Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences
Posted by Sherry McGregor on 16 Oct 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Routines, Teachers and Teaching
When I was teaching, our district set aside one week in the fall and in early spring for parent-teacher conferences. During those weeks, we taught in the mornings and met with parents in the afternoons. Before each conference session, I set two chairs and a small table or desk outside my door. Despite careful scheduling, I invariably talked with parents just a little too long and wanted to make sure there was something to keep each new set of parents occupied for the extra minute or two I needed to wrap up the previous conference. (I always put a sign on my door asking parents to knock at their scheduled times so the parents with whom I was working and I both knew our time was up.) On the table, I set out a small bowl of hard candy, books we’d made in class or a hands-on activity from a recent math lesson, and coloring sheets for younger brothers and sisters who often tagged along. As I welcomed each set of parents, the materials on the table gave us an instant connection. We had something to talk about, which set a positive tone for the conference. It took a few minutes to set up the display each day, but it made every conference much more productive.
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22 Responses to “Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences”
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More Comments Pages: « 1 [2] Show All Comments
I love parent teacher conferences because it gives me a chance to really get to know my students. I always feel like once I know their parents, I know them. However, I understand how you feel about conferences when you say they make you nervous. One thing I do to help with the “nerves” part of conferencing, is I have a page ready that I make for each child. It is a format that I follow for each student. Before conference time, around report cards I fill out the page for each child, so that I have many things to share with the parents about their children. Positive comments and true concern for each child always go along way to making for a good working relationship with parents. Hope something I have written here helps.
We have a half day with conferences in the afternoon and evening (12:30-3:00 and 5:00-7:30). I teach 5th grade and way back in my first year of teaching a colleague introduced me to student led conferencing. We build portfolios (work samples) throughout the semester and at the conference it’s the student’s responsibility to discuss with the parent(s) how they are progressing. I am able to have several conferences going on at the same time. I “mingle” around joining the ongoing conferences at the beginning, middle, or end. I love this method and rarely have a parent unhappy with the process.
I love the Two Stars and a Wish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I plan to have my students illustrate their “two star” accomplishments and then I will add my wish!
Thanks for the idea.
My district only provides one day for our parent conferences all year. We may have our conferences after school or before school (7:50 am start!) or on our “B” Monday (teacher driven) staff meetings 2 times a month. The official conference day is a pupil free day, always the Wednesday before Thanksgiving! We are expected to be at school during our contractual time (7:30-2:35) on the day before Thanksgiving. Sometimes my principal will send us home at noon, if no one says anything about it.
I try to have most of them done before that, and use the “designated day” as makeup for no shows. (I started with my conferences yesterday, October 19, having 4 scheduled from 2-3:30. Of those 4, I already have 2 no shows! These were appointments they picked at Back To School Night two weeks ago, with reminders sent home last Friday!
Don’t you just love the excuse, “Oh, I can’t make the appointment. I have to work.” Do the parents think that teaching is not working? But that will bring on a different rant.
Our conferences are from 2:00-4:00 and then 5:30-8:30. The kids get a half day of school that day. I still get nervous and it’s been 20 years that I have done this. I teach kindergarten so when I started we went half days and now we’re going full days all week. It is really shocking to parents as to how much they need to know. Yes, our curriculum for kindergarten feels more like a 1st grade curriculum. Parents will come in and always talk about that in hopes that I can change it. I can’t and we have State guidelines to go by. I don’t really think it sets in until after Christmas for some parents. Then if they receive a letter that their child is struggling and may need to have another conference with the teacher to see if they are ready to go on to the next grade, parents seem to kick it in gear. (Sometimes) As far as how I set up my conferences. I give them a “headsup list” of things I will be checking the students on. They should come with questions or concerns. I set out cookies and books we’ve made. Our halls are nicely decorated. It’s a long night for us too.
We teach all day and then do conferences late into the evening. I, too, set up a small table outside with candy and reading material for parents who end up having to wait. Conferences make me nervous, as I am much more comfortable with kids than I am with adults. However, I remind myself that, as in my classroom, I set the tone. I also remind myself that sometimes the parent is just as nervous as I am. I always try to do 2 Stars and a Wish. I start positive and then tell the parents 1 important thing that I’d like their child to work on. I also remind myself to listen and much as I talk.
Parent Teacher conferences are always very stressful. I wish we had a schedule like yours, but instead we teach all day then have them till 8 at night. This makes for two long days in the fall and spring.
I’m glad you guys view conferences in such a positive light. Conferences scare me horribly, and I’ve done them four times before. I’m not looking forward to conferences this week. Advice on how not to be nervous?
I set up a style like yours…the major difference is we teach all day and then start conferences all evening. Two nights in the fall and two in the spring. It makes for a very long day. I love to meet with all of the parents. It is always fun to make the connection between parent and child. It provides a lot of insight.
I’d be interested in hearing about middle schools where arena style conferencing is used. We tried it this month, and parents were not always willing/able to wait until it was their turn, so a few left before I got around to talking to them. There has to be a better way!