Things You'll Need:
- Student work
- Data on your students
- Professional outfit
- Handouts for parents
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Step 1
Dress professionally, but not flashy. A shirt and tie for males and a nice dress or pant suit for females is acceptable. Don't wear a lot of perfume or cologne, and keep jewelry to a minimum. Remember, you want parents to know that you are approachable!
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Step 2
Prior to the conference date send home a short survey asking parents to list the most important topics or questions that they have for you. You could even list areas such as: socialization, creativity, self-confidence, reading, math, etc. and ask parents to rank the top three topics they would like to discuss.
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Step 3
Provide ample time to have surveys returned to you that allows you to review parent comments PRIOR to the interview! It is extremely important to be prepared with what you are going to discuss with parents before they arrive.
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Step 4
Allow time in between scheduled conferences in case you run over. About 5-10 minutes in between is usually sufficient. It also gives you time to breathe and prepare yourself before the next meeting. In order to stay on task set a timer. This also helps keep focus if parents (or you) are chatty!
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Step 5
Have everything you would like to share with parents ready to go when parents arrive. There is nothing worse than fumbling for paperwork or materials while conferencing. It shows that you are not prepared.
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Step 6
If a child is struggling, make sure parents are aware, but frame your statements in a positive way. For example, "Billy has difficulty with comprehending what he has read, but he tries extremely hard to improve." Then offer a way for parents to help at home with the particular difficulty. Offer a handout of tips, "Here are some strategies to work on at home to help Billy be successful."
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Step 7
Never hide the fact that a child is struggling. Make sure parents are aware, and document what YOU have been doing to help the child succeed. "Susie has been having some trouble with math word problems, so we have been working on utilizing manipulatives to help her visualize the problem. Here are some examples of her work."
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Step 8
Always highlight successes! Even if a child may be difficult and struggling, there is always something positive you can share. Perhaps he has a great sense of humor, makes friends easily, or is very helpful. Parents need to hear why you appreciate their child!
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Step 9
Keep a portfolio for each child of varied pieces of their work. Share this at conferences so parents have something to show how their child has progressed. This is also important if the child is struggling because you have documented the lack of progress.
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Step 10
Give parents information about how to help their child to take home! Some examples would be "Tips for reading with your child" "Incorporate math into daily routines" etc.
