Can We Talk? Effective Parent Teacher Conferences at Every Grade.

Can We Talk?

Effective Parent Teacher Conferences at Every

Grade

Parent-teacher conferencesParent-teacher conferences

happen every year. Don’t takehappen every year. Don’t take

this opportunity for granted! this opportunity for granted!

This is one of the most This is one of the most importantimportant

things you can do to help yourthings you can do to help your

student achieve!student achieve!

Did you know school and home are two Did you know school and home are two of the most important areas of influence of the most important areas of influence in a child’s life?in a child’s life?

Can We Talk?

What happens in either place can impact What happens in either place can impact a student’s ability to achieve.a student’s ability to achieve.

Can We Talk?

Can We Talk?

Communication Communication between home between home and school can be and school can be hard to manage… hard to manage… but you have to but you have to try!try!

Can We Talk?

Parent

Conference

Today

Don’t miss

it!

Can We Talk?

There may be There may be things things happening at happening at school that school that only the only the teacher can tell teacher can tell you..you..

Can We Talk?

……and things and things happening at home happening at home that only you can that only you can express.express.

Can We Talk?

The parent-teacher The parent-teacher conference is the conference is the place to do it.place to do it.

•If your child is working on grade level.If your child is working on grade level.

•How well your child is performing on How well your child is performing on tests.tests.

•If your child is behaving and adjusting If your child is behaving and adjusting socially. socially.

The Teacher knows…The Teacher knows…

The Teacher knows…The Teacher knows…•Your child’s strengths and weaknesses in Your child’s strengths and weaknesses in class.class.

•The upcoming important assignmentsThe upcoming important assignments

•The best way for you to communicate The best way for you to communicate with him/her.with him/her.

•Your child better than

Your child better than

anyone else!

anyone else!

•Your child’s after school

Your child’s after school

activitiesactivities

•Your child’s hopes and

Your child’s hopes and

dreamsdreams

•About your child’s home life

About your child’s home life

You know…You know…

You know…You know…•The difficulties your child

The difficulties your child

may be experiencing in

may be experiencing in

school.school.

•Your child’s special

Your child’s special

medical needs.

medical needs.

•The best way for the

The best way for the

school to contact you.

school to contact you.

“The Dog Ate My Conference Schedule”

and other common myths that keep parents from attending their child’s conference.

And Now a Special And Now a Special PresentationPresentation

Myth #1Myth #1

““I just don’t get along with my child’s teacher. I just don’t get along with my child’s teacher. He doesn’t like me and I don’t like him. We don’t He doesn’t like me and I don’t like him. We don’t have anything to talk about.” have anything to talk about.”

Myth BusterMyth Buster

WRONG! You have lots to WRONG! You have lots to talk about. talk about.

No matter how hard No matter how hard teachers and parents teachers and parents work towards partnership, work towards partnership, occasional problems are occasional problems are unavoidable. unavoidable.


Don’t let problems Don’t let problems interfere with your job of interfere with your job of being your child’s being your child’s strongest advocate. Too strongest advocate. Too much is at stake!much is at stake!


It is possible for parents It is possible for parents and teachers to work and teachers to work together if the focus together if the focus remains on what’s best remains on what’s best for the student, and off for the student, and off of personal feelings. of personal feelings.

Myth #2Myth #2

““My children are in middle and high school. They My children are in middle and high school. They don’t do conferences anymore.”don’t do conferences anymore.”


WRONG! Conferences in WRONG! Conferences in middle and high schools middle and high schools are different, but they are different, but they are still happening. are still happening.

In the upper grades a In the upper grades a conference will usually conference will usually be made up of abe made up of a panelpanel of of your child’s teachers your child’s teachers instead of being one-on-instead of being one-on-one.one.


The same important The same important information will be information will be discussed but you will discussed but you will have the added benefit have the added benefit of getting the collective of getting the collective feedback of your child’s feedback of your child’s teachers. teachers.

Myth #3Myth #3

““Don’t I have to wait until November to have a Don’t I have to wait until November to have a Parent-Teacher Conference?”Parent-Teacher Conference?”


NOT AT ALL! You can NOT AT ALL! You can have a parent-teacher have a parent-teacher conference any time of conference any time of the year. If you have a the year. If you have a concern about your concern about your child’s performance you child’s performance you need only to give the need only to give the teacher or guidance teacher or guidance counselor a call to make counselor a call to make an appointment.an appointment.


Remember, conferences Remember, conferences don’t always have to be don’t always have to be face to face. You can face to face. You can always discuss issues over always discuss issues over the phone or by e-mail.the phone or by e-mail.

Myth #4Myth #4

““My child gets good grades in school. Do I still My child gets good grades in school. Do I still need to go to a parent-teacher conference?”need to go to a parent-teacher conference?”


YES, YOU STILL NEED TO YES, YOU STILL NEED TO GO! The report card is GO! The report card is just a snapshot of how a just a snapshot of how a child is progressing in child is progressing in school, the parent-school, the parent-teacher conference is teacher conference is like a full colorlike a full color DDVVDD..


By talking face-to-face, By talking face-to-face, families can get more in- families can get more in- depth knowledge of how well depth knowledge of how well their child is progressing.their child is progressing.


At a conference, At a conference, parents canparents can seesee work work samples andsamples and hearhear descriptions of their descriptions of their child’s academic, child’s academic, social, emotional and social, emotional and behavioral behavioral development.development.

Parents canParents can shareshare firsthand what they firsthand what they have experienced at have experienced at homehome..

Tips for a good Tips for a good Conference…Conference…

•Start the conference on a positive note.Start the conference on a positive note.•Before you arrive, write down the items you Before you arrive, write down the items you want to discuss during the conference.want to discuss during the conference.


•During the conference, take notes so you won’t During the conference, take notes so you won’t forget what was said.forget what was said.

•Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Keep asking Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Keep asking until you understand.until you understand.


At the end of the conference, recap what was At the end of the conference, recap what was talked about. Pay special attention to those things talked about. Pay special attention to those things each of you said you would do and the deadlines.each of you said you would do and the deadlines.

•Commit to listening with an open mind. Even if Commit to listening with an open mind. Even if there are problems to discuss.there are problems to discuss.

Remember, you are your child’s Remember, you are your child’s bestbest and most and most important advocate. Don’t miss this chance to important advocate. Don’t miss this chance to connect with the school.connect with the school.

Can We Talk? Effective Parent Teacher Conferences at Every Grade.

Documents

e d i c

n e e d

n y o n e e

t o c o n t

s s i t

t i e s y o u r c h

f t e r s c h o o

c t y o