Reflections of a Fifth Grade Teacher - Post 3
Parent-Teacher Conferences
With November fast approaching, can parent-teacher conferences be far behind? In Ashford, report cards for the first marking period go home on Friday, November 6, and our conferences are held on the following Thursday and Friday afternoon and evening. You can be sure that both parents and teachers are a little bit nervous. The what-ifs can be a very powerful force in the mind.
As a teacher, I find that parents who are prepared with questions make the process much smoother. But over the years I have discovered that most parents want to know that their child fits in socially and works to his or her potential (or close to it). Primarily, parents need to hear some positives. Every child has them. Of course, we all understand that our children can make bad choices, but that shouldn’t be the lead story.
For me the conference is an ongoing conversation, a conversation that started on the first day of school when I sent my letter home introducing myself. It continues with phone calls, emails, and notes home as needed. I’ve already met my parents more than once by this time. Some have come on field trips and some have volunteered their time in the classroom. So the conference is a much more comfortable conversation. We know each other. And we should.
If parents can be actively involved in their child’s education, come prepared to ask questions and to listen, and teachers have made communications a two-way street all year long, the parent-teacher conference is just one of many conversations about the best interest of the student.
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