At Mason City High School, conferences are split into two days, two Tuesdays. The first night was October 6th, and I was thrilled to be a part of it!
Since I had started the year off with the students, I knew so much about them–their names of course, hobbies, interests, friends, favorite and least favorite activities, and even some interesting secrets they had confessed through their writing! I was excited to show parents/guardians my interest in these kids and talk them through student strengths, weaknesses, and plans for growth!
Because our classroom was so busy, it was hard to snap a lot of pictures, but here are some of me explaining grades to a parent:
My cooperating teacher and I set up the desks to be in semi-circles. That allowed teachers and parents to be in closer proximity.
Having desks next to one another rather than across allowed for a more comfortable, approachable environment.
I printed copies of each student’s current grades. I made sure to put the grades on the parent’s desk so they could see as I explained.
My focus for conferences was to appear confident, knowledgeable about each student, and give excellent eye contact.
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