1. Conference Week Q & A Rebecca Radicchi, Area 5 Lead Teacher

2. On an index card, please respond to one of the following. Why are parent conferences important? Write a metaphor about conferences. i.e. Conferences are like… Write a few sentences about how you feel about conferences. Write a question that a parent may ask you at a conference.

3. Why should I relax about conference week? Conference week passes quickly. Conference week passes quickly. Face to face meetings with parents help alleviate the unknowns, and are often very reaffirming. Face to face meetings with parents help alleviate the unknowns, and are often very reaffirming. This is a chance to show parents how much you care about their kids. This is a chance to show parents how much you care about their kids. This is a time to develop powerful parent-teacher partnerships. This is a time to develop powerful parent-teacher partnerships.

4. What should I do to prepare? Create an agenda for each conference. Create an agenda for each conference. Organize student portfolios with a few representative work samples. Organize student portfolios with a few representative work samples. Have copies of student assessments for parents. Have copies of student assessments for parents. Complete report cards. Complete report cards. Be ready with several positive comments to share about their child. Be ready with several positive comments to share about their child.

5. How can I welcome parents before they even enter my room? Display student work (Grand displays aren’t necessary though!) Display student work (Grand displays aren’t necessary though!) Post your conference schedule. Post your conference schedule. Place a few chairs in the hallway for waiting parents. Place a few chairs in the hallway for waiting parents. Pull a desk into the hallway, and top it with a basket of student work (class books, etc.). Pull a desk into the hallway, and top it with a basket of student work (class books, etc.). Show parents that their time is valued. Post a sign stating, “Please knock at your scheduled time.” Show parents that their time is valued. Post a sign stating, “Please knock at your scheduled time.”

6. How can I make my classroom welcoming? Have a table ready for conferences that is clutter free. Have a table ready for conferences that is clutter free. Have soft music playing. Have soft music playing. Display student work. Display student work. Make sure parents have adult size chairs to sit in. Make sure parents have adult size chairs to sit in.

7. What can I do to make parents feel valued? Greet parents at the door. Greet parents at the door. Tell them you value their partnership. Tell them you value their partnership. Smile Smile Make eye contact Make eye contact Share positive comments/stories that demonstrate that you care about their child. Share positive comments/stories that demonstrate that you care about their child. Be personal. (Ask about their day, job, etc.) Be personal. (Ask about their day, job, etc.) Walk parents to the door. Walk parents to the door.

8. What should I do during the conference? Start with positive, personal comments about the child. Start with positive, personal comments about the child. Share student work. Share student work. Share assessment results in common language. Share assessment results in common language. Share report card. Share report card. Ask for parent observations. Ask for parent observations. Set/share goals. Set/share goals. Take notes. Take notes. Give examples of ways to help at home. Give examples of ways to help at home. End with a positive comment. End with a positive comment.

9. What should I do if I have concerns about a student? Start and end with a student’s strengths. Start and end with a student’s strengths. Have examples of student work (possibly also examples of another student’s on grade level work, with names removed, for comparison). Have examples of student work (possibly also examples of another student’s on grade level work, with names removed, for comparison). Share what YOU are doing, what you have tried, and what your goals are. Share what YOU are doing, what you have tried, and what your goals are. Ask for their observations & perceptions. Ask for their observations & perceptions. Ask for the parent(s) to partner with you in helping your child achieve their goals. Provide examples of simple ways they can help at home. Ask for the parent(s) to partner with you in helping your child achieve their goals. Provide examples of simple ways they can help at home. Take notes about how you’ll follow-up. Take notes about how you’ll follow-up.

10. What if I am concerned that the conference will be adversarial? Send a friendly email/note home stating that you look forward to developing a partnership with the parent. Send a friendly email/note home stating that you look forward to developing a partnership with the parent. Tell the parent that you really want to develop a positive relationship, and that miscommunications may have occurred. Tell the parent that you really want to develop a positive relationship, and that miscommunications may have occurred. Don’t be afraid to say, “We both CARE about your child, let’s start over.” Don’t be afraid to say, “We both CARE about your child, let’s start over.” Constantly restate how much you CARE about their child. Constantly restate how much you CARE about their child. Invite an administrator to attend. Invite an administrator to attend. Balance concerns with strengths. Balance concerns with strengths. Give lots of examples of what YOU are doing, have tried, and hope to try. Give lots of examples of what YOU are doing, have tried, and hope to try.

12. What if the parent and I just can’t agree? Remember that although positive relationships with parents are ideal, your goal is student achievement. Remember that although positive relationships with parents are ideal, your goal is student achievement. Do whatever it takes to have parents stay involved, even if that includes letting go of pride or the need to be “right”. Do whatever it takes to have parents stay involved, even if that includes letting go of pride or the need to be “right”. Invite the parent into class. Invite the parent into class. We can’t teach our parents to be responsible, so just do whatever it takes to get what you need from them. We can’t teach our parents to be responsible, so just do whatever it takes to get what you need from them. Remember that EVERY person has a story. (Are they working two jobs? Going through a divorce?) Getting angry doesn’t move you ahead. Remember that EVERY person has a story. (Are they working two jobs? Going through a divorce?) Getting angry doesn’t move you ahead.

13. What do I do after the conference? Thank parents with a personal or group note. Thank parents with a personal or group note. Follow-up on any areas that you discussed with parents. Follow-up on any areas that you discussed with parents. Celebrate!!!!!! Celebrate!!!!!!

14. Whose Child Is This? "Whose child is this?" I asked one day Seeing a little one out at play. "Mine", said the parent with a tender smile "Mine to keep a little while. To bathe his/her hands and comb his/her hair, To tell him/her what he/she is to wear, To prepare him/her that he/she may always be good, And each day do the things he/she should". "Whose child is this?" I asked again, As the door opened and someone came in. "Mine", said the teacher with the same tender smile. "Mine, to keep just for a little while. To teach him/her how to be gentle and kind, To train and direct his/her dear little mind, To help him/her live by every rule, And get the best he/she can from school". "Whose child is this?" I asked once more, Just as the little one entered the door. "Ours", said the parent and the teacher as they smiled. And each took the hand of the little child. "Ours to love and train together. Ours this blessed task forever." ~Author Unknown