How To Do Just About Everything
How to Attend a Parent-Teacher Conference
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Parent-teacher conferences can either be a wonderful insight into your child's progress in school or a complete waste of time. These conferences are not called for the parent to talk about their child, the intention is for the teacher to discuss the student. An effective conference has the teacher talking for 80 to 90 percent of the time. This is the most effective way to learn about your child. I have held over 200 parent/teacher conferences since 1996 and the most effective conferences were the ones where the parents listened more than they spoke.
Be on time for the conference. Teachers usually stack the conferences one right after another, and if you are five minutes late you are either inconveniencing everyone behind you or cutting your conference short by five minutes.
Comments
MillyMe said
on 9/11/2008 "If you are divorced from your spouse, do not ask for separate conferences. You should both hear the exact same information about your child. It is also not considerate of the teacher's time to ask for two conferences for one child."
I have to disagree with this warning. Many parents do not have a great relationship after divorce. Having them meet together to talk about the child they share, Can sometimes lead to a very uncomfortable situation for the teacher.
I understand you should be considerate of the teachers time. Both parents have full and equal access to school information, this isn't accomplished in many cases with Divorced parents.
I believe its completely reasonable to ask for separate conferences if the parents request it.
irisheyes said
on 12/27/2007 As a teacher of 15 years, there are some good tips (be on time, don't make excuses), however I prefer my conferences to be more of a dialogue where the parents and I exchange observations, concerns, and ideas to advance the child's academic, social, and emotional development. After all, the parent is the expert on their child overall, while I'm the expert about their education. It's unfortunate that ChrisInTexas has such a negative view of teachers who, by and large, are well-educated, dedicated individuals who work extremely hard to give each child in their care the best education possible. This includes obtaining advanced degrees, continuing professional development, spending personal funds to enrich the classroom, and continually looking for ways to enhance the classroom experience for 20-30+ children, each with different needs and personalities.
hjguill said
on 12/17/2007 ChrisInTexas has a point that the meetings are called "parent/teacher" conferences. Parents do have a right to speak, & as a teacher I always ask them if there is something they wish to ask/add. However, I'm amazed about the comment Chris made saying this profession requires so little in the way of training. In order to teach at a public school in my city, you are REQUIRED to have a Master's Degree within the first 5 years of teaching, plus 36 hours of additional training every year. We take many courses on child development & new research. You don't tell your realtor & insurance agent how to do their jobs, as they have received adequate training. We should also be recognized for ours. This is our PROFESSION, as Chris put it, which means we are professionals. Limitations are placed on our conferences, so please know we are trying to get as much said in a very short time.
NHgirl said
on 11/28/2007 Kurt has good tips. As a Kindergarten teacher he is dealing with parents who are often brand new at the Parent/Teacher conference thing. No one tells you how to handle it. Teachers are people too, personalities can clash. I see a lot of "don't" in his article. As a parent attending these conferences, I have heard teacher's frustrations with "long winded" parents. I can appreciate that. But teachers do have to do some listening here. The parent should not be expected to be silent. Holding questions till the the techer is through is best. Given that your child's teacher is professional, Kurt's tips apply well. Unfortunatley, not all teachers are created equal. Thank you for the tips Kurt. But remember not all teachers are like you. :)
jbjtkbw00 said
on 11/28/2007 I have to agree with ChrisInTexas. This should be a discussion as I would have questions and comments. If you just want to provide me with information, then call me or email me. I want to be able to have a dialogue. Seeing this makes me a little apprehensive about this whole topic now, and my daughter isn't even in school yet. I'm just hoping that when I get involved in these conferences that they really do not turn out to be a waste of time.