Parent Teacher Conference – 10 Strategies

This Week’s Topic:

An important skill for educators is their ability to report test results to parents in such a way that these people walk away with an understanding of the causes, specific areas of strength and weakness and practical recommendations to alleviate the situation. Many times parents will leave a conference having been “bombarded” with jargon and statistics and understand nothing. Reporting results so that they are understood may be accomplished in the following ways:

1 – When setting up an appointment with a parent, never allow yourself to begin the explanation of the results over the phone, even if the parents requests a “quick” idea of how their child performed. If the parent does request this, gently say that the type of information that you have is better explained and understood in person. If you sense further anxiety, try to reassure the parent that you will meet as soon as possible. It is important to visually see the parent/s so that you can further explain areas in which they appear confused or uncomfortable. The face to face contact also makes the conference a more human approach.

2 – Make the parent/s feel comfortable and at ease by setting up a receptive environment. If possible, hold the meeting in a pleasant setting, use a round table, or any table instead of a desk, and offer some type of refreshment to ease possible tension of the situation.

3 – It may be helpful to refresh the parent’s memory about the reasons for the evaluation and the symptoms that brought the child to the attention of the team. Explain the tests that comprised your test battery , the rationale for why they were used, and what specific types of information you hoped to arrive at by using these measures.

4 – Go over strength areas first, even if there are very few. You can also report positive classroom comments, and any other information that may help set the tone for acceptance of areas of difficulty.

5 – Provide a typed outline of the tests and scores for the parents to take with them if the report is not ready. If possible, always try to have the report typed and ready to hand them. It looks more professional and may help alleviate problems that may occur when reports are sent home and the parents read it without a professional present.

6 – Explain in simple terms any statistical terms you may be using, e.g., percentiles, stanines, age equivalents, etc.  In fact, it may be a good idea to define these on the same sheet with the scores so that parents have a glossary of terms when they go back and review the scores.

7 – Offer parents a pad and pen so that they can write down information, terms or notes on the meeting. Further, indicate that they should feel free to call you with any questions or concerns they may have.

8 – Put aside a sufficient amount of time for conferences that you are confident might take longer and where there could be some conflict. This is not the type of situation in which you want to run out of time. The parents should leave in a natural manner, not feel rushed.

9 – Be as practical and specific as possible when offering suggestions on how parents can help at home. Offer them printed sheets with step-by-step procedures for any recommendation that you make. Parents should not be teachers, and should never be given “general recommendations” that require their interpretation. This may aggravate an already tense situation at home. Offer them supportive materials that they can use with their child.

10 –If the case is going to be reviewed by the District’s IEP Team or Committee on Special Education, take some time to alleviate parent fears by explaining the process and what they can expect. Indicate that your report is part of the packet that will be presented and that they are entitled to a copy of all materials.

NASETMembers: As always, we are interested in meeting your needs for information. If you have a topic suggestion for the Practical Teacher email us at membersresearch@naset.org with the subject :Practical Teacher Topic Suggestion.