Meeting the Parents: Make
Your First Conference a Hit!
Many new teachers have anxiety about their first Parent-Teacher Conference, and rightfully so. Just like every student is different, every parent is different. Trying to predict how a parent might react to troubling news can be quite nerve-wracking. One universally consistent piece of advice from veteran teachers to new teachers is to focus on what you can control - not on what you can't. Being prepared is definitely something that a new teacher (or any teacher) can control.
The best place to start is by putting yourself in the shoes of a parent. Think about what type of information you'd like to know about during your child's conference, and what knowledge you'd like to leave with. Below are some topics to think about when prepping for your first Parent-Teacher Conference.
- Explain in direct terms what is expected of the students. Let parents know what skills and knowledge their child will be challenged to master during the school year. Include specific examples in key subjects like math, science, history and English.
- Discuss the academic standards held by your school. Show these standards to parents and let them know how they compare with those from other school districts. Tell parents how you will communicate these standards to the students and provide examples of classroom projects and assignments.
- Inform them how students are evaluated in your classroom. Let parents see what kind of information you use to evaluate students and how it helps determine how you know if they're academically ready to move on to the next grade. Explain your grading policy.
- Discuss parental involvement. Offer suggestions for how parents can stay more involved in their child's academic progress, like knowing what homework has been assigned on a daily basis and ideas that they can help carry out at home to complement what is happening in the classroom. Encourage feedback.
- Explain to parents how you accommodate for different styles of learning. Explain your plan for accommodating different styles of learning, such as for a child who is a slow learner and falls behind, or for a faster learner who has a tendency to get bored. Also let parents know about other programs available for students who need more help, such as tutoring or summer school.
As a new teacher, each brand new experience is bound to be a bit unsettling the first time around. Try to prepare as much as you can and focus on what you can control. And if you make a mistake, don't worry. It's a learning process, after all.
