Conference Time


As parents prepare for their 15 minutes of time with the teacher, I'm sure a wide range of opinions are discussed in the house, from 'why do we need to meet anyway?' to 'do you think 15 mintues is enough time?' to 'who's the teacher again?' - from where I sit as a teacher to what I feel as a parent, the full range is experienced. As a teacher, I look forward to meeting with the parents and sharing all the work and progress that we've had in class. Sharing their child's success is enjoyable and getting the 'otherside' of the child from the parent's perspective is always helpful. I'm scheduled to be in my class for 'X'-amount of hours to meet with parents. I plan for it. I'm there. I'm more than willing to talk. As a parent, I'm competely the opposite. You mean I have to leave my comfortable chair at home, where I have everything I need (remote control, foot rest, small throw pillow, and snacks), leave the house, and go to the school to talk about my child; who is now at home sitting in my chair, drinking my soda, eating my snack, and losing my remote control to some cushion to be determined at a later date! And, don't forget I have three kids which means I have more time devoted to listening to the teacher(s) talk. Of course, let's also not forget the standing in the hallway because a conference just ran over. For me, as a parent, the words 'let's go to a conference' and 'let's go shopping' have the same familiar ring to them. My wife, on the other hand, likes to do both - it's fun for her. I feel I have a handle on the growth of my kids, and what could a conference tell me that I don't already know?

Are you getting enough information? As a parent, do you feel that the communication between school and home is adequate? Do you feel that you have a handle on your child's development? Is there something missing that you wish you knew about your child's education? Do you have daily, weekly, monthly feedback? If the answer to these questions are yes, then what is it that you are looking for out of a conference?

As a parent, I want to get that one intangible - I want to hear the teacher's take on my child's social life in a large group setting - the class. Do they interact? Are they kind, respectful, polite, funny,....is it what I see at home or are they completely different at school. But then,.... what if I don't necessarily like what I'm hearing the teacher say? I might get a little defensive deep down and think 'Who is this teacher to judge my kid.' It's a fine line of what I want to hear and being careful of what I want to hear because I might get something I wasn't looking for.

Conference time summed up. It's about interaction. It's about face to face time with teacher and parent. It's about the delicious treats set out in the hallway. It's about getting in conversation every aspect of educational and social development within the right amount of time alloted. And in good teacher fashion..... I look forward to seeing you soon! In good parent fashion (and if your like me), I'll try my best to be brief, to the point, and get you back in your chair at home. In good parent fashion, if your like my wife, we'll have some fun and laughs along the way.