Santos, Cir Arnold S.

III
BSEd-Filipino IV

Here are a few do's and don'ts to make for successful parent-teacher conferences:
Do start with a positive about their child. Even if he/she is one of your most challenging students
behaviorally or academically, begin with a positive anecdote, trait, or simply, 'I'm so happy ____ is
in my class.' It comforts parents, shows you care and lets them know you notice their child. Plus, it
will make it easier when you need to give constructive feedback about their child if they have
received positive feedback first.
Don't forget that it's a team effort. Though you may know their child well as a student, the
parents have known them their whole life. You need their support just as much as they need yours.
Don't be afraid to ask what works for them at home or if they have any insight on their child
regarding a certain behavior/situation. If they are also struggling with the same issues, then as a
team you can make a plan on how to respond to make it consistent across environments.
Do share an example of a student's reflection during the conference. Whether written or
recorded, it brings the child's voice into the conference and allows them to take ownership of their
learning and behavior. (It can also be the jumping off point for difficult conversations.) It takes
some time and practice to get your students comfortable with reflection, but it's worth it! I've had
students match different school situations, subjects, or skills to one of the three Learning Zones the
week prior to conferences. When I share the child's reflections with the parents, I've found that if a
child puts something challenging in his/her panic zone, like "Staying focused on my work," parents
are more open to and honest about discussing that area of growth.
Students can also record their responses on an iPad explaining each learning zone, which allows
parents to hear the reflection directly from their child. Obviously, each grade level will look
slightly different, but teachers can go simple and it will still be meaningful for both students and
parents. For example, instead of writing about learning zones, students can do a Glow and Grow,
where they reflect on one GLOW, a certain subject or area in which they feel confident, and a
GROW, something in which they need more practice. Some schools are also embracing student-led
conferences, which means the child him/herself can lead the conference and share their own
reflections and goals.
Don't arrive unprepared. Parents will most likely ask 'How is my child doing?' Have specific
examples ready to share that will show where their child is excelling and in what areas they need
more practice or support. Be ready to answer the question: 'How can I help my child?' Have a
resource list of reading comprehension strategies, book recommendations, or math problem
examples, as parents are always grateful to walk away with concrete examples and language to help
them.
Do give examples of what language you use at school and your expectations. Some parents are
learning what is developmentally appropriate for their child. By letting them know what you expect
and how you handle it at school, you give them tools to use at home. Plus, it helps with maintaining
consistency across school and home. I offer strategies that I use in the classroom, such as I
statements ("I feel ___") for expressing feelings and mindful minutes as a break to calm and focus
students.
Don't talk about other students, even if parents bring them up. Parent-teacher conferences are a
very short and meaningful time for parents to discuss their child. Try to keep the focus on how their
child is doing, not comparing him/her to anyone else or discussing a social conflict that happened
in school. You don't want to mention another child's name; however, you can share your
observations of how their child handled a situation. For example, "I have seen ____ grow more
comfortable this year expressing her feelings in a calm voice during a disagreement with a friend"
or "I've noticed that when ____ is working through a social problem, he/she raises her voice at the
other student. We are working on taking deep breaths to stay calm when sharing our feelings or
frustrations with others."
Do (try!) to have fun. Enjoy this opportunity to bond with your students' parents and give them
insight into who their child is as a student. Every school has different requirements for parent-
teacher conferences and every teacher has their own style of what works for them during
conferences. These do's and don'ts are just to provide you with some new ideas or confirm that
you're on the right track. Happy conferencing!
Parent-Teacher Conferences, handled correctly, are an opportunity to form a cooperative team for
the coming school year. You will need each student's parents on your side in order to have the
maximum positive impact on learning.
Follow these guidelines and you'll be on the right track:
Do's
 Give parents plenty of notice. Remember that parents have busy lives and challenging
work schedules. The more notice you give them, the more likely they will be able to attend
the Parent-Teacher Conference.
 Start and end the Parent-Teacher Conference on a positive note.Remember that
parents are often nervous, too. Set them at ease by starting off with your positive
observations of their child. After you've explained some areas of improvement, finish the
conference off with more things the parents can feel good about. This goes a long way
toward creating a positive working relationship with them.
 Be organized. Fill out a pre-conference form for each student, complete with space for
your notes and follow-up issues. The conference may be your first impression on the
parents, and your organization will inspire confidence in your abilities to help their child
this year.
 Listen actively. When the parents speak, concentrate and really hear what they are trying
to communicate to you. You may even want to take notes. When parents feel heard, you are
setting up a cooperative relationship for the coming school year.
 Have samples of student work to back up your points. When discussing specific
learning goals for the student, show the parents what you observed in the classwork that
shows a need for improvement. On the flip side, you can also show samples of work well
done, so they can see how much the students are learning with you.
  Give the parents homework. Think of 2-3 customized tasks that the parents can do at
home to help their child learn this school year. It may not always happen as you hope, but
it's worth a shot. Offer worksheets, websites, and tools to support their efforts.
 Call in the principal for touchy situations. Sometimes teachers need to call for
backup. If a specific set of parents have already shown some hostility towards you, a trusted
administrator can act as a facilitator who has everyone's best interests at heart. Moreover,
the principal can act as a witness for you, if the tone of the conference starts to sour.
Don'ts
 Don't stray from the topic at hand. It's easy for conversations to wander off into fun
topics, such as shared interests. But remember why you are having this conference in the
first place and keep the meeting on track.
 Don't Get Emotional. Stay professional and objective as you describe the behavior
you've observed from a particular child. If you stay rational and calm, the parents likely
will, as well.
 Don't run late. Once the Parent-Teacher Conference schedule is set, do everything
possible to keep things running in a timely manner. Parents have busy lives and have
dropped everything to meet with you at the appointed time. Respecting their time will
make a great impression.
 Don't have a messy classroom. We all know that classrooms can get messy during the
busy course of a school day. But spend some time straightening up your room, especially
your desk, in order to make the best possible impression.
 Don't overwhelm the parents with too many at-home tasks. Choose 2-3 doable
ways that the parents can support learning at home. Be specific and offer them the tools
they will need to help their child.