![]() ![]() When the meeting finally starts, be sure to greet parents by name in a friendly manner and introduce yourself and any other school staff who are participating.Hold a short pre-meeting to ensure you’re all in agreement on what needs to be covered, and share notes with the meeting leader. TIP: If more than one teacher or staff member is participating in the conference, decide in advance who will take the lead. Using a sign-in sheet or app can help keep things on track too. Make sure parents know where to go, and provide a waiting area if your conferences run back-to-back. Equip yourself with a beverage and some snacks, and offer some to parents too if you can. Provide paper and pens so parents can take notes. We Are Teachersīefore parents arrive, set up a conference space that’s comfortable for everyone involved. They also include a pre-conference reminder you can send home to parents, with space for them to note their own questions in advance. They’ll give you a place to take notes during the conference and keep track of follow-up needs. Prepare for each meeting with our free Customizable Parent-Teacher Conference Forms. What might students want or need their parents to know?.What test scores or exam results can you share with parents?.Are there any serious behavior problems to address?.What areas present challenges, and how can parents help students at home?.What are the student’s strengths and accomplishments?.One key way to make the most of your time is to prepare for each conference in advance. This puts the scheduling responsibility in the hands of parents, while still giving you control over when you’re available and for how long. Many teachers recommend using an app like Calendly to set appointments. Whatever amount of time you choose, don’t forget to build in breaks! Block off at least 15 minutes every three hours for bathroom or snack breaks, and be sure to give yourself a meal break too. When you call a conference for more specific reasons, plan at least 30 minutes to an hour so you’ll have time to hash out all the issues. ![]() If it’s clear your time will run out, encourage parents to set up a time to talk more later on. For annual conferences, 15 to 30 minutes is usually enough time to address basic issues and let parents ask questions. What’s the ideal parent-teacher conference length? That’s a tricky question, since it can depend on so many factors. Check out the Top Teacher-Parent Communication Apps for Schools in 2023-2024. They can save the time of making endless phone calls, and make it easier for parents to respond on their own schedule too. Whether you’re setting up dozens of conferences at once or arranging a longer meeting for a student with challenges, we’re big fans of using parent communication apps. Learn more about doing student-led conferences the right way here. This method brings the student into the conversation, making them a part of their own educational team. TIP: If you want to make your meetings even more valuable, you might consider switching to student-led conferences instead. And parents often feel more comfortable reaching out later if they’ve met a teacher in person. Teachers can get a feel for parent personalities and family dynamics, which can help them understand students better. Getting face-to-face time helps teachers and families establish a rapport. Is there really a benefit to these extremely brief meetings? We think the answer is generally yes. ![]() And with so many parents to meet, the meetings themselves may be only 5 or 10 minutes long. At this age, teachers are urged to meet with the family of every student in their classes at least once a year, and possibly more. The reality is usually far different, especially in elementary school. Of course, that’s how conferences work in a perfect world. ![]() These conferences can be long and challenging, but when all parties go into the meeting prepared to be open and cooperative, they can accomplish great things. The goal is to give families and teachers a chance to work together to help a student succeed. It’s pretty easy to see the benefits of a conference when a student is struggling or getting into trouble. Here’s some teacher-tested advice on helping conferences go smoothly for everyone involved. Whether teachers are trying to meet with 100 parents in one a day, dealing with angry parents who demand answers, or holding a full day’s worth of meetings with no breaks for meals, these events can be absolutely exhausting. Parent-teacher conferences can be pretty stressful for everyone involved: families, teachers, school staff, even students. ![]()
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