Individual parent-teacher conferences can evoke a range of emotions for early childhood educators. From excitement about sharing children’s progress to apprehension about potential concerns, these meetings can be both rewarding and challenging.
These meetings, which typically take place at the end of the school year, are what tell families how the year went for their child. It’s a lot of pressure and requires preparation and dedication at a time when the whole teaching team, including you, the coordinator, is exhausted. But this is when everyone needs to finish strong, and you need to help your team show off the incredible work they’ve done with the children throughout the year!
As a coordinator, you play a key role in supporting teachers in these meetings. Here are a few ways you can support your team:
- Set up a schedule ahead of time. For teachers, knowing the order of meetings helps them mentally prepare, reduce anxiety, and pace themselves. Scheduling can be done by any means—electronically or with pen and paper—and by any method, whether parents schedule directly or the school schedules for them.
- Provide a short break every two meetings. Even just 10 minutes! Anyone who’s been a teacher knows what it’s like to have back-to-back parent meetings with no break, plus notes to write and basic needs to attend to. These minutes are a buffer if a meeting runs over but, more importantly, allow teachers to breathe, use the restroom, stretch, drink water, and get ready for the next meeting, jot down notes, or get quick feedback from a partner who was present.
- Have two school staff members present at the meeting. Ideally, this would be the co-teacher in bilingual schools or the classroom assistant. Why? To take notes during the session, serve as a witness for what was said/discussed, and be an emotional support to the teacher. If this isn’t possible, set up a room with multiple tables where several teachers can meet with parents at the same time, supporting one another when needed. This is important to safeguard the teachers and maintain healthy relationships with families!
- Organize appropriate meeting spaces. Neither teachers nor parents should sit on chairs designed for 3-year-olds. Everyone’s comfort matters. If the school lacks adequate chairs, consider renting chairs and tables for these essential days.
- Print the parent meeting outlines. It’s crucial to have a written record of what is discussed and agreed upon in each parent meeting. Every teacher should have an outline for every meeting, and afterward, this document becomes a record of what was discussed and agreed upon. Printing and distributing these sheets is a huge help during such a busy time.
- Hold practice meetings. Especially for new, inexperienced, or uncertain teachers, set up one or two practice meetings, creating realistic scenarios and preparing solid responses together. This way, the teacher goes into the meeting feeling more prepared and with more realistic expectations.
- Be present for difficult meetings. You already know which meetings could benefit from your presence. Attend those where your support can make a big difference for the child’s development, for a struggling family, or for a teacher who is nervous or has asked for your support. Always be present for meetings where any specialist referrals are discussed or requested.
- Help manage time. There’s nothing worse than one meeting after another running late. When you’re not attending sensitive meetings, designate a timekeeper who can keep track of meeting schedules. We all know teachers (and parents) who go over the allotted time and need reminders to stay on track.
Look at all the ways you can support your teaching team during these crucial days! I’m sure that when you stop and reflect on your local reality, you’ll think of even more ideas. This is just a starting point.
