We had parent teacher conferences this week. The students used to get out at noon for conferences. Those were the days! Unfortunately, our state is no longer allowed to have half days so parent conferences were taken away. This year, we were given an additional plan time each week from our school corporation that helps us to accumulate minutes for parent conferences. It has been a very long week because we had to squeeze in conferences before school, during lunch, during plan time, and after school, since the students were in for a full day. Anyways, as worn out as I am, I love parent teacher conferences. I love meeting the parents and discussing their children with them. {I also love it as a parent.}
This evening after reflecting on my conferences, I wanted to make these posters to hang behind my desk as reminders to myself.
{Just click on the pictures to download.}
They are just simple reminders that SO many of my students have been through more in their short lives than I ever will in my entire life. They have so much baggage at the young age of six. It breaks my heart! I know I can’t “fix” their homelives, but I sure can do my best to make their school lives the best they can be!
Then, of course, here is a fun one that you almost always realize after meeting the parents.
So clearly I've just been reading your blog in google reader and not actually "been" to your blog. LOVE you makeover!!! So cute! And….crack me up! The last one is SO true. Geez la pete!
Sarah
Kindergarten Korner
We all need these reminders from time to time. I was just thinking about smile one today as I was at school. 🙂 Thanks for the posters!
Lisa
Learning Is Something to Treasure
I love these!
Michelle @ <a href="http://smittenwithfirst,blogspot.com>Smitten With First</a>
Oops!!! Happy fingers tonight!
Smitten With First
You must be exhausted! I can't imagine teaching a full day and having conferences throughout the week. We still have a week in early October where the students get out at 1:00 each day. Even with an early release, we have conferences until 5 or 6 at night. That doesn't allow time to plan and prepare for the next week. It's exhausting, but I feel blessed after reading your post.
That must be soooo exhausting!! Glad you made it through the week! Love those posters! 🙂
-Bridgette
bridgettenicole.blogspot.com
Your state is just crazy! I love 1/2 days (now and way back when I was a kid!) I'm sorry you have to work so hard but glad that you have found the joy in it all!
Your state doesn't allow half days?! It amazes me how different states have such different laws. We used to have a half day and 2 nights after school. Now we have 3 nights after school. I agree with you that meeting the parents is worth the being exhausted.
EmilyK
I agree with you post regarding Conferences…On my part, as a mother, conferences is one way to make sure that what I am doing with my child in assisting in their studies are just the right ways. I always talk to the teachers of my children to make sure they are progressing in their studies…
Thanks for your thoughtful reminders!
Thank you for these posters! I love the positivity!!
We are not given time for conferences. If we need to speak with a parent we have to give up our planning time which is either before or after school and when the kids are at specials. We don't get scheduled conference days/times. Our half-days are for professional development.
Christina 🙂
Apples, Books, and Crayons
I love the posters. In middle school, we often forget that the little "challenge" was once an adorable kindergartener.
My son is in kindergarten this year and his poor teacher had ONE evening that was conference night…and unfortunately has a very large class – 27 kids total. All the conferences were supposed to squeezed into that one night. I asked her a couple days before if she wanted to just tack mine onto another day right after school (as long as the school wouldn't object). She still wrote it down as though I attended on a Wednesday when in reality I came on Tuesday. I know taking just one parent off the list for that Wednesday didn't make a huge difference but I hope it helped her a little!
When I came home from work the evening of conferences I road past the school…at 9:30pm the lot was still full. I felt bad for the teachers – they worked in their classroom all day with our kids, spent the entire evening with parents and got up and had a full 2 days of school after that!
Jodi,
The first poster is awesome!!! I love it! Thanks for sharing. I just started following you a little while back and I love your stuff!!!
Stop by sometime 🙂
Brittany
Closing the Gap… in a Cute Outfit
Thanks for sharing these important messages! I shared them on my FB page 🙂 I'm off to print them now for my desk!
Thanks for sharing the posters! Great reminders on those days when the frustration level is high!!