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Apr 09
How to Make the Best Out of Parent-Teacher Conferences


Just the phrase “parent-teacher conference” can make moms and dads anxious. Yet, the experience can be a positive one for both you and your student. Typically, parent teacher conferences happen either right before or right after report cards. With grades in the picture, the stakes are raised.

That means it’s worthwhile to make the most of the short time you have to meet with you child’s teacher, and it’s also reasonable to expect that the teacher is prepared to discuss your child in a meaningful way.

Here, we take a look at what goes on behind the scenes with teachers leading up to a conference, as well as tips on how to best prepare yourself so you can get the most out of your meeting.

Teacher’s Preparation

For teachers, parent-teacher conferences are akin to business meetings. Like any professional, teachers prepare and have goals for the meeting in mind.

The vast array of education-related technology has made preparing for parent-teacher meetings much easier from a teacher’s standpoint. Teachers can mine data to find challenges and trends in classroom performance to present to parents.

Preparation for Lori Bridda-Wakie involves getting parents to show up. Bridda-Wakie is a high school history teacher with 13 years of experience split between two Brooklyn high schools. Bridda-Wakie notes that her classes are generally made up of students who are academically challenged. The class culminates in the Regents, a New York state exam which students are required to pass to earn a high school diploma.

“I call parents who I especially want to come in via the computer scheduler,” she says. Bridda-Wakie also makes sure to have her grades and attendance handy in order to answer any questions parents may have or emphasize points she wants to make.​

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