Welcome to Welcome to Effective Parent-Effective Parent-Teacher Conferences!Teacher Conferences!

As you come in, please take a As you come in, please take a look at the poster on your table.look at the poster on your table.

Please add your “Words of Please add your “Words of Parent Teacher Conference Parent Teacher Conference Wisdom” to the sheet.Wisdom” to the sheet.

Questions and answers on this Questions and answers on this topic are welcome, too!topic are welcome, too!

Have you ever felt like this about Have you ever felt like this about parent teacher conferences?parent teacher conferences?

Top Eight Things to Top Eight Things to Remember About Parent Remember About Parent

Teacher ConferencesTeacher Conferences

..with apologies to David Letterman..with apologies to David Letterman

By Kathy Gates, Secondary Learning Coach,By Kathy Gates, Secondary Learning Coach,

USD #497USD #497

#8 Plan before the conference #8 Plan before the conference startsstarts Have you communicated with Have you communicated with

the parents prior to this the parents prior to this meeting?meeting?

Do you have documentation or Do you have documentation or examples of work that you’d like examples of work that you’d like to share with the parents?to share with the parents?

Decide what you want to say Decide what you want to say and how to say it and how to say it beforebefore the the conference.conference.

#7 Stay Positive!#7 Stay Positive!

Negative school experiences for Negative school experiences for some parentssome parents

Difficult situations for some Difficult situations for some parentsparents

All parents want teachers who All parents want teachers who know and care about their know and care about their children.children.

#6 Professionalism counts!#6 Professionalism counts!

How will you have the room How will you have the room arranged?arranged?

Comfortable spot to sit while Comfortable spot to sit while they wait?they wait?

How are you dressed?How are you dressed?

#6, part two#6, part two

““Please don’t talk to me like that.”Please don’t talk to me like that.” ““Let’s work together so this won’t Let’s work together so this won’t

happen in the future.”happen in the future.” ““I understand where you are coming I understand where you are coming

from. Let’s focus on developing a from. Let’s focus on developing a plan so we aren’t in this situation plan so we aren’t in this situation again.”again.”

Shift the conversation to focus on the Shift the conversation to focus on the positive!positive!

#5 Share information#5 Share information

Parent-friendly terms, please!Parent-friendly terms, please! Start by sharing strengthsStart by sharing strengths Be specificBe specific Be more than a verbal report Be more than a verbal report

cardcard

#4 Involve the Parents#4 Involve the Parents

Talk to parents as equalsTalk to parents as equals Ask for their opinions. Ask for their opinions. Any questions or information Any questions or information

they would like to share?they would like to share? Remind them of how and when Remind them of how and when

they can contact you.they can contact you.

#3 Listen!!#3 Listen!!

According to research, if you listen to According to research, if you listen to another person for three minutes another person for three minutes without interruptingwithout interrupting, they will be , they will be more likely to listen to you.more likely to listen to you.

Make eye contact and hold it.Make eye contact and hold it. Call people by nameCall people by name Listen to entire statement or questionListen to entire statement or question Pause before respondingPause before responding

#2 Begin and End on Time#2 Begin and End on Time

Begin with a warm greeting and Begin with a warm greeting and an agenda of what you’re going an agenda of what you’re going to talk aboutto talk about

Stand up to signal the end of the Stand up to signal the end of the conference.conference.

#1 Remember that we’re #1 Remember that we’re talking about someone’s babytalking about someone’s baby

Focus on solutionsFocus on solutions Emphasize collaborationEmphasize collaboration End with positive commentsEnd with positive comments Thank the parentThank the parent

SourcesSources

Rutherford, Paula. Rutherford, Paula. Why Didn’t I Learn this in Why Didn’t I Learn this in College?College? Alexandria, VA: Just Ask Alexandria, VA: Just Ask Publications, 2002.Publications, 2002.

Effective Parent-Teacher ConferencesEffective Parent-Teacher Conferences. . Bloomington, IN: Center for Professional Bloomington, IN: Center for Professional Development & Services, Phi Delta Kappa Development & Services, Phi Delta Kappa International, 2004.International, 2004.

Whitaker, Todd and Fiore, Douglas J. Whitaker, Todd and Fiore, Douglas J. How to How to Handle Difficult Parent-Teacher Handle Difficult Parent-Teacher ConferencesConferences