Quick and Easy Ways to Connect with Students and Their Parents, Grades K-8 by Diane Mierzwik

Author:Diane Mierzwik
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781634507158
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2016-04-04T16:00:00+00:00

Preparing for Conferences

To prepare for a parent-teacher conference, it is important to have all of your documents in order. Be sure to gather your phone log of contacts, any written correspondence you have had with the parent, sample work from the student and perhaps a piece of sample work from an exemplary student (with the name removed), and your grade book or a grade print-out for the student if you are using a computer program.

Once you have gathered all of your documents, you will want to think about the student’s strengths and areas in which you would like the student to improve. You’ll want to think about your articulation of these strengths and weaknesses. Choosing the right words to express your concerns can make all the difference in the world.

A kindergarten teacher I know always begins the conference expressing how well the child is getting along with the other students. She says that most parents at that point are concerned that their children are making friends. She then goes on to discuss academics. My friend who teaches second grade begins conferences by explaining how well a student is reading and what progress the child has made with reading, because this is a major concern for parents of this age group. As children grow older, describing a child’s strengths becomes much more specific to the child. One child may be very helpful in class whereas another is quite reserved but extremely studious. As the teacher, it is important to observe each child and be aware of the child’s strengths, even if the strengths do not pertain to intelligence or ability in class.

Parents want to know that you like their child, that their child adds to the class, and that you see good things for the child’s future. Expressing to a parent how a student brightens your day with his humor or her smile is enough to begin the conference on a good note. Thinking about these qualities will help you to articulate them at the meeting.

Next you will want to reflect on areas in which the student could grow. Even if the student is excelling in all areas, a parent wants to be reassured that you are doing your best to challenge the child. If a student is struggling in some areas, you will want to be able to explain specifically what seems to be causing the struggle. Having examples of the student’s work helps many parents understand the struggle because they can see it evidenced in their child’s work.

Finally, creating a plan to continue or further engage the student is important. If a student is struggling, having a plan for more structured lessons or for afterschool tutoring will reassure a parent that you are willing to provide extra assistance. If a student is excelling, a plan that extends the regular class lessons will give a parent confidence that you are striving to meet the needs of every student.

In addition to all of these preparations, if you are aware of any

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