Episode 102: Revolutionizing the Parent-Teacher Conference Experience

educators and administrators , as well as experiencing the microaggressions that I faced as an African-American mom raising my two kids , who were in the public school system . I really wanted to understand how teachers were trained and what the research provided about the challenges of the public education system .

Once I gained the information and the insights that I needed , I was then equipped to be able to successfully support my children in their educational progress . Support my children in their education progress . This podcast is at the intersection between education , research and parental actions .

If you're looking to find out more about the current trends , issues and themes in education that could affect you or your children , and you want to know the specific actions you can take to support and advocate for your children , then you're in the right place . Thanks for tuning in today .

I know that staying informed about K-12 education topics is important to you , so keep listening . On this episode , I'll be discussing how to get the most benefit from a parent-teacher conference . What's a ritualized event that is one of the most common forms of direct communication between parents , teachers and schools . The answer is a parent-teacher conference .

A parent-teacher conference is actually a two-way street there's information shared by the teacher and insights shared by the parent . It allows teachers and parents to address particular issues related to a child , most notably their academic progress and behavior . It can also be a source of stress for both parents and teachers .

I discuss why this seems to be the case , as well as other notable characterizations of these encounters , and I provide action steps that you can take to ace your next parent-teacher conference . Let's untangle this . You participate in your child's schooling in many ways , as audience , volunteer , advocate , etc .

Yet the most significant occasion for interacting with and communicating with the school and the teacher is the formal parent-teacher conference , which centers on your child's academic and social well-being .

Depending on the teacher's availability , ad hoc parent-teacher conferences can be held in any grade , particularly if there are specific issues that the parent wants to address . Most schools hold a once-a-year conference , but many schools host a parent-teacher conference twice a year .

Participation by parents in parent-teacher conferences is relatively high during the child's primary school years that would be grades K through 5 , and the benefits have been well documented . In many cases , especially with new teachers , problems in communicating effectively are often encountered with parents in parent-teacher conferences .

Both teachers and parents should occupy equitable positions of power in the communication process of a parent-teacher conference . This means that in a parent-teacher conference , teachers not only fill the role of educational experts , but they also function as learners about the family's history and experience .

Likewise , parents draw on their own multiple experiences of their child as a family member , while they also learn more about the school's programs and processes . There are a number of barriers , so to speak , in the parent-teacher conference communication , especially since the typical conference lasts about 15 minutes .

These include how some parents experience anxiety during interactions with teachers due to their own personal experiences in school . During interactions with teachers , due to their own personal experiences in school , parents and teachers may hold conflicting expectations of the conference outcomes .

Parents of color , parents whose language or social background is different than that of the teacher , may experience cultural barriers during communication . The teacher , as the educational expert , may appear to assume a more powerful position in the relationship to the parent , especially if the parent lacks professional knowledge of the school .

And the last barrier is logistical constraints in school , such as poor timing of the conferences . Inadequate venues for the conferences , poor seating arrangements for parents and teachers , as well as external noise in the school environment All of these can affect outcomes in a negative way .

Scheduling of the conferences is particularly important for fathers , non-custodial parents those would be parents who are divorced and one doesn't have permanent custody of the child and non-traditional caregivers , such as grandparents , who may have issues attending parent-teacher conferences .

Teachers need to be sensitive to parents' understanding , or lack thereof , of educational jargon , the school curriculum and report card grading when they have discussions with parents in parent-teacher conferences . Several strategies have been proposed for improving parent-teacher conferences .

These include implementation of prior planning for conferences and parent-teacher contracts in which the teacher and parents agree on the written goals for the child , the availability of student files which document student grades , and setting up follow-up meetings after the conference to assess progress .

Another strategy is including the student in the parent-teacher conference , which can ensure that the child also engages in his or her own plan for improvement . The parent-teacher conference is most beneficial if it includes meetings to discuss positive points and not just the bad news about a child .

They should be occasions for the affirmation of good performance by the student . Here's some food for thought as a feedback mechanism ? Why don't schools conduct a survey of parents' satisfaction with parent-teacher conferences ? Also , why don't schools provide a written record or conference report for the parent after a parent-teacher conference ?

This report could include teacher concerns , parent concerns , decisions , goals , action items and plans and follow-up with a specific time frame . The parent-teacher conference is an optimal opportunity for schools to work with parents as partners .

Instead , parental capital , such as cultural knowledge , experience and raising a particular child , is not easily recognized by most teachers . Are parent-teacher conferences still relevant in this technological era ? Should their structure be changed , as well as how they are conducted ?

These were questions that were addressed in a 2017 study which examined whether there is an association between computer-assisted communication and parent involvement . There are three different types of parent-teacher encounters . One type is a general parent-teacher meeting , where the teacher meets with all class parents .

The second type is an individual parent-teacher meeting , where the teacher meets with each student's parent alone or in the presence of the student . The third type is an unofficial encounter during the school year , like when the parent and the teacher informally have a conversation during a school function .

This type of encounter can be conducted by telephone , text or other means . The overall purpose of these encounters is to provide knowledge and guidance that's the cognitive aspect to establish and maintain a constant dialogue the emotional aspect and to create parental involvement in the schools and a specific classroom . That's the ethical aspect .

The goal is for parents and teachers to work together to develop a uniform front on behalf of the child . Given the rapid technological development , computer-assisted communication in the school is a topic worth exploring . Computer-assisted communication can either replace face-to-face meetings or add another level to face-to-face meetings .

Computer-mediated communication , such as video conferencing , telephone conferencing , online correspondence and email can be ways of increasing the school-to-home communication to provide parents , teachers and students with a way of remaining connected and updated , as well as encouraging regular communication .

These are certainly more convenient ways to contact a teacher and may eliminate the need for attending parent-teacher conferences , which can disrupt a parent's workday .

The types of applications that help to maintain constant school-parent communication includes an online calendar to keep parents informed about all the events taking place at the school , posting grades online and emails .

The use of these technological channels of communication in schools depends on the type of leadership at the school , the degree to which the leader takes responsibility for enhancing and developing communication systems that keep parents involved and engaged , a key issue with using computer-assisted media to communicate with the teacher and the school is that some families can't

afford these media and this creates inequality , creates inequality . It's important to consider the socioeconomics of the school community when considering using technology in daily school communications .

The parent-teacher conference structure could be changed to not only focus on current academic progress and or behavioral concerns , to one that focuses on creating future plans to help the child progress towards setting goals , as well as courses of action

that parents could embrace . This would help make the most of the parent-teacher conference in order to help the student advance and could involve resources that could help contribute to achieving those goals to achieving those goals .

In a lot of the research , findings indicated that when parents tried to communicate and contribute information regarding their child in parent-teacher conferences , there was a perception that the information was not treated credibly by teachers . In other words , the parents' role as experts regarding their own child was often downplayed .

This is unfortunate , but it plays into the idea that teachers come to parent-teacher conferences as the quote-unquote expert , the transmitter of information , as well as the one who sets the agenda for the meeting . This may be true regarding education processes and policies , as well as teaching methodologies , but it doesn't apply to knowing the whole child .

Parent-teacher conferences can be a great opportunity for feedback . At the same time , they can cause a certain anxiety . Some parents experience feeling surprised and disheartened when the teacher describes their child's behavior at school . They even feel that the child's performance in school reflects negatively on their ability as a parent .

This leaves many parents feeling confused about what they should do next , because the parent may feel that their self-worth has become entangled with their child's behavior . It's as if their sense of success as a parent is threatened .

The overall goal is for the teacher and the parent to be honest in their assessment about a child and that each values each other's opinions . This requires that the parent to disentangle his or her self-worth from the behavior of the child , for the child's sake and for the parent's sake .

The parent and the educator are two important pieces of the puzzle , because teachers are never going to know your child better than you know that child , and you could offer insights about your child that the teacher would never see at school . These insights could provide crucial information that the teacher could use to help motivate your child to learn .

On the other hand , the teacher could offer his or her perspective based on the observations of your child , who spends five days a week in that teacher's classroom . When both parties collaborate , it's for the betterment of the child .

When teachers and parents have communication issues and aren't able to work as a team , this is detrimental to a child because if the teacher feels unsafe having important conversations with parents about their children , they will avoid telling parents the truth .

In this case , the child may not be receiving the services or interventions they need to navigate their future successfully . As appropriate , parents need to have conversations with their children about the feedback they receive from their teachers .

This lets the child know of the high expectations that you , as a parent , and the teacher who , together with the parents , are holding the child accountable . Building relationships is the key to success of the parent-teacher relationship . With these things in mind , how does what I've just discussed apply to you ?

Here are the action steps you can take regarding this topic . Come prepared to a parent-teacher conference by having your observations and questions ready . You are the best advocate for your child . You need to formulate and ask your own questions regarding your child's education .

It would be a great best practice for teachers to send materials to parents ahead of an upcoming parent-teacher conference . These materials would include a handout inviting parents to generate and prioritize their own questions in advance .

However , if no pre-conference materials have been sent to you , then formulate and ask your own questions , especially questions about how you can best support your child's learning . One of the key things that you're looking for is whether the teacher actually knows and appreciates your child .

Be sure to ask teachers for data to support their observations , not their opinions . These data include work samples , behavioral assessments , etc . You may also need to ask your child's teacher to describe what may trigger your child's inappropriate classroom conduct .

If this is a concern , this could be things such as anticipation of recess or an interaction with a certain classmate . At parent-teacher conferences , teachers need to be able to identify strengths of every child , whether that strength is academic or not . Teachers also need to make the conference setting inviting .

This means not making you sit at those little desks while the teacher gets to sit behind a big adult desk . Ideally , communication flows better when adults are sitting at 45 degrees or 90 degrees from each other at a full-sized table . Respect and honor the teacher's classroom practices and expectations .

The relationship between you and your child's teacher is mutually beneficial when the teacher is explicit about expectations and practices and you follow those . For example , a teacher's syllabus could specify that they only answer emails from 7.30 am to 4.30 pm . This sets the expectation that they won't be answering emails outside of that time frame .

You should honor that . Additionally , be sure to communicate with your child's teacher your preferences for how you like to be communicated with , as well as any information that you can share to help the teacher best support your child that you can share to help the teacher best support your child .

Many school principals and teachers suggest having your child attend the parent-teacher conference , especially for conferences held in middle school and high school . This keeps all parties accountable .

The student could explain what he or she likes about school and talk about things in general , and then the student could get more specific by going through the work that they've completed for that class . In this scenario , the student gets to participate , the parents get to understand the course work a little better and the teacher provides any additional input .

Creating a positive outcome in parent-teacher conferences begins long before the conference is initiated . It starts with the intention of the entire school staff to reach out , engage and connect with parents and help them feel welcomed as an essential part of the school community . Here are this episode's takeaways .

Participation by parents in parent-teacher conferences is relatively high during the child's primary school years and the benefits have been well documented . In many cases , especially with new teachers , problems in communicating effectively are often encountered with parents in parent-teacher conferences .

Both teachers and parents should occupy equitable positions of power in the communication process of a parent-teacher conference . Several strategies have been proposed for improving parent-teacher conferences . These include implementation of prior planning for conferences and parent-teacher contracts in which the teacher and the parents agree on the written goals for the child .

The availability of student files , which documents student grades , and setting up follow-up meetings after the conference to assess progress . And the inclusion of the student in the parent-teacher conference , which may ensure that the child also engages in his or her own plan for improvement .

The overall goal is for the teacher and the parent to be honest in their assessment about the child and that each values each other's opinions . This requires a parent to disentangle his or her self-worth from the behavior of the child , for the child's sake and for the parent's sake .

The parent and the educator are two important pieces of the puzzle , because teachers are never going to know your child better than you know that child , and you could offer insights about your child that the teacher would never see in school . These insights could provide crucial information that the teacher could use to help motivate your child to learn .

On the other hand , the teacher could offer his or her perspective based on the observations of your child , who actually spends five days a week in that teacher's classroom . When both parties collaborate , it's for the betterment of the child . Did you enjoy this episode ? If so , then leave me a rating , a review or a comment on Apple or Podchaser .

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Thanks for listening today . I hope you'll come back For more K-12 educational discussions about my podcast . Thanks for listening today . I hope you'll come back for more K-12 educational discussions with even more exciting topics to untangle . Until next time , aim to learn something new every day . Bye .