Parent Teacher Conferences
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Posted by Heidi Shelton-Jenck Nov 2, 2006 |
I have two parent-teacher conferences scheduled for next week. It’s different being on the other side of the desk. As a classroom teacher, I felt better prepared for conferences than I do as a parent. As a mom, I walk into conferences feeling like a patient waiting for test results. Will the news be good, bad, or downright scary?
I’m always surprised at how much information teachers hang onto until fall conferences. I hear a concern, then ask…
Why did you wait so long to tell us? If we’d known earlier we could have been working on this for two months already!
Teachers often respond with something like this:
Well…it takes a while to get to know my class and I knew conferences were right around the corner…
I was a teacher for 15 years and, yes, I said that.
Parents don’t work that way. When our kids are doing something annoying or inappropriate we don’t wait for a couple months, observing the behavior.
I've learned over the years that it doesn't help to worry about the time lost in the classroom. So, each year, when I hear about a problem that has been festering, I say,
...so, what's the plan? Let's start doing something about this now...
Amazingly, the problem or issue is usually resolved quickly. This year, I'll walk into conferences mentally prepared to be a swift problem-solver. Parent-teacher conferences are meant to be a time for parents and teacher (and often the kids) to make plans, work out issues and celebrate achievements. It takes a certain frame of mind to do that. Walking into a conference distracted or on the defensive has never helped me. Instead, I try to remember that it is a meeting with a professional educator. The teacher has prepared for this meeting, and I try to do the same.
You, too, may have a parent-teacher conference scheduled in the next couple weeks. Whether you are dreading it or feel confident that it will be a positive one, it’s a good idea to be mentally prepared. Here is a round-up of some articles to help you get ready:
- Parent teacher conferences: tips for survival
- Parent teacher conferences: simple steps to help make conferences in the middle school a success
- Parent teacher communication: making parents part of the team
- Parent teacher conferences: how to make the most of this valuable experience with parents
- Parent teacher conference and IEP’s
- Time for parent teacher conferences
Good luck with your conference. Start a discussion and share your experience!