Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for September 18th from 3:30pm until 6:30pm. A growing body of evidence suggests that family engagement matters for student success. Research shows that family engagement improves school readiness, student achievement, and social skills. Furthermore, an increasing number of innovative approaches to education leverage and connect the many settings and times in which children learn and grow to create seamless complementary learning systems that place families as core partners in the learning process.
Tips for Approaching Parent–Teacher
Conferences:
• A two-way conversation. The parent–
teacher conference is an opportunity for
parents to learn about their children’s
progress in school and for teachers to gain
insights into their students’ home and
community lives. Parent perspectives on
student strengths and needs, learning
styles, and nonschool learning
opportunities can help teachers shape
their instructional methods.
• Emphasis on learning. Research shows
that family involvement is most effective
when it is “linked to learning.” An
important goal of the first parent–teacher
conference is to develop new strategies to
support student learning at school and at
home. Teachers should be prepared to
discuss the academic progress of their
students by using examples of student
work and assessments during
conferences.
• Opportunities and challenges. The tone
of parent–teacher conferences should be
balanced so that all involved understand
what the student is doing well and what
he or she can improve upon. Achieving
this balance sends the message that your
school values student strengths and has
high expectations for all.
Information from:
Harvard Family Research Project 2010
http://www.hfrp.org/var/hfrp/storage/fckeditor/File/Parent-Teacher-ConferenceTipSheet-100610.pdf