Prepare Materials and Talking Points Beforehand

When parents attend a conference with their child’s teacher, it is expected that the teacher comes prepared to share pertinent information about their child’s learning and social well-being. For this reason, teachers must put aside time to prepare in advance of the parent-teacher conference. What will be shared that shows a student’s areas of strength? What is one goal area that the teacher and child will be working towards? From experience, it is best to sandwich any area of concern between areas of strength so that parents know that their child’s best interests are in the forefront.

Stay Positive and Solution-Driven

With all of the negative news in today’s society, the worst possible approach for a teacher would be to focus on all of the negative aspects of the student’s learning. Instead, an approach that focuses on the positive attributes a student possesses is a great way to ensure that parents feel like they are part of the learning team. Starting with the positives shows that the teacher believes in the student’s ability to learn and grow.

When there is an actual deficit area, be it academic or social, the best teachers are solution-driven when it comes to relaying this information to parents. Teachers should come prepared with some ideas as to how their student can succeed in meeting the area of improvement.

Highlight Student Work

Understandably parents want to see examples of their children’s work during their limited time with the teacher. When parent-teacher conferences take place within the classroom, it is easy to pull a folder out of a student’s desk to share with the student’s parents. In a virtual setting, it is equally as important to highlight their child’s work, but it needs to be done using technology.

Many teachers keep a digital folder that holds samples of student writing, projects, or assessments; students may also have a digital portfolio that could be shared during a conference. Sharing one’s screen during the conference allows the teacher to walk through assignments that s/he would like to highlight. Sharing of the screen can be done through Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meets, or any other type of virtual meeting platform.

Ask Questions

When a teacher comes to the conference with his or her own set of questions and reflections, it shows that s/he is using the conference as a learning experience. The meeting should be two-way; not just the teacher talking to the parent. Teachers should be careful not to ask questions that might put parents on the defensive about their parenting style. For example, if the teacher notices the child seems tired during e-learning, instead of asking, “Why don’t you make your child go to sleep at a more reasonable hour?” a teacher might ask, “How many hours of sleep does your child get each night?” This subtle difference in questioning removes the blame and focuses on the issue of the student being tired.

Keep Communication Open

It is of utmost importance that parents know that the parent-teacher conference is not the only opportunity to speak about their child’s learning and growth. Sharing contact information along with the best times and methods of communication to be reached shows parents that the teacher will make him or herself available to support their child’s learning outside of the conference timeframe. Keeping an open line of communication creates a triangle between the student, school, and parents. This type of communication builds a strong relationship that fosters students’ self-confidence and motivation.

Be Aware of Accessibility

Not every family has functional access to the internet or a device that works in their home. Nor does every family have parents that are able to support their children’s learning at home. For these reasons, teachers must do their best not to add to the accessibility gap that occurs between wealthy households and those that come from low-income areas or those who speak a language other than English at home.

When a teacher finds out that a family doesn’t have access to either a device or the internet, it is his/her responsibility to share this information with the school’s principal so that equitable access can be attained in all households. Many districts offer students a loaner device and a hotspot that the entire family can use to access an equitable education.

Lastly, whatever language a teacher uses during the virtual parent-teacher conference should be understandable to parents. If information needs to be translated into a different language, then the teacher should seek assistance from a staff member that could assist with interpreting the information.

The post How to Prepare for a Virtual Parent-Teacher Conference appeared first on TeachHUB.

Research has shown that parental involvement is a very important factor in a child’s academic success. Take the parent-teacher conference as an opportunity to extend the lines of communication between home and school and develop a strategic plan for your students’ futures. Here are a few tips on how to handle the parent-teacher conference and make the most of this invaluable opportunity.

Come to the Parent-Teacher Conference Prepared

The worst thing that you can do is be unprepared for a parent-teacher conference. The first thing that you should do is send home a questionnaire asking parents if there are any specific concerns they would like to address during the conference.

Next, jot down a few notes on each of your students. Divide your paper into two categories: 1) positives and 2) what the child needs to work on. To be even more organized, create a folder for each child and include evidence of each comment you plan on discussing during the conference. Throughout the year be sure to keep a record of each child’s grades, behavior, or anything else concerning the child. This will be a great reference to use when preparing for a conference.

Always Start and End with a Positive

No parent wants to hear anything negative about their child. It’s always best to start with something positive, then follow it with what the child needs to work on, not what they are bad at.

One of my colleagues said it best when she said, “Think of it like a sandwich: The bottom layer is saying something positive about the student, then the meat of the sandwich is what the child needs to work on, and finish the sandwich off my adding something positive again.”

Make sure to be careful how you phrase your comments. Some parents may take how you phrase something out of context. If you have a hard time thinking of something positive to say, then try saying “___ is doing great at ___ when he/she follows directions in class.” You are simply stating a fact and following that fact with what they are doing. It’s a simple strategy that parents seem to accept.

Don’t Just Explain it, Show it

If you are going to tell a parent that her child needs to work on long division, then you should show them an example of why. If you say that you have seen improvement in a student’s math scores, then be sure to show them tangible evidence of how they have improved. Be able to back up what you say with something tangible so parents can visually see what you are talking about.

Address All Questions, Comments, and Concerns

As the conference comes to an end, give parents time to ask questions or comment on any concerns they may have for their child. This is the time you can learn some inside details about your students that you can use to your advantage in the classroom.

For the most part, parents are willing to share with you. If you encounter a situation where a parent is particularly upset, ask them how they would like the situation to be rectified. Then you can offer a few suggestions of your own.

Continue Communication

Once the conference is over, don’t forget to follow up on any concerns a parent may have had. Schedule another conference, or keep in contact with the parent. This will demonstrate to the parent that you invested in their child and willing to work them.

The key to a successful parent-teacher conference lies within you. You set the tone for how the conference will go. Always be ready to back up anything that you say with concrete evidence or which strategy you will be using. Keep all of these tips in mind, and you will find that your conference will be a productive one.

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