Prepping for a Student-Teacher Conference
· One thing that might come to mind immediately after hearing the phrase “can you come in for a student-teacher conference” is what did my child do? which believe me is a normal response although conferences may seem negative there are tons of reasons for a teacher to call a conference. Good or not so good you should always be prepped for this situation.
· Always ask questions – When you are approached about this subject don’t hesitate to ask the who, what, and why (who am I having this conference with? What is this in regards to? And why we are this point that a meeting is needed?) you should be as informed as possible so you are prepared for the conference
· Take notes – Sometimes these meetings happen super quicky when taking notes, you are able to write down the key parts that stood out to you while also jotting down the things you might need more details on. It also gives you a record of these interactions which is always good to have on hand.
· Go in with a positive mind frame – No matter what the reason is go in with a positive outlook you always want to reduce your child stress rather than add on to it. You want to come in willing to listen to the teacher while also allowing your child to address some of the conversation. At the end of the day conferences are not to point out flaws they are a tool used to allow everyone to be on the same page and work together to help the child succeed.
· Allow your child to guide- I know as parents we want to guide our children into the best path however when it comes to this situation it may be better to allow your child to lead you. They are the ones present in the class so they should have a clear understanding in what they might see as their strengths and weaknesses. If were there pointing out what we think is their best qualities their thoughts might not be heard which is something we want to avoid.
· Avoid negative words- When giving a response avoid any negative words when speaking. You don’t want to seem upset since that can cause your child to feel like they did something wrong. If possible, you should take a second and think if your response sounds negative if it does not then proceed if it does than reconsider to something a little more sincere.