Week 9: From the Counselor’s Desk: Winning the Parent Conference Race
From PIC (Practical Ideas for Counselors)
It’s Parent-teacher conference time! Conferences can be a curse or a valuable
opportunity to establish collaborative working relationships between home and
school. The difference is often in the planning and the approach. The information
below can help make each of your parent-teacher conferences a positive experience
for you, your students, and their families.
Winning the Parent Conference Race
Get Ready… Get Set


Review all available data so that you are ready to
indicate whether the student is working up to grade
level and what his/her strengths and weaknesses are.

Make a folder of the students’ work to give to the
parents. Each folder should include samples of work
done in every subject and, on the cover, a brief
comment from you about the students’ overall
progress.
You may want to have each student complete a pre-conference checklist of
skills and attitudes, hold a teacher-student conference to discuss the
student’s thoughts, and focus on this checklist during the parent conference.
Go!

Greet the parents as if they were guests in your home. Thank them for
coming and show them several classroom displays. Plunging right into the
conference can give a parent the impression that he/she is just another name
on the list.

Begin and end the conference with a positive comment about the child.

Listen to criticism. Ask for suggestions. And, above all, avoid arguments.

Put yourself in the parent’s place. How would you react to your remarks?

Do your best to evaluate the student’s progress without being critical. For
example, instead of saying, “Claudia refuses to do her homework
assignments,” say something like “Claudia seems to have difficulty
carrying out her assignments outside of the class.”

If offering suggestions to parents, have more than one idea to offer. Parents
who have an opportunity to choose which suggestion to use are more likely to
accept your advice.

Find out how the parent feels about the child and about the child’s progress at
school.

Observe parents’ body language, expressions, gestures, and changes in tone.
This will give you clues to their reactions about what you are saying.

Be aware of your own facial expressions. Remember – Parents are watching
you as closely as you are watching them. AVOID expressions of surprise or
disapproval.

If a parent begins to discuss a former teacher, handle the situation in a
professional, positive, and ethical manner.

Immediately after each conference and before the next one, jot down notes to
refer to throughout the year.
Winners…

Realize that first impressions are important. Parents will believe you are the
way you act. If you behave in a competent and receptive fashion, parents will
see you as a competent and receptive person. Think and talk positively.

Are able to listen to others in an understanding way. After all, these are their
children and although they may see their faults, they love them and want
the best for them.

Give sincere compliments.

Say only things that agree with what has been written on the students’
daily papers, progress reports, and report cards