Parent- Teacher Conferences Cohort III http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=sr5kWOdkHYA
Transcript
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Parent- Teacher Conferences Cohort III
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s r5kWOdkHYA
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Research has shown that parental involvement is the most
important factor in a student's success in school. For many
parents, however, that involvement is limited to attendance at
parent-teacher conferences. Learn how to make the most of the
opportunity!
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What Parents Want to Know Detailed information about their
children's progress, in a language they can understand. Advice on
dealing with homework and avoiding confrontations over it.
Information about what they can do at home to reinforce what
teachers are doing at school. Ideas for additional learning
activities. Learning materials they can use with their children.
Advice on handling discipline problems. Information about
after-school programs
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WHAT ADMINISTRATORS CAN DO Make parents aware of conference
dates and goals. Announce dates and times repeatedly -- at PTA
meetings, open houses, technology nights, sports events, and school
assemblies. Publish the schedule in school newsletters and post it
on the school Web site. Create a hallway or office bulletin board
devoted to conferences. Provide conference information in as many
languages as necessary to reach all parents. Wherever possible,
include information on conference goals and the reasons parental
attendance is important
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Make it as easy as possible for every parent to attend the
conferences. Develop a flexible schedule that includes early
morning, late afternoon, and evening conference times. Consider
scheduling 20 to 30 minute sessions, rather than the typical
15-minute time slots, or set aside additional time so teachers can
schedule longer conferences as needed. Arrange for school
counselors, office staff, or parent volunteers to telephone
parents, remind them of appointments, and encourage them to attend.
Talk to the PTA about providing childcare, transportation, and
refreshments. Make sure translators will be available, if needed.
Let parents know what services will be provided.
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What Teachers Can Do
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Schedule conferences and notify parents. Send home personal
letters to notify parents of conference dates. Outline an agenda
that will interest them and emphasize the importance of the
conference to their children's education. Schedule conferences for
students who have siblings in the same school first and coordinate
conference times with the siblings' teachers. Do everything
possible to avoid scheduling siblings' conferences on different
days or at widely disparate times. Base the length of the
conferences on the needs of the students. If necessary, schedule
two consecutive periods with parents you suspect might require more
time.
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Schedule conferences and notify parents.. Send home personal
invitations to the conferences and ask parents to RSVP by a
specific date. Telephone parents who do not respond and encourage
them to attend. Send home reminders one week before the
conferences. Contact parents who do not show up and try to
reschedule.
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Make it possible for all parents to get the maximum benefit
from the conferences. Let parents know what special services will
be available, and ask them to notify you if they'll require
services such as childcare, transportation, a translator, or a
specific conference time. Provide parents with information about
your curriculum and classroom procedures before the conference
date. Include a syllabus or an outline of general areas of study, a
list of broad academic goals for the year, and a copy of your
classroom rules and procedures. Invite them to ask questions about
those materials at the conference. Provide parents with suggestions
on how to help make the conference productive and ask them to
complete a conference planning sheet and bring it to the
conference
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Parent Conference Sheet 1 A conference with your child's
teacher is scheduled for ___________ at __________ in room _____.
This planning sheet will help you identify topics you may want to
discuss during the conference. Please complete any sections that
are appropriate and bring it to the conference with you. What are
your goals for your child this year? What specific concerns do you
have about your child's academic progress or behavior? What general
questions do you have about classroom curriculum, standards,
evaluation techniques, or procedures? What questions or concerns
does your child have about school? (Complete this section with your
child.) Does your child have any health problems that might affect
his or her behavior or academic progress? Is your child dealing
with any personal or family issues that might affect his or her
behavior or academic progress? What do you want the teacher to know
about your child?
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Parent Conference Sheet 2 DIRECTIONS: The questions below
highlight some of the most common areas of parental concern. Make a
note of the questions you want to ask and then write any additional
questions you have on the back of the page. 1. How is my child
doing in your class? What are my child's grades in each subject
area? 2. Is my child in any special classes, groups, or programs?
Why? 3. How does my child's work compare to the work of other
students? 4. Is my child working up to his or her ability? 5. What
goals have you set for my child this year? Do you anticipate that
my child will meet those goals? Why or why not? 6. What programs
are available if my child needs extra help? 7. Has my child missed
any classes or failed to complete any assignments? 8. Does my child
participate in class discussions and activities? 9. How well does
my child get along with others? Have any incidents at school
involved my child? 10. What concerns do you have about my child's
behavior or academic progress? 11. What can I do to help? 12. How
can I get in touch with you?
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Plan ahead for a pleasant and productive conference. Create a
comfortable and private physical environment. Include adult-sized
seating, paper and pens so parents can take notes, and an area
large enough to spread the student's work out so parents can
examine it. Prepare a folder with samples of the student's work and
a list of the student's current grades. If you plan to ask parents
to work with their child on a particular skill or subject area,
have appropriate materials available for them to take home. Know
exactly what you will say and what questions you will ask. Be
prepared to cite specific examples when expressing concern about
the student's work or behavior. Try to anticipate parental reaction
and be prepared to respond calmly and appropriately. Fill out your
part of the conference record.conference record
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Conference Record Student Effort and Academic Progress
(Complete before the conference.) Student Behavior and Social
Skills (Complete before the conference.) Parent Questions and
Concerns (Complete during the conference.) Student Goals and Plans
for Implementation (Complete with the parents.)
____________________________ ____________________________ Parent
Signature Teacher Signature Date
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THE CONFERENCE
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You At The Conference Dress professionally. Start every
conference on time. Make it clear to parents that you like their
child. Remain calm and positive. Listen carefully and reflectively.
Emphasize a spirit of collaboration and cooperation.
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Welcoming Parents Welcome parents at the door and thank them
for coming. Establish rapport by sharing an anecdote about the
student or by inquiring about an activity the student takes part in
outside school. Mention the student's strengths first. Briefly
discuss the student's progress in each subject area and show
examples of the student's work.
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Briefly discuss the student's behavior, work habits, and social
skills. Devote half the conference to the parents' concerns. Invite
parents to share their thoughts and suggestions about the student
and encourage them to ask additional questions about their child's
progress. Set two or three immediate goals for the student and work
with the parents to create a plan for meeting those goals. Provide
any materials parents might need to implement the plan. Arrange for
a follow-up phone call or meeting and let parents know how they can
reach you if problems arise.
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Complete the conference report and ask parents to sign it. As
soon as possible, make a copy of the report and mail it to the
parents. Review the highlights of the conference and end on a
positive note. Walk the parents to the door and thank them for
coming. Take a few minutes to make personal notes about the
conference. If you agreed to follow up on a particular issue, note
it on your calendar.
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Communicating with Parents Use ordinary language. Professional
jargon intimidates urban parents and keeps them from asking
questions. Let parents know that teachers understand their
situation. If parents are comfortable, they'll take in more
information. Hold conferences in the evening in conjunction with a
school or social event so parents can meet other parents, share
information and ideas, and find support. Establish and maintain
communication
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Further Points to Remember. What is the traditional family?
Just because parents can't spend much time at school, it doesn't
mean they aren't interested in their children's education."