TL;DR:
- There are many things a teacher can do to prepare for Parent-Teacher Conferences that help make them run more smoothly and make a lasting impact.
- Below you will find 10 tips on what you can do to create a path to success for students: schedule ahead, be prepared to share something positive about each child, prepare your students and invite them to the conference, set goals, reach out to parents beforehand to build a relationship, have work samples available, schedule enough time, ask for support from colleagues, and close with optimism.
- Bonus tip: Share one word that best exemplifies that child.
Parent-Teacher Conferences are right around the corner. It can be a stressful time for many educators due to the amount of preparation that needs to be done, but it can also be a time that brings joy. My joy comes from the relationships that I have built with my students and their families. It is during these conferences that we can spend time building upon that foundation that has been created. They set the stage by giving us the opportunity to discuss how we will work together to develop a successful year for the student.
There are many things that can make conferences run more smoothly and be a benefit to all those who are involved. The following points are what I focus on to ensure that my conferences are successful for everyone.
Creating a Path to Success: Schedule Ahead
Make sure that you have the conferences scheduled as far ahead as possible. It is helpful to give the parents several options in times. I usually leave at least one to two days for late conferences. Parents appreciate the flexibility, when possible. In previous years, I always scheduled my conferences at Back to School Night, but the past two years I have relied on technology to aid in that endeavor. Class Dojo and SignUpGenius have provided me the platform to make sure that families can choose their conference day and time to best meet their needs.
Creating a Path to Success: Be Prepared
When we are prepared, we show how well we know our students. You know them not just as a student and what they can do academically, but also who they are and what they bring to the classroom community. These become important talking points during the conference. Parents want to know that you see their child. They want to know that you care about their child. They want to know that you understand their child’s strengths and weaknesses. And that you have a plan to help meet their child’s needs—both academically and social-emotionally.
Parent-Teacher Conferences can be stressful and exhausting, but they can also be impactful and create a positive experience for all involved. They can begin to build the child’s path to success. Click To TweetCreating a Path to Success: Prepare your students ahead of time and invite them to the conference.
Speak to your students before the conference. Prepare them and let them know what is going to be discussed. Let them have some ownership. Set goals with them that they can share with their parents or guardians. Allow them to take part in the conference and empower them to take charge of their learning. I know in my experience, some parents do not want their child there, but I think it is important that the student is part of the process. So, encourage the parent to include their child in the conference. When the child is present, it is a good opportunity to show the parents exactly what they can do. It is also beneficial for the student to be part of any goal setting.
Creating a Path to Success: Set Goals
Set some goals with the parents and students. A reading goal, a writing goal, and a math goal for elementary are good places to start. I like to set these goals and refer back to them consistently throughout the semester. When it is time for report cards to come out at the end of the semester, I always go back to the goals and address them in my comments on the report card.
Creating a Path to Success: Build a relationship with the parent beforehand.
Make sure that you have reached out and made contact with the parents before the conference. At the beginning of the year, connect with them on more than one occasion by checking in with them and having some positive contact before meeting for parent conferences. This relationship-building with parents is so essential to the success of the student. Parents need to know that their child is important to you and that you both are on the same team supporting their child.
Creating a Path to Success: Work Samples
Have samples of work present. Make sure that you have completed some baseline assessments and formative assessments before the conference. This evidence will become talking points and will support your thoughts on the child’s strengths and areas to grow. Make sure you have more than one piece of evidence to support what you want to share with the parent.
Creating a Path to Success: Allow enough time for your conference.
Our district expects twenty minutes per conference, but I always plan for 30 minutes. This allows for some minutes in between the conferences. These extra minutes alleviate the stress of feeling rushed.
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Creating a Path to Success: Find the Positives
Always start with the positive. Address some strengths that you see in the child. There should always be a strength that can be celebrated. We have to remember that the student is this person’s world. Starting the conference on a positive note will express to the parent that you have their child’s best interest at hand.
Creating a Path to Success: Ask for Support
If you feel that it will be a difficult conference, then have some support available to back you up. It is ok to ask for help. If the conference is one where you don’t feel comfortable, then ask for the support that you need. Those people are part of the team who will help to ease some of your stress and worry.
Creating a Path to Success: Close with Optimism
I always end my conferences on a positive note. When my daughter was in second grade, I will never forget the conference I had with her teacher. At the end of the conference, he shared one word (an adjective) that described my daughter. He supported his thoughts with examples of her character and her strengths as a student that contributed to why he chose that word. This moment made quite an impact on me and my daughter. Ever since that day, I have included that in my conferences.
So, my final tip is to end your conference with one word. One word that you can use to describe your student. Remember that they are an extremely important part of their parent’s world. By taking the time to know this child and thinking of one word that exemplifies who they are, you have the ability to make an impact on both the parent and the child. You may never know what a difference this can make in their lives.
Parent-Teacher Conferences can be stressful and exhausting, but they can also be impactful and create a positive experience for all involved. They can begin to build the child’s path to success.
About Bridget Gengler
Bridget Gengler is a fourth-grade teacher in Long Beach, California. She has taught bilingual education, general education, and GATE for the past 26 years. She is passionate about building relationships and a strong classroom community that opens up doors of success for her students. She strives to empower all students to share their voices and their stories. Her class motto is “ You matter! You are important! You have a story to tell and we want to hear it!” She brings her love of reading and writing to the classroom in the hopes that it will promote lifelong readers and writers.
Bridget believes that self-care is essential in an educator’s life. She takes time to focus on gratitude, mindfulness, and kindness during the day. She contributes this balance to her success in the classroom.
Family is number one for her! Her most precious job is being a mom to four young adults, an energetic lab puppy, and a wife to a wonderful husband. When she is not teaching, writing or reading she is creating memories with them. They love to travel, discover new restaurants, and watch professional baseball.
