Parent-teacher interviews are valuable opportunities for teachers to communicate with parents about their child's progress, strengths and areas for improvement. Here are some tips for teachers to prepare effectively for parent-teacher interviews:
Review Student Progress: Before the interviews, thoroughly review each student's academic performance, behaviour and participation in class. Have specific examples and data ready to share with parents to provide a clear picture of their child’s progress.
Gather Work Samples: Collect work samples and assessments that demonstrate the student’s strengths and areas needing improvement. Visual aids help illustrate the child’s performance and can facilitate productive discussions with parents.
Identify Strengths and Weaknesses: Make notes on the student’s strengths and achievements, as well as areas where they may be struggling. This will help you provide constructive feedback to parents and offer suggestions for improvement.
Prepare Individualised Goals: If applicable, set specific, achievable goals for each student based on their current performance. Be ready to discuss how you plan to support the student in reaching these goals.
Anticipate Questions: Prepare for potential questions or concerns parents might have about their child’s education. This could include questions about behaviour, academic challenges, social interactions or extracurricular activities.
Be Empathetic and Positive: Approach the interviews with a positive and empathetic attitude. Acknowledge parents’ concerns, listen actively and show understanding while discussing their child’s progress.
Use Positive Language: Frame feedback in a constructive and positive manner. Focus on the student’s strengths and offer suggestions for improvement rather than dwelling solely on weaknesses.
Be Open to Collaboration: Be open to collaborating with parents to support their child’s academic and personal development. Discuss strategies that can be implemented both at home and in the classroom.
Stay Organised: Keep all relevant documents, notes and data organised for each student to ensure a smooth flow during the interviews.
Set Realistic Expectations: Be honest with parents about their child’s progress and set realistic expectations. Avoid making promises you cannot fulfil and ensure that any goals set are achievable with the appropriate support.
Be Respectful of Time: Stick to the allotted time for each interview to ensure that all parents have an opportunity to discuss their child’s progress. If additional time is needed, offer to schedule a follow-up meeting if possible.
Provide Resources: Offer parents resources and tools to help support their child’s learning outside of school. This could include reading materials, educational websites or study guides.
Parent-teacher interviews are a collaborative effort between teachers and parents to ensure the best possible outcome for the student. By preparing thoroughly and maintaining a positive and open-minded approach, teachers can make the most of these meetings and foster a strong partnership with parents in supporting their child's education.
The CARS & STARS Online program uses technology to open doors for parents that let them better understand the context of their child’s learning and have a more engaged role within it. CARS & STARS Online also enables informed and meaningful conversations about learning at home, and at school, because parents are given an instant overview of their child’s progress that they can access at any time and from anywhere.
With a CARS & STARS Online Parent subscription to complement their child’s Student account, parents can utilise full connectivity with their child’s learning. From any device, parents can instantly call up a quick view of their child’s progress and track their progression through the program, just as a teacher can. The unique benefits of CARS & STARS Online for parents include the ability to create and edit Child accounts if undertaking the program outside of a school setting, as well as access to the program’s trademark comprehensive data analysis and detailed reports.
Whereas once a parent may have had to wait for scheduled interactions with their child’s teacher to really get a good grasp of how their child was faring at school, CARS & STARS Online offers unprecedented ways for parents to be informed of and involved in their child’s education – from anywhere and at any time.
If you are interested in learning more about the CARS & STARS Online subscriptions and how they can help children to achieve better results, then sign up for a free trial to be an integral part of your child’s reading success.
