Running head: CONFERENCE 1

Corinne Baum

Parent-Teacher Conference

Indiana University East

CONFERENCE 2

At the Childrens House, I am partly responsible for the behavior of the children in the

Geography homeroom and when a childs behavior is poor, the staff and I take measures to

ensure that it improves. The first step is simple: time-outs, and small punishments. The second

step is called a Behavior Chart, which consists of smiley faces and sad faces. Smiley faces reflect

good behavior while sad faces reflect bad behavior. The child is supposed to be on these

behavior charts for two weeks. If they have all smiley faces by the end of the second week, they

are off the charts and back to normal classroom activities with normal repercussions. If they do

not have all smiley faces consistently throughout the two weeks, they are placed on academic

probation. To return, the childs parents must come in for a parent-teacher conference, and the

childs behavior must improve in two more weeks, or the child is removed from our program.

This does not happen very often, but just two months ago, I had the opportunity to sit in

on a parent-teacher conference with one of our students. Due to confidentiality, I cannot disclose

any names, but I will discuss the morning, and how it impacted me and my studies in

psychology.

Prior to the conference, my directors pulled me aside and discussed the way they like to

run typical conferences. The ideal parent-teacher conference is a conversation between the

teacher and the childs parent about their behavior and their progress at school. These

conferences can help strengthen the relationships with families as well as support the childs

learning. When it comes to meetings about a childs behavior, the environment tends to be thick

and uncomfortable, but our teachers do their best to resolve the issue with as little tension as

possible.

Attached below is a very similar form to the one that the teachers fill out for the child

prior to the conference. We mark whether or not the student can follow directions, work well
CONFERENCE 3

with others, respects their friends and teachers, and a few other aspects of daily life at the

daycare. When the parent comes in, we discuss each aspect of the form.

During the conference, the childs mother was clearly angry, but it was diffused quickly

with multiple examples of the childs misbehaviors. My director spoke calmly and explained

everything she was saying, as well as backing up her words with the rules that we, as teachers,

must follow. My director asked the parent if there have been any issues at home that may be

causing or fueling her childs behavior. She reported that things have been normal, and that she

did not understand where the behavior was coming from. It was then determined that the child

would remain on the behavior chart for another two weeks, with more consequences at home if

the child received any sad faces at school. She said her child would not be able to play on his

iPad or would not get any dessert after dinner. If the child did well for two weeks, they would be

taken off behavior charts.

Two weeks after the conference, the child had received all smiley faces on his chart for a

week straight and was taken off behavior charts. They have not been on a chart since.

After this conference, I found myself more interested in child behavior and how

punishments and rewards help or hurt their behavior. I am becoming more interested in child

psychology and this parent-teacher conference helped me to see that.