- Create a warm environment in your classroom. If you have a Keurig, bring it to school for the day so parents can have a cup of coffee before or during the conference. Have peppermints or chocolates on your table. Turn on soft lighting/lamps. Turn on your favorite Scentsy warmer so your classroom smells great! (-Ms. Lang)
- Send home a pre-conference form for parents to fill out and return prior to conferences. They can write down questions and topics they want to discuss during the conference. You will feel more prepared when it's time for the conference and be able to manage your time a little better. (-Mrs. Cannon)
- Have a notecard or form for each student. BEFORE the conference begins, write down a positive about the child, an area needing improvement, and important information about the child's behavior. Always start and end your conference with a positive comment or sweet story about the student. (-Mrs. Bond)
- Dress your best! Be comfortable and confident. If you never wear heels to school, don't start today. Your feet will never forgive you. (-Mrs. Blackmore)
- Empower parents to help out at home by giving them resources. Give them a bookmark with questions to ask their child while they read at night. A list of educational websites/apps is always appreciated. Parents love ideas for practicing spelling words or math facts with their child at home. Send home a little treat for the kiddo too. This will help parents spark a conversation with their child post-conference. (-Mrs. Harris)
- Have a notecard with a list of topics to talk about if you get in a bind. Some conferences flow naturally and time flies by; others can be more difficult. Examples: Upcoming field trips or school events, good books to check out at the library, student work samples, a funny story from class. (-Mr. Pettis)
- Pack snacks, lunch/dinner, breath mints, chapstick, bottled water, etc. My go-to snacks are protein bars, trail mix, banana with peanut butter, CHOCOLATE, iced tead. A hungry teacher is not a happy teacher! (-Mrs. Pledger)
- Send home reminders. Everyone is busy, and you will undoubtedly have a few no-shows. It's frustrating and time consuming to reschedule parents. Send home a note or two in students' folders. If you use Sign Up Genius to schedule your conferences, it will e-mail parents a reminder automatically. (-Mrs. Duke)
Visit TheHappyTeacher store to download all of the forms, reminders, notes, and resources you will need for fall and spring Parent Teacher Conferences.
Great job!
ReplyDeleteI love this and how it gives such a positive feeling towards conferences. Most teachers stress about this. I get worried about what the parents will say and feel. It's best to look at the reality - parents are humans just like us. They care about their students just like us. And, their goals for their students are the same as ours, we both want the same things. I love that these ideas help the environment feel warm and friendly.
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