#065: What to Say at Parent Teacher Conferences and How to Prepare

Do you stress over parent teacher conferences?

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There’s so much to prep and keep track of for parent teacher conferences in the midst of your regular teaching. And then there’s the minefield of helping families understand their child’s strengths and weaknesses honestly but with great compassion. It’s a lot, especially in the meager 15 - 20 minutes of time we have per family!

I don’t need to tell you a lot of confidence comes from being prepared. You KNOW that. But WHAT to prepare is the tough stuff. But before we can dive into preparing for the actual conferences, we need to know parents come to parent teacher conferences with a head full of their own worries, stresses, and things they want to know.

THE NOISE IN PARENTS' HEADS: WHAT DO PARENTS REALLY WANT TO KNOW?

Is my child doing well? How does my child compare to others? Do you like my child? Does my child have friends? Are they happy? How is my child's behavior? Am I doing a good job? How can I help my child be successful? Are you trustworthy? Do you know what you are doing?

Think of it this way...  Your students' parents have entrusted you with their children. Priceless. (Think... worth more than their bank accounts.) Would they trust you with their ATM card and their pin number? Probably not. And yet, they have allowed you access to their babies. 

So, take the time to build trust and reassure parents. That foundation will open your hearts to each other and help your conferences and the rest of the school year go more smoothly for all of you.

Listen in to learn more. 

In this episode, find out: 
  • How to decide on your focus for each conference.
  • What to have prepared in advance.
  • Words to use when talking to families
  • The framework for a successful parent conference.
  • How to set up conversations on touchy topics for productive discussions.
  • The essential things you need to do immediately after each conference.
  • Why you need recording forms and what forms to have.

So dive on in and find out more. Listen here.

Don’t forget to grab the free Parent Conferece Template here.

Want more help? Check out my Parent-Teacher Meeting Packet here.

Teach joyfully,

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You can listen to this episode HERE.

Here's some resources to help you get started: 
Links to other episodes you might like:

#003 Time Management for Teachers: How to NOT Work ALL the Time

#024: How to Tame Your Teacher To-Do List

#062: Email Overload: How to Take Control of Your Email Inbox

#060: My 7 Favorite Children's Book Podcasts

#063: How to Harness the Power of Morning Meetings in Your Classroom 

 

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