Do you dread parent-teacher conferences? Stay awake at night worrying about them?
If you have ever felt anxious about conferences, we’ve got some ideas to ease your mind.
Parent-teacher conferences bring up a mix of emotions from anticipation to dread on the part of students, parents, and teachers.
Students fear what teachers might say about them, and that their faults or abilities will be openly discussed by the adults who are the power players in their lives.
Parents fear that they may hear comments about their child that are hurtful or focus on their child’s faults. They may even feel that their parenting skill will be questioned.
Teachers fear negative reactions from parents, which often puts them in defense mode.
The best way to avoid any unforeseen uncomfortable discussions, and to ensure you are prepared with both positive statements and suggestions for growth for your students, is to have information prepared before the meeting.
Grades are certainly part of conferences, but often the most important part of conferencing is not the grade, but the story behind the grades.
More than just a number in the grade book, parents want insight.
What is the student learning? What skills has the student mastered? Which areas of curriculum or social/emotional growth is the student still working on?
Don’t focus on numbers, be ready with your stories and examples.
We have written an extensive post about how to get ready for parent-teacher conferences. Parent-teacher conferences don’t have to be stressful!
Read more about conducting successful conferences here.
We have also created a template that you can use to prepare for conferences. It will help you think through what to say and stay organized. Grab our template by filling out the form below and we’ll send it to you.
Whether you are preparing for upcoming conferences or already had your conferences and hope to make them better next time, we hope you find this information helpful.
Happy conferencing,
Paula and Michele
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