Tips for a Successful Parent Teacher Conference
2020-21 Conference Dates
November 16 - 20, 2020
March 23 - 26, 2021
Ideas for talking with your child during or after your conference
Make positive comments
- "I'm really proud of the work that you have shown us."
- "I can see that you are getting better at..."
- "I can see that you tried very hard.""I'm so impressed with..."
Ask specific questions about your child's work/learning
- "Tell me your favorite part of reading/writing/math."
- "Are you finding any part of your math difficult?"
- "Are you reading fiction or non-fiction right now?"
- "Who are your favorite authors?""What are you studying in science?"
Give positive feedback
- "I can really see the growth/progress in your..."
- "I'm amazed that you know how to..."
- "I didn't know you could..."
Help your child to formulate goals
- "Now that we have seen your work, what do you think you should work on next?"
- "What steps will you need to follow to reach your goal?"
- "Are these goals possible? Is your timetable reasonable?"
- "What can I do to help you reach your goals?"
- "How will you know when you have reached your goal?"
A Parent Teacher Conference is Successful When:
- Parents/family members leave with a positive attitude toward the teacher and school and a willingness to continue working cooperatively together. Not all issues are necessarily resolved, but there is a willingness to continue the dialogue.
- There is an increase in the level of trust between parent and teacher and neither is trying to control the behavior of the other.
- Parent and teacher know more about the child than they did before the conference.Parents and teacher leave the conference with a specific understanding of each other's goals, expectations and what each is trying to do to support the child's learning and development.