Parent Teacher Conferences

If you’re a first time (or tenth time!) teacher, you might be nervous about Parent-teacher conferences. But the truth is, if you frame it as what it actually is, it can help calm your nerves. They’re partnerships. The goal isn’t to impress parents with perfect speeches, but to connect together and see how to best help the student. Here’s how to make that happen before, during, and after.

Before

Preparation makes all the difference, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. If you have time, great. The more prepared you are, the smoother it goes. But even with minimal prep, there are ways to make it work.

If time allows, ask students what they want to show their parents. They can leave that work on their desk right before conferences. That way, when the parents walk in, you can just go to the child’s desk and their work is already there, with no extra prep for you.

You can also have students write a short letter to their parents. Give them simple prompts like:

• Something new I learned this year
• Something I’m working hard on
• Something I want to grow in
  These letters make a nice touch and give parents something meaningful to read while they wait.

If you don’t have time for that, keep it even simpler. Write one or two words per student on a paper to jog your memory during the meeting. For example, “palm tree project” might remind you of a story you wanted to share. Parent-teacher conferences move quickly. You might feel like you barely have time to breathe between one parent leaving and the next one walking in. Those quick notes help you switch gears without forgetting what you wanted to mention.

And always start with warmth. When parents walk in, smile. Greet them with, “So nice to meet you,” even if their child has been your most challenging student. That moment sets the tone. It reminds everyone that we’re on the same team.

During

Start by listening. Ask parents what they’ve been hearing from their child. “How does your child feel about coming to school?” “What’s been their favorite subject lately?” “What have they been saying about homework?” You’ll learn a lot from their answers, and it shows that you’re genuinely in this together.

Be positive, specific, and honest. Avoid vague comments like “She’s doing great.” Instead, say something real. “I’ve noticed she’s started helping others during group work. She’s becoming more confident.”

If there’s something challenging to share, keep it factual and neutral. Don’t use labels or opinions. Instead of saying, “He’s unmotivated,” say, “Lately he’s been leaving work unfinished, and when I asked him about it, he said he gets distracted when he sits near his friends.” Pretend you are a video camera and stick to what you see. Always bring it back to, “What can we do to help her succeed?” or “You know your child best; what do you recommend to help him?” It keeps the focus on solutions, not blame.

Give parents a chance to speak for at least a third of the time. You’ll learn so much and it helps build that sense of teamwork.

After

Just like it’s important to wrap up a lesson with closure, it’s just as important to wrap up parent-teacher conferences with closure. You can even use the same line with each parent: “If there’s anything I can do to help your child succeed, please let me know.”

Before they leave, double check that they know how to reach you. If you have a class WhatsApp group and they haven’t been responding, ask if they’re in it or if they read messages there. Some parents prefer text, some prefer email, some never check either. Find out what works best for them and let them know what works best for you. “I’ll always post updates on the class chat, and you can always reach out to me that way.”

It’s best to write down notes (even 2-3 words!) after the conference so you can remember how it went and what was discussed. If you told parents that you’d follow up, write it down. Don’t rely on your memory on this busy. I liked to print an attendance sheet with a space for notes. I would highlight it red (no show), yellow (needs follow up) or green (no follow up necessary.)

A short follow-up message goes a long way. A quick text that says “It was so nice meeting you last night. I’m excited to keep working together.” It takes 10 seconds but makes a big impact.

Good luck with your parent teacher conferences!