How to Successfully Conduct a Parent-Teacher Conference

Hannah GuldinChrystol WhiteAimee Kanemori

#1 goal of a conference:

Form an alliance between the teacher and parent

“Above all parents need to know that their child’s teacher knows their child....The way teachers confirm they know a student is by being specific.” -Talking With Parents Today

Remember the F word: focus

The aim of a parent-teacher conference is for adults to build a mutually respectful alliance that will support a child's sometimes difficult journey through school

Guess what?!

Your parent-teacher conferences are in a week! Don’t freak out, here’s what you need to do:

1. Create a portfolio for each child that contains work and assessments that reflects their overall academic performance across subject areas

2. Think of three things you want to emphasize to the parents about each student

3. Create preliminary action plans that include resources and/or ways parents can help their child

4. Create an agenda for your conference

Conference Agenda

1. Set a structure 

2. Listen Actively

3. Talk straight and follow the rule of three

4. Back everything up with evidence

5. Develop a plan of action

6. End it (Danger Zone)

Setting a Structure

Thank parent for coming State allotted time for conference State that there are three points you want

to make during the conference Ask if there are any questions or concerns

“Thank you for coming today. We have 20 minutes for our conference. I have three things I would like to discuss with you about Justin. Before I do that, I was wondering if there are any questions or concerns you would like to talk about.” (Listen actively)

Active listening

Ask parents to share their views, thoughts, or questions

Encourage them to offer examples and restate the key points they make to ensure you understood them correctly

If the parents express concerns, invite them to elaborate (“Tell me more about that”)

Focus on the student’s behavior (“When you say she is working very hard, can you tell me what you mean?”) 

Try to understand the meaning of the problem to the parents (“What is it about this that most concerns you?)

Remember - Listening does not mean agreeing!

Talking Straight and the Rule of Three

Be simple and direct Follow the Rule of Three  

Parents are unlikely to recall more than three points from the conference  

Example: “I have three key things I want to emphasize about Jane: she’s a very hard worker; she’s doing quite well in most subjects; but she is having some trouble with math.”  ▪ This sentence gives parents a framework for what

they are going to hear and is an upfront reminder that there is an important area of concern that shouldn’t be avoided

Back it Up with Evidence

Follow the statement with data and examples of each of the three points

Use a report card as a jumping-off point, not as the centerpiece of the discussion

Turn any review of grades into an opportunity to get into a more detailed observations about what's working and what's not for the student

Develop a Plan of Action

Consider these questions while formulating the plan: Is the plan reasonable for all parties? Have culturally sensitive issues been considered? Do any parties need support to ensure plan is

implemented? Take notes on topics covered in the conference and

make copies for all parties Allows parents to easily recall what was said and will help

everyone monitor the plan and its effectiveness Before ending the conference, determine if parents

have any issues with the plan

End it

Keep track of time “We only have five minutes left and I still

have one key item to cover.” Restate the key themes that have

been addressed by parents and the three presented by the teacher  

If more time is needed, schedule another meeting

Danger Zone!

DO NOT run over the meeting time   It will put you behind schedule with other

parents and will signal that both the teacher’s and the other parent’s time is not important

Don’t relax and chit chat It is a waste of time and dangerous because…▪ This can reopen sensitive topics and participants can

distrust the work that was done in the conference  “Knowing when to stand, shake

someone’s hand, and thank them for bringing the issue to your attention is as important as solving the issue itself.”

What you don’t do:

Use educational jargon Leave parents bewildered with no sense

of the action that they need to take Let the rudeness of a child’s parent

prevent you from continuing to help the child

Generalize a problem in an attempt to soften the blow  It makes you look like you don’t know the

student and fails to inform parents accurately

What you do do:

Begin tough statements with “I’m worried that” or “I’m concerned that”

Be polite and always stay in control of your emotions

Describe the child’s positive qualities (social, emotional and physical).

Reflect on the conference and take notes Know what community resources are available and

have a specialist on hand if needed Share data in easy to understand formats and

provide parents with specific suggestions Sit on the SAME side of table as parents

JUST THE FACTS!

State all comments in the form of an observation “I have noticed that Justin sings a lot

during class and students are distracted.” This ensures that you are not making

judgments or diagnoses It is not your job to make a clinical

diagnosis; your job as a teacher is to state what you see is happening in the classroom and to figure out next steps with certified individuals and parents

What to Do If Things Go Wrong

Stop the conference Discuss the situation with an administrator

You don’t have to feel responsible for the parent’s anger

Find out from parents what they want the teacher to do and what they are afraid of if this doesn’t happen “What is it you wish I could do?”   “What are you afraid of (worried about) if I can’t do

that?” ▪ Shift parents from blaming and criticizing to asking for

something