Parent-Teacher Conferences

1. They help the parent understand their child's strengths and weaknesses in both academic growth and social engagement in the school setting -AND- they help the teacher understand the child's home environment, personality, and family values.
2. They contribute to positive and productive relationships between parents, teachers and students.
3. They allow for encouragement and support of the parents' involvement in the child's education.
4. They create an atmosphere to address concerns and issues.
5. They provide an opportunity for parents and teacher to develop a plan for academic success together.

 

For more reasons why conferences are important, go to www.parentsquare.com

🟣 Academic Achievement: Demonstrates a student's level of proficiency (academic skill) at any point-in-time within a subject area

🟠 Academic Growth: Demonstrates a student's growth within a subject area over a certain period of time.

🟢 ALP: Advanced Learning Plan, individualized plan for a student identified as Gifted or performing above grade level expectations in one or more academic areas.

🔵 Behavior Plan: A student may be placed on a behavior plan if ongoing behaviors of the student are disruptive to their learning or the learning of others.

🔴 DIBELS: Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, a series of short assessments that measure a student's literacy skills.

🟣 ELL: English Language Learner, refers to a student whose first language is something other than English

🟡 IEP: Individualized Education Program, a child may have an IEP if it is determined that a specialized plan is needed for the student’s education.

🔴 Gifted: Indicates a student that is performing significantly above grade level expectations in one or more academic areas.

🟠 MTSS: Multi-Tiered System of Supports, a framework that helps schools and districts support students' academic, behavioral, and social-emotional learning

🔵 Read Plan: an individualized intervention plan for students in Colorado who have a significant reading deficiency

⚫ SPED: Special Education, covers a wide range of learning abilities and could include students who perform exceptionally high or have learning deficits

🟢 SEL: Social Emotional Learning, refers to how students manage their emotions and how they interact socially with their peers and others

🟡 Star 360: a computer-based assessment that measures a student's academic progress in reading, math, and early literacy

🟣 504 Plan: A way for schools to provide support for students with a disability so that they can learn in a regular classroom

ABILITIES AND SKILLS 

• What are my student’s strengths and areas of growth in your class? 

• What skills will my student be expected to master in your course? 

• What have you seen in my student’s performance compared to grade level standards?

• What upper level opportunities are available for my student if they perform well in this course?

GRADES AND TESTS 

• How are grades determined in this course? 

• How is my student progressing academically? 

BEHAVIOR AND ENGAGEMENT 

• What is my student like in class? 

• How does my student interact with others? 

• How does my student engage in work?  When do you notice they thrive?  When do they struggle and need more support?

SUPPORT AT HOME 

• How much time should my student be spending on their homework? 

• What can I do to support my student’s learning at home? 

• How can I help my student to work independently and make the best use of time?

• What is the best way to keep in touch with you?

• What skills are being developed in your class that will help my student prepare for the next class ahead?

Based off of tip sheets found at https://advocatesforchildren.org/

BEFORE THE CONFERENCE  

• Talk with your student about how things are going in school and in this course.  Ask them if they have any questions to ask the teacher so you may ask together.  

DURING THE CONFERENCE  

• Ask the most important questions first as time will be brief in each conference.  Teachers are also happy to provide clarification or explanation if you need it.

AFTER THE CONFERENCE  

• Speak with your student about how conferences went.  What did you both learn? What did you find interesting or insightful?  

• Help your student map out an action plan to sustain strong performance and improve performance as needed.  

• Follow up with a note, email or phone call to thank the teacher and clarify anything that was discussed at the conference that you did not fully understand.  Keep in touch with the teacher and do not hesitate to schedule follow-up meetings.  

• Keep contact information current. Let the school know if your phone number, home address or email address changes. 

From the Michigan Department of Education