Setting Up A Healthy Conversation Between Teachers And Parents
Experience in teaching or meeting hundreds of parents won’t remove the anxiety you feel every time you meet with parents. Relax! Parents are anxious to meet you as well. In either case, getting defensive or expecting a negative reaction won’t help you both.
With the help of innovative digital tools and strategies, you can now make your meetings less stressful. This article lists down seven ways CBSE schools in Chennai like Babaji Vidhyashram make parent-teacher meetings more effective.
7 Strategies For A Healthy And Effective Parent-Teacher Meeting
Scheduling the meeting
Meetings with parents and teachers can be challenging to arrange, especially when working parents are involved. Many parents are unable to attend conferences due to their busy schedules. Worry not! An accommodating schedule is the way to go. Give parents multiple scheduling options. Be sure to remind parents that the meeting is important.
As studies and education shift to online platforms, digital planners are becoming increasingly useful. Digital scheduling tools can be used to collaborate schedules and remind parents of meeting dates. To avoid confusion, adhere to the schedule as much as possible.
Preparing an agenda
Having a conversation that lasts too long will not result in a productive meeting. Ensure meetings are conducted according to a set plan and completed within the allotted time. An international school in Chennai like International Village School is a perfect example in this regard. Teachers here make sure conferences are conducted as planned by creating an agenda. Making a plan ensures that meetings keep moving forward without interruptions.
It is highly recommended that the meeting agenda be sent to the parents well in advance of the meeting. The collaboration tools can assist teachers in preparing agendas and sending them to parents according to the schedule.
Video conferences for busy parents
Video conferences have been indispensable during the current pandemic, but they can also serve as an alternative method of keeping in touch once in-person classes resume. Video conferencing is a viable option for parents who cannot meet in person. As a matter of fact, scheduling video meetings will make the entire meeting more productive, as parents will attend from anywhere.
Knowing the parents’ concerns in advance
Learning about parental concerns can help you prepare for the worst during the actual conference. Teachers from top CBSE schools in Chennai create survey forms that ask parents to share their concerns. This helps teachers be prepared with solutions when they meet with parents in person. Forms like google forms can reduce the amount of paperwork normally required to inform parents.
Showcasing digital portfolios
Parent-teacher conferences usually consist of showcasing the performance reports of students. Think about organizing these works in a digital format instead of presenting a bundle of paperwork that requires a lot of time. Teachers can create digital portfolios on school websites, online portfolio applications, or a learning management system. Parent-teacher meetings can be kept short and productive by sharing portfolios with parents before the meetings.
Keeping notes during the meeting
Keep a written record of all the important points you discussed with the parents. With this, you will make each student’s learning experience more productive. Use digital tools like notepad, Evernote, or Simple note to organize your points.
Following up with parents
It is good to follow up with parents after the meeting ends. The act of sending a thank you note shows how much you value their attendance at the meeting. Alternatively, you may choose to use communication tools to send the acknowledgement.
Wrapping up:
A meeting with parents shouldn’t be the end of communication with them. Maintaining constant communication between teachers and parents is essential to a child’s education. Taking advantage of the above digital tools and strategies will make your conference more efficient.
