1. Parent-Teacher Conference
Both parents and teachers want to get the most out of parent-teacher
conference. Conferences give teacher the opportunity to share
children’s progress and coordinate plans for helping them learn even
more. Use this routine to organize parent-teacher conferences.
1) Plan the Conference
 Make a schedule. Check with your principal about school polities.
Allow a reasonable amount of time for each conference.
 Choose conference topics. Focus on one area of improvement for each
child. Also focus on at least one area of success
 Decide whether children will participate. Sometimes it is helpful to
have children explain their work and set goals for future work.
2) Communicate the Parent
 Send home a note with the date and time of the conference. If
possible, list alternatives or allow parents to suggest times.
 Inform parents that they may bring or request a translator.
 Encourage families to write questions they would like to ask and
note any topics they would like to discuss.
 Suggest that families talk with their children before the
conference. They can discuss what the teacher might say and issues
the child would like discussed
3) Prepare for the Conference
 Prepare each child’s portfolio. Include examples of growth as well as
examples of the issues you plan to discuss.
4) Meet with Parents
 Begin by discussing positive aspects of the child’s experiences in
your class.
 Explain your goals for the child and how each child’s progress is
determined.
 Talk about the child’s work. Explain any aspects of your program that
parents do not understand.
 Discuss parents’ questions and any issues they have. Listen to
parents. It will help you understand what they want for their child.
5) Close the Conference
 Close the conference by setting goals for the child’s future work.
Suggest strategies for meeting those goals. Communicate regularly
about children’s growth.
Research on Parent-Teacher Conference
“Regularly scheduled conferences with sufficient time allotted for each afford
teachers and parents needed opportunities to get to know one another and to plan
strategies for working toward shared goals and outcomes.”
Kathy Barclay and Elizabeth Boone,
The Parent Difference