Conferences
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES
Parents may call the office for parent-teacher conferences. Such conferences are set up and notice is placed in your box. Efforts will be made to schedule conferences before and after school. It is extremely important that teachers be prompt and prepared. If a teacher has duty, it is the teacher’s responsibility to arrange to change duty with another teacher. If the teacher has another time conflict, notify the counselor in advance.
PARENT CASE CONFERENCE PROCEDURES
BEFORE THE CONFERENCE, THE COUNSELOR WILL:
Determine the date and location (every attempt will be made to give teachers a two-day notice).
Determine the people to be involved.
Determine the time limitations (unless otherwise notified, most case conferences will be from 7:50 a.m.).
When appropriate, ask for the student to be available during the conference.
Review any information that could be helpful (cum folder, grades, discipline reports, previous conference notes).
Announce the conference two to three minutes before it begins on the PA system.
BEFORE THE CONFERENCE, THE TEACHERS WILL:
Consult their gradebooks.
Complete the "notification of case conference" form and make a copy to be given to parent at the beginning of the conference.
Mark calendar with date, time and location.
Notify both counselors if double scheduled. On the day of the conferences, first attend the conference of the student you are least concerned about. Next, attend the conference of the student you are most concerned about and stay so you can participate in the recommendations.
Arrange for duty coverage if appropriate.
DURING THE CONFERENCE:
Be on time.
Introduce yourself.
The counselor will state the purpose and time limitations.
Be concise. (Remember, in a 25-minute conference, each of you has only 2-3 minutes to share information with the parents.)
Do not promise the parents to do anything that places an unrealistic burden upon the individual.
Plan to stay to the end of the conference to help develop an agreed upon plan that all parties involved can utilize for improving the student’s performance. This includes parents, teachers, counselors, and the student.
ENDING THE CONFERENCE:
Counselor will call the student in if appropriate.
Counselor will take notes and collect the "notification of case conference" forms.
Counselor will summarize the important points and review the responsibilities of everyone in the plan.
SUGGESTIONS FOR CASE CONFERENCE
Greet the parent in a friendly and professional manner. Help them to feel comfortable.
If you have met the parents before, mention this to them during introductions.
Start and end your remarks on a positive note.
Try to feel comfortable in being open and honest in expressing your concerns.
Nothing is gained in holding back information, but how you present the information must be non-threatening.
Do not present an aura of mystique; none of us has ALL the answers.
It is important that other personalities (previous teachers, other students, and other families) be omitted from the conference. In the event that such discussion arises, all professionals will quickly direct the discussion back to the student and his/her progress.
Listen to the parents. Remember, they have much to contribute. They have known the child longer than any of us.
Avoid jargon. Define initials or terminology that cannot avoid being used.
Become skillful in assessing non-verbal cues.
When it is obvious a parent is upset, respond with . . . a touch, a word of assurance, leaning closer to the parent, etc.
Get rid of crutches. If you must look in your gradebook during the conference, close it a soon as you have found the information. Pay attention to the parent, not the gradebook.
Participate in the conference. Donât just share information about your class; listen to all participants. Please be professional; don't grade papers, bubble grade sheets, etc., during the conference.
If both parents are present, do not ignore one parent.
Do not be defensive. If the parent seems to contradict, perhaps he/she has misunderstood. Rephrase the statement.
"This is a possibility" is a better expression than "this is what I think." "We might try this" is cooperative; "You might try this" has a blaming tone.
It is not possible for a parent to be objective about his/her child. Direct or indirect criticism will rarely build cooperation.
Remember, parents want only what is best for their children. Assure them that this is our desire also.
Close the conference on a constructive, pleasant note. Plans for follow-up statement of reassurance and a feeling of togetherness spell success.
Team Intervention Day--Eisenhower will use instructional time time for a Team Intervention Day at least once a year. This will provide the oppertunity for many parents to meet with teachers in a small-group setting to discuss concerns.
(Updated 7-04)
Back to Table of Contents