Parent Teacher Conference Template and Tips

Parent teacher conference season is quickly approaching. Whether you’ve hosted your fair share of conferences or are getting ready for your first round, you’ll be well-prepared with these tips! Plus, I’ve included my Parent Teacher Conference Template that so many of you have found helpful! Without further ado, let’s get into the tips:

1. Send out a reminder

As most of us know, parent teacher conferences are pretty hectic. We’re usually seeing parents back to back in fairly short increments. If one parent is late or misses the meeting, then our whole timeline is turned upside down. It’s also rarely convenient to have to reschedule a parent on top of our workloads and personal schedules.

To help keep everyone on track, be sure to send out a friendly reminder to parents a few days before their designated conference time. Although emergencies do happen, this will help prevent most parents from missing their meeting! Plus, the reminder gives them enough notice to think about any questions they may want to ask you. Pro tip: print your conference reminder templates on brightly colored paper to catch parents’ attention!

2. Have parents knock on your door when it’s their turn

No teacher wants to get stuck in that awkward position where one meeting runs too long, leaving another parent standing outside your door. However, it’s not easy or comfortable to cut off a parent during a conference. Instead, have each parent knock on your door when it’s time for their scheduled meeting. It will help you stay on track and give you an “out” to stop a long-winded conversation. For those parents that feel as though they need that extra time, you can always pass on your contact information to communicate later.

3. Make sure to mention the positives

Parent teacher conferences are the best time to inform parents about what their child needs to work on. However, make sure to sandwich these comments between things their child is doing well. This will make it easier for parents to take your constructive criticism to heart.

4. Use self-evaluation

One of my best tips for parent teacher conferences is to let the students tell their parents how they think they’re doing. Plus, it encourages them to reflect on their progress, which is a critical part of their development as students. These Parent Teacher Conference Templates include two self-evaluation forms for students. Simply have them complete the forms in class, then store each student’s forms in their file. Parents will be grateful for the insight, and teachers can learn something from it too!

5. Share a special memory of their child

I love including personal tidbits and anecdotes in my parent teacher conference discussions. Parents love hearing about their children while they’re apart. Whether it’s a hilarious joke they told or a story about how they were a good friend, jot it down on a sticky note and place it in their file. Then, you’ll have an easy reminder during their conference.

6. Send parents home with informational printables

Students’ education isn’t confined to school hours, but some parents need a bit more encouragement than others to get in some practice at home. These Informational Printables for Parents are awesome for back to school, but they make great handouts for parent teacher conferences as well! One printable focuses on questions that parents can ask their child while they read. The questions help them identify the main character, the setting, and even include some more imaginative ones! All of these help kids think critically about stories as they read.

The two other templates focus on how parents can help their kids succeed in math and school in general. They include easy, actionable tips that parents can incorporate into their home life to help their kids learn around the clock! The bright, colorful fonts will make them a winner at parent teacher conferences.

Takeaway

If you get overwhelmed by parent teacher conferences, let these parent teacher conference templates and tips help you simplify things! These ideas will make conferences easier and more productive for teachers and parents. Be sure to comment down below if you found these helpful, and share a few tips of your own!