Parent- Teacher Conferences

We learned about how to hold a successful parent- teacher conference.  I feel that is important to really understand how to be successful at things like these because parents can be your best ally and they are so important to the class as a whole.  

We learned the process from beginning to end which I found very helpful.  One suggestion that was given was to personally invite the family.  This may seem simple and unnecessary but it really can make a world of difference.  It can show the family that you care enough to take the time to personally invite them and that you value their time.  One big that stuck out to me was that teachers should sit NEXT to the parent rather than across from them.  I had never thought about that before but after thinking about it, it totally makes sense.  By sitting across from them, you appear to have a position of authority, which is not ideal. 

Another thing that may seem like common sense is to be prepared.  The teacher should have all of the necessary paperwork and samples of student work in a readily accessible location for when the parents arrive.  This again shows that you value the time that they have taken to meet with you.  Always start with the positive information first and let the parents know what areas their child is excelling in.  Once you move onto the negative information, it would be helpful to provide simple activities to do at home.  Parent teacher conferences can seem very intimidating, but they do not have to be.  As long as you are prepared everything should go smoothly. I also feel that is important to reflect after the conference on what went well and what you could have done better.  I was able to pick up on many useful tips from this discussion.