9 Tips for a Successful Parent-Teacher VIrtual Conference

It is that time of the school year… Parent-Teacher conferences. However, this year, that process will be a little different. Instead of welcoming our students’ parents to our school classroom, we will be welcoming them to our virtual classroom via whichever platform we are using; Google Meets, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.

Nevertheless, it is up to us, the teachers, to make this process be as amiable as possible. Here are a few tips to conduct a Successful Virtual Parent-Teacher Conference.

1. Be prepared ahead of time: paperwork, data, and login punctually. (I like to prepare a folder per student. I make it pretty, color coded with a really nice personalized cover, and Student Data Information completed on the inside. This information that I will share with the parent, I will later on send it as well; this can be done through our class app, email, google, etc.)

2. Give them a warm welcome and a nice smile.

3. Always begin your meeting with positive aspects about the student.

4. Share with the parents the student’s strengths (Glows) and aspects of growth (Grows) based on all the information you’ve been able to collect about the student: Data about assessments, class work, and informal observations.

5. Ask the parents if they have any concerns, observations of their own, questions about the student’s academic and behavioral performance.

6. Make a plan, along with the parents in order to support the student’s growth; agreements between both parties.

7. Keep it short, sweet, simple, productive, and effective.

8. Take notes of the meeting.

9. Send the parents notes from the meeting along with a Thank you note for being present in the meeting and their child’s academic growth.

Teamwork between the parents and the teachers is pivotal in student success. It is like co-parenting!

What do I prepare before meeting the parent?
a. like to have my students fill out a goal sheet: What aspects would they like to become better at and to what extent?

b. I have my students fill out a Self-Evaluation sheet.

c. I prepare a Student Data Information sheet in which I include all assessments data, observations, strengths I see on the students and areas of growth for the student.

d. I send a Conference Reminder Sheet home.

5. e. I also remind my parents via email and class app.

f. I prepare s conference schedule for me to be organized and on time.