Are you a specialist teacher looking for some parent teacher conference tips? Then you have come to the right place! Here are some ideas for how to have a successful parent teacher conference if you are a special education teacher, interventionist, guidance counselor, or another teacher who works in a specialist role. Read on for the purpose of conferences, how to prepare for them, and some tips for a an effective parent teacher conference.
What Is The Purpose Of A Parent Teacher Conference
The purpose of a parent teacher conference is for the teacher and parent/guardians to meet and discuss the student. This conversation involves how they are doing and what the plans are for future learning. It also usually includes an area that the student needs to grow in which the student and teacher are going to work towards in the upcoming months.
There are many benefits of parent teacher conferences. One of these is that everyone can get on the same page about the student’s time at school. This can include both academics and behaviors. While notes, emails, and phone calls home are certainly helpful, it is also helpful to have a more well-rounded conversation. Many times those notes, emails, and phone calls come when something isn’t going great so this is an excellent opportunity to sit down and talk.
Another benefit is that it gives actual time to talk about the student. Oftentimes students who are doing well don’t get much communication from the teacher regarding their specific child. Since they are doing well, the teacher doesn’t feel the need to contact parents to let them know (teachers are busy with a million other things!) and parents assume things are going well. A parent teacher conference gives time to talk about everything that is going well – a feel-good for everyone!
What Happens In A Parent Teacher Conference
A conference is similar to any meeting. Everyone introduces themselves (especially if it is towards the beginning of the school year or there are multiple team members there).
Next, the team asks the parent/guardian how things are going and any questions or concerns they have. It is super important to get their side of things. This way, the team can address anything that the parent/guardian really wants information on.
After that, the school shares current information. This includes both how the student is doing academically as well as their social/emotional skills. It is always great to start with some positives or areas that the student has grown in first. Next, go into areas that continue to be a bit of a struggle or skills the student skill needs to work on. Usually the specialist teacher tags on to the general education meeting. If this is the case for you, make sure you know exactly what you want to convey to the parent as you most likely will have a pretty short amount of time to do it. (This is where having a filled out conference form like this one is super helpful.)
Finally, the team would discuss future plans. This can be what curriculum is going to be taught in the upcoming months or what specific skills specialists are going to work on with them (academic or social/emotional).
So how long do parent teacher conferences last? Districts, and even the schools within them, are all different. Most conferences are between 15-30 minutes.
How To Prepare For Parent Teacher Conferences
There are a few things you can do in advance to have great meetings.
The first thing I do is collect data on current student levels a few weeks out. This makes sure I have specific data on each IEP goal/benchmark. If I haven’t done a more formal assessment on a specific skill, I’ll take the time to do it in the upcoming weeks. Having current data is necessary in reporting where the student is at.
Additionally, this might sound silly but pick out your outfit ahead of time. If you are wondering what to wear to parent teacher conference, business casual fits the bill. Don’t wear ripped pants, jeans, or even a school spirit shirt. While this *might* be appropriate for the regular school day depending on your district, you want to look a bit more professional when speaking to parents/guardians. Personally, I love a cute sundress or khaki pants with a blouse. Make sure whatever you are wearing is easy to sit and walk in. You’ll likely be moving around quite a bit during conferences so they is key.
If you are like me, you might be struggling with what to say for parent teacher conferences about each student. That’s why I started writing down notes ahead of time. I found that if I’m prepared, I don’t have to hunt in my brain for what we work on daily or what level they are at.
That’s why I created this parent teacher conference guide form specifically for specialists. It has room for current levels in the basic areas (reading, writing, math, and social/emotional). There is also room to write notes at the bottom. I often use this as a space to take notes or write a note to the parent/guardian. Pro-tip – write an upcoming IEP meeting reminder or something the student needs to bring to school here. After I’m done filling it out, I print off (or copy) two versions so I have one for myself and can give the other to the parent/guardian. It has been super helpful to have a quick and easy form so I’m not forgetting to communicate any important information. You can grab this free parent teacher meeting guide form here.
Parent Teacher Conference Tips For Teachers
If you are wondering how to make parent teacher conferences successful, here are a few tips for you.
Be prepared for each conference you have. Look above for some ideas of how to do this. There is nothing worse than running around the school or shuffling through papers in front of a parent/guardian because you can’t find what you are looking for. This will also alleviate some of the nerves that conferences always bring out.
Talk with the general education teacher before the meeting. Make sure you are on the same page so one of you doesn’t bring up something that really surprises the other. Not having the school team on the same page looks terrible to the parent/guardian. Having a quick conversation with the teacher ahead of time about anything they plan to bring up and any big concerns you have is easy and in the end will save your sanity.
Write things down. Taking notes during a conference is a great idea. It allows you to have something to look back on after the meeting, which can be super helpful down the road. Personally, I like to use a different color than the notes that I came to the meeting with. This lets me easily differentiate my notes. Also, I write down any action steps I need to take within the next week. Doing this in the top right corner of the paper makes easy to reference.
Make sure to schedule some breaks. Quick breaks throughout the time are essential. You are going to need time to go to the restroom, fill up your beverage or grab a quick snack, and just breathe. Blocking off a few times throughout the conference window ahead of time is super helpful. They are useful in helping you not feel overwhelmed and completely burnt out by the end.
Using these parent teacher meeting tips for teachers has helped me through hundreds and hundreds of conferences. So try some of them out and see if they work for you too.
Hopefully, these basics and tips for teachers for parent teacher conferences will help you have a successful experience.
Happy teaching!
