What should I talk about at a parent-teacher conference?
Start with what is going well, then one or two things the child is working on, with work to show for both. Agree on one small goal and say what you will do at school and what would help at home. Leave time for the family's questions, and say when you will next be in touch.
Asked by teachers, answered by Peabody's editors. Checked .
Conferences are short, and a plan keeps you from running out of time before the part that matters most: what happens next. Writing a line or two under each heading beforehand also helps when you have many conferences back to back.
- Strengths: two or three specific things, with an example of each.
- What we're working on: one or two skills, said plainly, with where they stand now.
- Work to show: the pieces you will put on the table.
- One goal for the next six weeks: small enough to see progress on by the next check-in.
- How we'll help at school, and how you can help at home: one or two things that take ten minutes or less.
- Their questions and ideas, and when you will next check in.
The conference form
Peabody's conference form prints those sections as a notes sheet, with writing lines under each and lines for a student's name, the family and the date. Turn off any section you don't need. You can type notes before printing; they stay in that browser tab only and are gone when you close it.
Tools that help
- Parent-teacher conference form: A notes sheet with these sections, chosen by you; notes never leave the tab.
- Exit ticket maker: Tickets from across the term make good work to show.