CONFERENCES

Fall is the time of pumpkins, Halloween, and teacher-parent conferences. I am not sure which is scariest for the new teacher. There are a number of things to do to have a good conference. I’ll share a few of those things here.

The first thought to keep in mind is that both of you are here for the same reason: to help each child improve academically/behaviorally. Neither person should be on the defensive for any reason whatsoever. As a teacher I keep in mind that some parents are regular visitors to the school because their child is persistently in some sort of trouble. These parents dread conferences and sometime are in an “attack mode” as a defense mechanism. Starting the conference with a positive comment about the student will set the tone for a good conference.

I also prepare for conferences by giving one or two very simple assignments during the school year before conferencing. Since I teach science, I like to give a scientific coloring from time to time. I make sure that I have given at least two of them before conferencing. That short circuits the comment, “Johnny finds the work too hard and doesn’t understand what you are doing in class.” The focus shifts very quickly away from that excuse when I show zeros for “Johnny” not doing colorings. Then we can get down to exposing the real reasons why “johnny” is not doing assignments.

I always have parents and students sign in for conferencing. That way I have a record of the conference and I can always ask for additional contact information. Also, as I mentioned in my last blog, I tell the parent(s) to keep the pen. It always helps to set a good mood. Sometimes I have candy setting out as well. Jolly Ranchers are great for conferences and also for classroom rewards/bribes. They are cheap and tasty!

Open House is a time of confusion. Parents want to talk about grades while teachers are supposed to show off their rooms and only explain their curricula. Parents always leave unhappy and teachers are frustated that they only have about 10 minute time blocks to explain everything. We decided to replace Open House with Fall Conferences and have been pleased with the results.
Conferences are usually held soon after report cards have been sent home. That tends to bring out the parents. Then the teachers with the most students in grade trouble get the most “business”. They, and the new teachers, tend to have long waiting lines. New teachers tend to confer with parents longer than necessary and may run an hour or more overtime to meet with them all.

When conferencing, limit small talk to introductions and a short comment about something good the student has recently done or turned in for a grade. Then get out a progress report and “run down the list”. Point out strengths and shortcomings and make suggestions for improvement.
One of the best suggestions for underperforming students is that the home should have a study area and the student must spend a set time interval in it every day. If there is no homework, he/she can either work ahead or read a book.  There is no TV, cell phone, or electronic game access during that time. Make it a mutually agreed upon time so it is not perceived as punishment. You will find that most parents appreciate the suggestion but won’t carry it out. Unfortunately most of the poor grades are related to a lack of strong parental support and your talking to the parent won’t change the “let the teacher do it” attitude.

I document everything with notes after each conference. That way I can do followups during spring conferences.

Use the conference time wisely. Get to know the parents of your students. Present a caring, concerned teacher image and your job will become a lot easier. All parents want their children to be successful. Some won’t want to exert a whole lot of effort to help, but their good will is still very important. A followup email to each parent is another good move to maintain a good parent-teacher relationship. Build upon each conference in this way and many students will view your class differently because now you know their parents.