Teachers Make House Calls To Improve Relations In The Classroom
DENVER (CBS4)- A successful education is not all about what is happening inside the classroom. This week some teachers in Denver are making house calls.
When the Menas family got a call about scheduling a home visit, Edgar Mena and his wife say they immediately turned to their son with questions.
"We were telling him, 'What did you do in school? Your teachers are coming over.' He said, 'I didn't do anything, I just started,'" Edgar said with a laugh.
That visit was far from bad news.
His son, Paul Mena is a freshman at North High school; he and his parents are among the families now navigating class selection, activities and planning the future.
His teachers are willing to put in some extra hours to find out more about those plans.
"I think it's a great launching point for families," science teacher Carly Buch said from the families living room, "Now the family knows us and our faces and contact us and we know the family and we know more about Paul's path and his hopes for himself."
As part of the Denver Public School's home visit program, teachers will periodically spend anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes outside of school getting to know a student and their family.
The goal is to build better relationships.
"Some classes have up to 35 students in them and somedays I don't get to sit down and talk with every student...and it doesn't feel great as a teacher," Buch said.
As parents, Edgar says they welcome the personal connection.
"It's good to know the teachers and school staff in person not through emails or phone," he said.
For Paul it is reassuring knowing his teachers have that kind of interest in his success.
"It's just them and you and you're able to sit down and talk with them your plans and goals," Paul said.
When the home visit program started at DPS in 2010, there were only five participating schools. Today it has grown to more than 130 schools in their district.
In 2017, the district says their teachers made 11,000 home visits.
Karen Morfitt joined the CBS4 team as a reporter in 2013. She covers a variety of stories in and around the Denver metro area. Connect with her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter @karenmorfitt or email her tips.