As an educator, parent interactions can be hard to approach. On one hand, family engagement in a child’s early education years is a key indicator in how successful he or she will be; however, if parents don’t feel the classroom is conducive to learning or feel displeased with classroom management strategies, it can be a challenge to keep parent teacher conferences positive. With the introduction of The Welcoming Classroom, Gryphon House author Johnna Darragh Ernst offers practical ideas for creating a welcoming atmosphere to encourage productive family participation in students’ learning community. To help you prepare for future conferences, here are a few pro tips you may want to keep in mind:
Before the Conference:
- Survey the family prior to the conference to determine the kinds of information they would like to learn and what they would like to share.
- Include in your communication the information you plan on sharing.
- Provide several dates and times to choose from for the conference.
- Off-site locations might be more convenient for some families, so consider community locations as an alternative to on-site meetings.
- Send reminders for the event.
During the Conference:
- If a translator is needed, have someone available.
- Provide child care.
- Be organized.
- Have everything prepared in the family’s preferred communication format.
- Carefully gather information about the family’s strengths, concerns, priorities, and resources.
- Be mindful, and use your active-listening skills.
- Thoroughly address each question the family has.
- Develop goals and an action plan together.
- Determine a follow-up plan.
- Allow adequate time between conferences in case the conferences run over.
After the Conference:
- Follow up with the family, addressing any questions they may have had.
- Communicate about your shared goals and action plan.
- Keep the lines of communication open.
We hope you found these tips helpful! For even more strategies on keeping the classroom approachable for a diverse range of families, check out our new release The Welcoming Classroom.
Author(s)Johnna Darragh Ernst, PhD
Brianna Blackburn
A graduate of Western Carolina University with a BA in English, Brianna served as a marketing and editorial Intern with Gryphn House in the Summer 2018.
