and make our momentum yours at towson.edu.

[Music]