Parent teacher conference how to#

Basically, you start with something positive and encouraging, then you talk about the issue you need to discuss, followed by something else encouraging or positive. You may need to bring up tricky issues about a particular student’s behavior, work ethic, or level of skill, and the sandwich effect will help soften the blow. Have you ever used the “compliment sandwich” when sharing not-so-good news with a co-worker? It works for parent-teacher conferences too! Offer them a snack (leftover Halloween candy, anyone?). Most of all smile! 4) Remember the Sandwich! When they arrive, ask how they are doing or maybe ask about the family. Create an environment that is inviting, comfortable and welcoming. They are often concerned and a little bit anxious about what might be discussed during the parent-teacher conference.

This parent-teacher conference data form makes it easy to gather a LOT of important information in one place, and you can print out a copy for your files as well as one that parents can take home with them after the conference. The more organized you are the better! Gather together any data you want to share with parents into manilla folders or a similar filing system and sort your folders according to the order that parents are set to appear on your parent-teacher conference calendar, so it’s easy to pull out their son or daughter’s information. Print out dozens of editable parent reminder notes for parent-teacher conferences, field trips, picture day, and more! If you have people who did not sign up yet, a Google form is an easy way to offer the remaining slots to the other parents and guardians for conference night.Īlthough this may be something your school already has on the calendar or may even be something the school will send out emails or robo-calls about, it doesn’t hurt to do your own communication so you can manage your own schedule. When the data is getting close, don’t forget to send another note home with a reminder! You may be able to give them a heads up on the first day of school by sending home a parent note in your new students’ folders, or maybe you can put up a sign-up sheet on meet the teacher night so parents and guardians can choose the time that is best for them. Once you know when parent-teacher conferences will be held, let the parents know.

Parent teacher conference how to#

Our team of teachers has put together some of the tips they have learned from their years in the classroom to make your parent-teacher conferences more successful this year, for you and the parents and guardians too!Įxplore the best teacher-created resources for parent communication! How to Prepare for Parent-Teacher Conferences 1) Give Plenty of Notice Getting the most out of these short but crucial conferences is imperative to the smooth running of your classroom - you want to make parents feel heard and also get their buy-in so they can help their children learn, and you can be partners in a child’s education.

We all know how crucial parent involvement and communication are in the classroom. But parent-teacher conferences are also a fantastic opportunity to sit down one-on-one with your students’ parents or guardians (or both) to discuss their child and how they are making out in the classroom - socially, emotionally, and academically. At least twice a year, teachers get organized for a few late nights with back-to-back-to-back parent-teacher conferences.