Parent/Teacher Conferences

Prepared by Pat Reis and Jennifer Weitz
Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up soon. Within a short conference time you will make the parents/guardians feel comfortable, tell them about their child’s academic and social progress, answer their questions, discuss their concerns, and not keep the next set of parents waiting too long. Here are some tips and some information to help you feel confident and prepared.

  1. What parents expect from a Parent-Teacher conference
    • an opportunity to get to know their child’s teacher
    • an opportunity to hear about their child’s progress
    • a chance to establish mutual goals for their child
    • an opportunity to give additional support in areas needing improvement
    • a chance to share important information about their child’s strengths and needs
    • an opportunity to ask specific questions about the curriculum
  2. Planning ahead for Parent-Teacher Conferences
    • Send home an invitation stating the purpose of the conference, the place, and the time. (Depending on your
      school’s Parent-Teacher Conference format.)
    • Since time is limited, plan and write down the topics you need to discuss, the points you want to make, the
      questions you want to ask, and the suggestions you want offer.
    • Create work folders that contain relevant information: for example, student work, tests, homework assignments,
      completed assignments, incomplete assignments, documentation for concerns, a checklist of skill areas.
    • Collect documentation to substantiate comments.
    • Gather reports from other teachers where appropriate.
    • Provide paper and pens so that parents can take notes to follow up on at home.
    • Some parents may have no choice but to take younger siblings with them to the conference. Provide a few activities
      for the younger siblings to do during the conference.
    • You may find it helpful to make a “Conference in Progress” sign to hang on the door to prevent interruptions.
    • Plan a place to set out materials for parents to take home with them. They can review material more completely at
      home and refer back to it during the year. This can also save time at the conference. For example: information on
      homework, upcoming projects, class newsletters, suggestions for how to help children at home and at school, and invitations
      to school activities or parent group meetings.
    • Have the student and teacher’s editions of textbooks, the state standards, and the curriculum for each subject you
      teach handy in case a parent questions what you are teaching.
    • Professional attire communicates the message that you are a professional.
    • Set up a few adult-sized chairs.
    • Arrange for an administrator or counselor to sit in on a conference you think might be difficult.
  3. Creating an inviting conference setting
    • Greet parents at the door and accompany them to a place where you can sit together and converse comfortably, facing each other. It’s best not to put the teacher’s desk between yourself and parents.
    • Create a private environment.
    • Provide an area large enough to spread the student’s work out so parents can examine it.
  4. Conducting the Conference
    • Keep track of time.
    • Communicate the specific information you have gathered about the child’s progress. Start with the student’s strengths before speaking of concerns. Take the “sandwich” approach. Start with something positive, continue with your concerns and the things that the child needs to improve, and finish with something positive.
    • Review the plan you made in advance: the topics you wanted to discuss, the points you wanted to make, the questions you wanted to ask, and the suggestions you wanted to offer.
    • Use samples from the student’s work folder to demonstrate progress or to show parents concretely what a student needs to do to improve.
    • Be selective about what needs to be improved. Too many areas in need of improvement presented at once can overwhelm parents. Instill hope that improvement can be made.
    • Speak in parent-friendly terms, avoiding jargon that parents may not understand. If you use educational jargon, define the terms so that parents are clear about what you mean.
    • Invite parents to share their thoughts and suggestions about the student and encourage them to ask additional questions about their child’s progress.
    • Be a good listener. Remain calm. Give non-verbal cues that indicate you are paying attention: nod your head, maintain good eye contact, lean forward in your seat. Ask questions. Jot notes so that you can remember the conversation. Ask for clarification if you don’t fully understand what the parent is telling you.
    • Engage parents in planning best ways to help their child. Be specific about the actions to be taken and who will do what.
      Everyone should have a part in the solution: the teacher, the parents, and the child.
  5. Ending the Conference
    • Conclude on a positive note.
    • Plan any additional follow-up that may be needed.
    • Thank parents for coming and for their support. Let them know how much it is appreciated.
  6. After the Conference
    • Provide the follow-up that was agreed upon.
  7. Student-Led Conference
    • Student-led conferences actively engage students in their learning process.
    • The teacher facilitates the conference. Students share with their parents what they have learned, show their parents their
      student portfolios, discuss their progress, and set goals for the future.
    • The success of student-led conferences is determined by how well students are prepared in advance. Have students set up portfolios of their work based on specific criteria for selection. Students may also write reflections on their grades and work habits. Teachers and students can role-play the conference. Teachers can model how to explain student progress to parents.
    • Giving students a checklist or table of contents of what to cover in the conference helps them to stay on track.