Preparing for Parent Conferences

1. Preparing for Parent Conferences

2. Prepare the Room • Sign-in sheet • Chairs or desk outside of the door • Teacher’s desk clear • Student work displayed • Student folders if appropriate

3. What should I say? • Thank the parent for coming.. • Good statement about student.. • Ask the parent, what are their concerns.. • Has the student had this problem before, has the parent know of something that helps.. • Make one suggestion that would help student to improve. Be specific. • Be prepared to share grading detail. • Inform parents of upcoming projects. • It is good to have a syllabus

4. Student Guided Meeting • Be prepared to ask questions that encourage students to inform parent. • Did you show your parent where you sit? • What topic or activity did you like the best this semester? • What topic, test or activity did you do the best on? • Can you think of something specific that was challenging/difficult for you? • What would you like to improve on?

5. Parent Teacher Conferences • Recognize that parents are valuable partners. • Parents know a lot about their children. They have spent years nurturing and supporting the students whom you've sometimes just met! Ask for their thoughts and advice. Recognize them as experts and treat them as respected equals. Not only will you score points, you'll learn valuable information that will help you to do your job better. • Are terrific opportunities to build partnerships for student growth.

6. When a parent has specific concern… • Don't propose your solution first. • If the teacher lays out a plan, there's a good chance the parent will come back with, "We tried those things and they were an utter failure," says Newberry. • Instead, he advises, ask the parents to explain what's been done in the past and whether it worked. "Often a meeting fails just because the teacher talked first," he says

7. What if you have a problem? • Offer to schedule a meeting with parent and administrator. • Stand up, thank parent for coming , assure them that you will continue to work with the student –walk to the door…welcome the next parent.. • Excuse yourself for one moment and ask your neighbor to call the office for an administrator.

8. Using IC • You may not show the parent other students grades. • You may display grades from the roster, or the individual student detailed report.

9. http://www.nea.org/tools/parent-teacher-conferences.html • Parents are passionate about their children. They want to know what their strengths and weaknesses are. They want to hear what you are teaching in class, what the homework is, and how they as parents can extend and enrich learning at home. Yet often their only source of information is a cryptic conversation with a distracted 12-year-old—or, worse yet, picking through the pile of papers in the bottom of a backpack. (It's grungy down there!) Communicate with parents through e-mails and maybe a class Web site. Make phone calls—both to express concerns and to celebrate successes. https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/parent-teacher-conference-tips