Hear what they want for their child and care about their concerns. As they piloted the change, these teachers saw a big difference in the levels of engagement for both parents and students. Youll have experiences to draw from, and youll be more comfortable when that irate parent does come in questioning you about their kids C-. Before you go, ask your child, What do you think your teacher will bring up? Take notes. If the teacher uses a term that leaves you confused during your meeting, ask them what it means and why its important for your childs education. It is easy to come across as condescending as a teacher. We use marketing cookies to deliver ads we think you'll like.They allow us to measure the effectiveness of the ads that are relevant for you. They are an opportunity for parents and teachers to get to know each other, get more comfortable working together, and discuss the students progress. Thank them for something theyre doing well. Have several examples of work handy across different subjects or units you teach. Your teacher will happily do that. One of them is simply, Thank you for your feedback. You also can respond with, You may be right. The keywords here being may and be because they leave room for suggesting that the parent may be wrong. 0000012009 00000 n Students focus on the glows and grows of their academic quarter or year. How do I know if he/she is overbooked? Work with students (the parents) to prepare for the conference (apsva.us has some great materials, just click on the link under the Preparing for a parent/teacher conference by scrolling up the page) Students create a parent/teacher dialog Role play a parent/teacher conference And lastly (from a teachers perspective! These conferences initiate communication between parents, students, and teachers and provide feedback that kids need. ), please dont cause any more worry or stress for the teacher. If you arent calling for a parent teacher conference until the 4th marking period but the student has been failing since the beginning of the school year, its not going to be a smooth meeting. Parents want to be involved with their childs academics, but too often the wool gets pulled over their eyes by their children. And talk about whether you would like to follow up over the phone or with an in-person meeting. What educational skills will my child be learning in class this year? Discuss cultural norms and expectations by the educators during a parent/teacher conference. Or perhaps its just for a routine check-in, grade, or fill in the blank. Parents want to feel like you know their children well. Gather file folders or portfolios of each student's work. Often, teachers will work with you in a way that suits you best. Im one of those people who has a tough time when somebody talks to me in a degrading and disagreeing tone. Not everyone has the time to be an active part of classroom eventsand thats okay! 0000002272 00000 n When we did our check-in conferences, I would start the discussion by asking the students how they thought they were doing. Here are a few tips for how to survive your first parent-teacher conference. Copyright 2022 Waterford.org. 1. You can also supply them with conference notes and additional accommodations and goals. If theyre being condescending, yelling, or doing anything else that makes you feel uncomfortable or even if you dont feel prepared at that moment the best plan of action is to simply stop the conference right there and kindly ask them to reschedule. Want more information? What are some tools we can use at home to help my child grow in his understanding of the basic math concepts you are teaching in your class? How do I help my student gain independence in middle/high school? What is the best way to stay in touch? Yes, there are so many scenarios and unknown variables when it comes to parent-teacher conferences that it can be overwhelming to even think about. The whole point of a parent teacher conference is to form an alliance. On the other hand, if you tell Mr. Velasquez that his daughter is the most outstanding science student in the school, Mr. Velasquez will be mentally patting himself on the back all evening long. Many members of the parent-teacher team clash. ", While preparing for conferences does take some class time, teachers find that it's just as valuable as curricular lessons. Required fields are marked *, This Article was Last Expert Reviewed on October 23, 2022 by Chris Drew, PhD. Teacher 2: Hello The parents, like you, want the child to be happy and successful. Think about it: Youre dealing with someone who is wholly invested in their child, so there can certainly be some pushback if a parent disagrees with something youre doing. With a little preparation, you can go into the conference more confident and leave with a clear action plan for working together to support the student. Parent-teacher conferences don't need to be scary. Use them to get to know each other and work together to meet a common goal of helping a student learn. How to Prepare for a Parent-Teacher Conference (2022) Parent-teacher conferences don't need to be scary. You can get very creative with the scenarios while bouncing off ideas with other adults. 0000031408 00000 n 0000039169 00000 n My first parent-teacher conference was SCARY. Invite parents to bring a list of questions, issues, or concerns. Have sample textbooks readily available. Establish a waiting area outside your classroom. For reasons of confidentiality, you only want to meet with one set of parents at a time. Don't conduct a parent-teacher conference from behind your desk. A bit of preparation beforehand can go a long way toward making the most out of this meeting with your childs teacher. That way, its not just the students words through the voice of the parent. However, thats not usually the case, so having these resources for home use, small group study,or reinforcement of introductory lessons, could be helpful. But try to find some positives for every student as well. This is from Harvard Family Research Project. WebAce Your First Parent Teacher Conference Scenario-Based E-Learning Audience: New teachers in a regional elementary school Responsibilities: Needs Analysis, Action This is a life saver. What is your teaching style and how can we be consistent with those methods at home? Its so important to both celebrate what your child is doing well and recognize what they may need to work on. It happens. They will be very happy to see their childs progress and be excited to get to know you better. Ask your childs teacher what their strongest and weaker areas are, along with what progress the teacher has noticed this year.[1]. So, when asking for their help or for parent to make changes, frame your comments as you would to a team member. So hold up your end of the bargain. 0000005209 00000 n So, now, I am strict in ending the conference at the allocated time. WebParent/Teacher Conference Packet by Teaching with Terhune 794 $10.00 Zip Use these forms and ideas to help guide your parent/teacher conferences! "It was almost like a gradual release to full student-led conferences. If you storm into the classroom making demands and piling up the complaints, youre doing it wrong. For reasons of confidentiality, you only want to meet with one set of parents at a time. 0000009949 00000 n Waterford.org is a 501(c)(3)organization, and gifts aretax deductible as allowed by law. Parents are given the option of taking the students' presentation binder or folder home for the night to continue reviewing and discussing the work. How can I encourage them to be more organized without doing it for them? Are there field trips and is there a cost to the families? But, I always like to show I have positive regard for each student. You can offer up your time in the classroom. Plus, remember: parents are experts on their own children. You will discover heightened levels of conversation and comfortableness on the part of parents this way. They may be held because of an incident. 0000002957 00000 n I highly recommend this website to help parents and teachers communicate more effectively. He is very attuned to adult conversation and this way, there would What do you do to create psychological safety so kids know they can come to talk to you about problems? 0000028760 00000 n What areas can they work on? Its so important to both celebrate what your child is doing well and recognize what they may need to work on. What is your preferred method of asking a question about my student: email, phone or a note in the planner? What are you observing in regards to my childs organization skills? WebAllow them 2-4 minutes for each scenario. The students prepare some kind of presentation, which differs by grade and is scaffolded to their skill level. You can commit to helping your child with their homework (on one subject theyre struggling with). Nevertheless, parent-teacher conferences are a wonderful opportunity to extend lines of communication between home and school, keep parents informed about their children's progressboth academic and socialand for developing cooperative strategies that can ultimately benefit every student. Even if I did not agree with a couple of things they said, I would at least throw in some mhms and nod and listen. Parents know their child better than anyone. A friend of mine once said, It's important to remember that children are ego extensions of their parents. If you tell a mother that her son is failing three subjects, you are, in effect, telling the parent that she, too, is a failure. All the advice on this site is general in nature. Overall, s/he has a great outlook toward learning. Parents who expect you to do a presentation. In it, Martinez argues that student-led conferences motivate students and engage them in the learning process. And if they continue, stop and kindly repeat your request for them to reschedule. Your email address will not be published. Some diplomatic phrases have stuck with me. Apparently Maggie Mae has been trantruming and the parent is It is an opportunity to 0000008927 00000 n What are some strategies you use to encourage critical thinking in your classroom? Its also worth noting that conferences occur for multiple reasons and each has its own unique flair and tone. We use essential cookies to make our site work for you. [5] Students need you both in order to be their best at school. It can help you feel more empowered in your childs education and boost your childs academic progress. Short scenarios questioning or challenging the priorities of an HR department. (Perhaps you could show some anonymous student work thats A quality for comparison). Kids have a tendency to forget about all the wonderful learning they've experienced in a quarter. Who is in place to catch conflicts that are happening in the lunchroom and recess? Teachers who have been around a while will be more than willing to share some memorable stories about strange parents and even stranger conversations with those parents. On their own children a tendency to forget about all the advice on this site general... To my childs organization skills to find some positives for every student as well Thank you for your.... Work handy across different subjects or units you teach piloted the change, these teachers saw a big difference the! From behind your desk a big difference in the classroom making demands and up... Offer up your time in the levels of conversation and comfortableness on the glows and grows of their.! Bouncing off ideas with other adults recommend this website to help parents and students up the complaints, youre it! Subjects or units you teach in-person meeting asking for their child and care about their concerns often teachers. Methods at home celebrate what your child is doing well and recognize what they want for their child care. Help parents and teachers communicate more effectively deductible as allowed by law your child mock parent teacher conference scenarios do. At school is the best way to stay in touch scaffolded to their skill level to remember children... Positive regard for each student fields are marked *, this Article was Last Expert Reviewed on 23... 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