My next-door colleague and I stood on opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to parent-teacher conferences. She looked forward to these meetings so much... and I dreaded them. Parent-teacher conferences were one of my least favorite parts of teaching. While my colleague saw them as a valuable opportunity to strengthen the home-school connection and get to know families better, I saw them as a long night of small talk that typically led nowhere and left me exhausted after a long day with students. The worst was when I had to prepare to teach again the next day! If you're more introverted like me, try some of these tips to help you survive parent-teacher conference season and reduce the stress it can bring. #parentteacherconferences
Start Early and Stay Organized
Preparing for parent-teacher conferences should begin well in advance to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Week 1: Begin collecting student work samples that showcase their progress and areas of improvement. I was definitely scrambling the week of conferences during my first year of teaching trying to find examples of student work! I don't like clutter, so I was quick to grade assignments and send them home. In the following years, I kept folders of student work so I would have evidence to share with parents during our conversations. (And for an extra tip... you don't have to spend money buying folders for each student. Simply take a large piece of construction paper and fold it in half. This will be sufficient for keeping students' work samples organized. I also gave my students a coloring page to keep them busy while I compiled conference notes and had them glue the decorated page on top of their individual folders. Win-win!)
Week 2: Develop a schedule for the conferences, considering both your availability and parents’ preferences. Be sure to schedule in breaks. If school dismisses at 4:00, you will not feel ready to start your first conference at 4:10. Give yourself a few minutes to collect yourself and have a quick snack before the long evening ahead. Also carve out a few minutes for dinner if possible.
Week 3: Send out the conference schedule to parents and ask them if there are specific topics or concerns they would like to discuss. Sign Up Genius is a great tool because it keeps you out of the middle of scheduling. The drawback is that it takes a while to create your form. I never liked typing in every time slot, but I did like sending the link and washing my hands of the scheduling headache. If parents want to switch their meeting time - they can do so independently within Sign Up Genius's platform. However, if paper is still your preferred method, you have multiple options. Send home a page with general times of day or ask parents to circle three specific times that work well for them. Edit this sign-up sheet and conference letter to parents.
Week 4: Fill out a conference form for each student, noting their achievements (glow) and areas for improvement (grow). It can also be helpful to make a snapshot page that shows recent test scores all in one place. This form served as my outline of talking points when conducting parent-teacher conferences. You might include data collected from multiple quarters of the school year or information about priority standards and student progress. I also like to prepare a page to send home with parents so they can help their child continue learning at home. #growandglow
Week 5: Have students fill out a self-reflection form to encourage ownership of their learning and goals. This is especially important if students are attending the conferences with their parents. It provides them with talking points without putting them on the spot. I also love having students fill out a supply inventory. They dump out all of their supplies, sort through the mess, and identify items on which they are running low. Parent-teacher conferences are a great time to inform parents that their child needs more pencils, folders, or crayons. This is also an effective method for helping students clean out their cubbies so the classroom looks nice for your meetings.
Week 6: Send a reminder note to parents about the upcoming conference and prepare a sign-in sheet to track attendance. Some schools invite parents to visit at any time - no appointment is needed. If this is the case in your building, a signup sheet will help you track who has been waiting in the hallway the longest. It's an easy method for assisting parents in order of their arrival. #parentteacherconferencesignup
Take Care of Yourself
Conferences can be mentally and emotionally taxing, especially if you’ve had a full day of teaching. Schedule breaks throughout the night to recharge and stay focused during each meeting.
Pack Essentials: Ensure you have extra food and water to keep your energy up during back-to-back conferences. Packing snacks like energy bars or fruit can help you stay alert and engaged.
Stick to the Schedule: Respect everyone’s time by adhering to the conference schedule. If a parent arrives far too early, ensure you have time to gather your thoughts and prepare for the meeting before welcoming them into your classroom. Set a timer for each conference to help you cover essential points without running over time. If necessary, politely suggest rescheduling for a longer discussion.
Focus on Positivity: Begin each conference by highlighting the student’s strengths and positive achievements. Positive reinforcement helps build rapport and encourages collaboration between home and school. You can also ask parents to share what they're proud of in relation to their child. Focusing on positive thoughts will help lighten the load on your shoulders.
Plan for Post-Conference Relaxation: After a long evening of conferences, plan a relaxing activity to unwind and recharge. Whether it’s watching a favorite show, reading a book, or enjoying a hobby even for a short 15 minutes, taking time for yourself is crucial for maintaining work-life balance.
Additional Ideas to Try
What might happen if you begin each conference by inviting parents to share their thoughts or concerns first? Some parents appreciate knowing that you are willing to listen. Others don't know how to get started and may prefer that you start with your prepared list of talking points to guide the discussion.
If feasible, involve the student in the conference. Their perspective can provide valuable insights into their learning experience and goals.
Sit beside parents rather than across from them to create a sense of partnership and mutual respect. Remember, you’re both working towards the same goal: the success and well-being of the student. Sometimes sitting across from the teacher puts parents in an inferior position. Sitting in chairs without a table or meeting at a round table can help break down barriers and allow everyone to feel like they can contribute equally.
Acknowledge that parents are the experts on their child’s strengths, challenges, and preferences. You know a great deal about classroom education, but they know their child best. Collaborate with them to develop strategies that support their child’s unique needs.
Guide the conversation towards the student’s progress and future aspirations. Help parents understand how current learning goals are preparing their child for the next steps in their educational journeys. For example, parents sometimes told me that they didn't feel like their child needed to learn basic multiplication facts because they would always have a calculator on their phone. I shared that fluently answering multiplication facts made the process of learning to multiply multi-digit numbers, divide multi-digit numbers, and find common denominators when working with fractions so much easier. Although their child probably would not encounter a stack of flashcards in their future career, these math facts form a foundation for many additional skills that help children grow in future academic learning.
Closing Thoughts
Parent-teacher conferences are pivotal moments for building relationships and enhancing student support. By preparing early, maintaining positivity, and fostering open communication, you can ensure that each conference is productive and beneficial for families and students. Remember to take care of yourself throughout the process, and celebrate your personal successes through the long night ahead. Here’s to a successful conference season!
Hear about these Parent-Teacher Conference Notes from educators like you!
⭐️ “This is exactly what I was looking for! I used it to prepare for upcoming conferences and it saved me tons of time.”
⭐️ “I love editing these parent-teacher conference sheets.”
⭐️ “These pages helped my students reflect on their growth as a learner. They helped us have meaningful conversations at conferences.”
⭐️ “These forms are simple and easy to read. It aids in my efforts to communicate clearly with parents and families.”
⭐️ “Conference prep has never been so easy!”
Use these Parent-Teacher Conference Forms in so many ways!
✅ Quickly print or edit parent-teacher conference sign-up sheets.
✅ Customize progress reports and send home editable reminders.
✅ Have students complete goal-setting and reflection forms.
✅ Easily compose glow and grow notes with the list of suggested phrases.
Find answers to your questions about these Parent-Teacher Conference Templates:✋ Which grade levels can use this resource?
All teachers will find value with these editable templates. Choose from a variety of forms to meet your students’ needs.
✋ Why should I download this parent-teacher conference packet?
This resource includes multiple editing options: Google Slides, Canva, and PowerPoint, along with ready-to-print PDF pages. Customize the documents to save time preparing materials for your upcoming parent-teacher conferences.
✋ How will this resource benefit my classroom?
Preparing for parent-teacher conferences is time-consuming and stressful. With the help of these forms, you can focus your energy on compiling student work samples and teaching your class. Save time with these blank forms and templates so you can return to what matters most.