Fall conferences are right around the corner … where has the past seven weeks gone!?
One thing that helps me prepare for conferences is THIS very simple template. It’s really just a bunch of boxes with words in them, but it keeps me organized and on topic.
Like many teachers, I keep student work samples throughout the quarter (we started using Seesaw to do this digitally) that I bring to conferences. I make sure the comments are reflective of the work samples I have so I can show parents examples of their child’s strengths and goals. Goals can include plans to improve in challenge areas, or they can be enrichment-based for kiddos who have shown mastery in a skill. I make sure to write one strength and one goal in each subject for each child. I also like to go back and star the box with their biggest strength and their biggest goal so that I remember to spend a little extra time talking about them specifically.
Decide if you want this to just be a tool for you, or if you want to send parents home with a copy after you’ve met so that you know how casual to make your comments. There is a section at the bottom to jot notes during the conferences. Sometimes this includes stories or insight parents provide, or plans for students as we head into second quarter.
Enjoy … and happy conferencing!
