How Teachers Work with Parents

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How Teachers Work with Parents?
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On the Record

• Top 5 Songs describing Parent Teacher Conferences

1.Na-Na-Na, Hey-Hey, Goodbye 2. Will You Still
Love Me Tomorrow 3. Lets Get It On 4. Do You
Really Want to Hurt Me 5. Stayin Alive
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Objectives

• To provide strategies for teachers to use in
  Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences
• To provide communication tips to teachers and to
  provide ways for teachers to keep communication
  lines open with parents
• To provide strategies to use in difficult
  Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences

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When the Tables are Turned

• List three attitudes that you have recently
  encountered in your dealings with a customer
  service representative, in person or on the
  phone, that made you mad.
• Specifically describe your feelings and physical
  reactions.
• What behaviors and attitudes would have made your
  experience more satisfying and positive?

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Respect
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R-E-S-P-E-C-T

• Who is the expert?
• Parents-
• Understand what motivates them
• Their strengths
• Their weaknesses
• Dreams and worries
• Teachers
• Their learning styles
• Age appropriate skills
• Developmental milestones
• Educational progression
• What does R-E-S-P-E-C-T mean to parents?
• Hope
• Sincerity
• Honesty

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Brainstorming

• Brainstorming Rules
• Quantity of ideas, not quality
• Be creative and out of the box
• Make no critical comments or evaluative remarks
• Accept all suggestions

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Brainstorming Activity

• Develop a list of actions or attitudes of
  teachers that would demonstrate to observers that
  they truly believe that parents are important
  and valued members of the school team.

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R-E-S-P-E-C-T Before the Conference

• 1. Be prepared to ask questions about your
  student. Tapping into the parents understanding
  of their child will give you vital insight.
• 2. Be prepared to answer typical questions. You
  might even send out forms ahead of time to elicit
  parents concerns. (See Pre-Conference Form
  handout)
• 3. Be prepared with the students opinions of how
  school is
• going. (See Student Centered Report card
  Handout)
• 4. Be prepared to use specific comments,
  evidence, and everyday language. (See Comment
  Ideas handout)
• 5. Be prepared to stay on time. Everybodys time
  is valuable.
• 6. Be prepared to be on the same team. Voice your
  concerns AND listen to suggestions. Parents
  should be treated as equals.
• 7. Be prepared to take notes so you dont forget
  the agreed upon strategy!

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WEBSITES

• Preconference
• http//www.teachingheart.net/CDPRECONFERENCEFORM.d
  oc
• Student Centered Report Card
• http//www.teachingheart.net/CDSTUDENTREPORTCARD.d
  oc
• Report Card Comments
• http//www.teachersnetwork.org/ntol/howto/align/re
  portsam/

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R-E-S-P-E-C-T During the Conference

• 1. Relay positive comments about the students
  personality and the unique qualities they have
  that you admire.
• 2. Express one or two areas the student needs to
  work on and provide evidence.
• 3. Share any classroom observations, information
  on learning styles, academic standards,
  grade-level expectations, or other resources you
  have that will point towards a plan.
• 4. Put an action plan together with the parents
  input and their own observations about their
  child.
• 5. Encourage the parent to ask questions and give
  them the time to do so.
• 6. Close the conference with a review of the plan
  and the agreed upon timeline.
• 7. Thank the parent for their involvement in
  their childs education.

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R-E-S-P-E-C-T During the Conference

• Listen to what parent has to say
• Start your conversations with parents by saying
  "You are your childs first teacher.
• Spend a few minutes greeting the parent and
  thanking them.
• Mention about the implementation of the
  comprehensive curriculum. Let parents know that
  the state has required a more rigorous
  curriculum. The curriculum is paced to ensure
  that all material that is covered on the state
  tests will be covered.
• Close with thanking parent for giving up their
  time.
• Ask the best way to contact the parent during
  the year.
• Offer the parent a way to contact you.
• Listen to what the parent has to say!

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R-E-S-P-E-C-T After the Conference

• 1. Follow through on explaining the plan to the
  student.
• 2. Follow through on the plan you put in place.
• 3. Follow through in communicating the progress
  your student is making. Make phone calls and
  notes home routine.
• 4. Follow through on changing the plan as the
  student changes.
• Follow through on expressing thanks and
• R-E-S-P-E-C-T for the parents ideas!

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• COMMUNICATION
• is the
• Key

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Norm Open and Honest Communication with Parents

• What practices or conditions could you use in
  your classroom to strengthen this norm?
• What practices or conditions in your classroom
  would weaken this norm?
• What is your vision of what this norm would look
  like at its best?
• What would you be willing to do to attain this
  norm?

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Communicate-Communicate

• Invite both parents.
• Make contact early.
• Allow enough time
• Be ready for questions
• Get your papers organized in advance.
• Plan ahead
• Greet parents near the entrance they'll use

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Communicate-Communicate

• Get the name right.
• Avoid physical barriers
• Open on a positive note
• Structure the session
• Be specific in your comments
• Offer a suggested course of action.
• Forget the jargon

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Communicate-Communicate

• Turn the other cheek
• Ask for parents' opinions
• Focus on strengths
• Use body language
• Stress Collaboration
• Listen to what parents say
• Ask about the child

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Communicate-Communicate

• Focus on solutions.
• Don't judge.
• Summarize.
• Wind up on a positive note.
• Meet again if you need to
• Keep a record of the conference.

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Reach Out and Touch
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Reach Out and Touch- Ways to Keep Lines of
Communications Open

• Phone Home
• The Written Word
• Newsletters
• Open Letters to Parents
• Personal Notes
• Class Homepage

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Hard Days Night
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A Hard Days NightThe difficult
Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences

• Before the Conference
• Document the difficulties.
• Keep a log of the child's unusual or disruptive
  behavior.
• Keep track of the child's grades and missing
  assignments.
• Keep a record of all communications with parents.
  
• Keep notes and records concerning the child's
  behavior in other classrooms.
• Communicate your concerns early.
• Solicit others' support.
• Test out tactics.

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The difficult Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences

• At the Conference
• Welcome with warmth.
• Put it in writing.
• Weigh your words
• Allow for anger.
• Seek parents' suggestions
• Have responses early.
• Partner with your principal.

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The difficult Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences

• After the Conference
• Keep communicating.
• Don't forget the follow-up.

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Think-Pair Share

• What do you think will be your biggest challenge
  dealing with parents?
• What strategies will you use when dealing with
  parents?

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Each child possesses their very own exclusive
collection of gifts

• http//www.raisingsmallsouls.com/