workshop outline: hosting positive parent-teacher …€¦ · 02/05/2016 · hosting positive...

WORKSHOP OUTLINE: HOSTING POSITIVE PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES

1. Workshop Summary: A. Time 2 Professional Development Hours B. Description/Purpose This training will help beginning teachers address the concerns they

have about parent teacher conferences and will provide strategies and practice in conducting positive parent-teacher conferences.

C. Illinois Professional Teaching Standards (Number and title of at least two dominant standards)

Standard #7 – Assessment Standard #8 – Collaborative Relationships

D. Target Group Mentors and Beginning Teachers E. Target Group Size 25-30

2. Participant Outcomes: Describe in detail the outcome(s) expected as a result of this workshop. Limit outcomes to no more than four. The participant will

a. Review the need to use assessments to diagnose student learning needs and to maintain useful and accurate records of student work and performance. (Indicators 7J, 7M)

b. Practice ways to effectively communicate student progress to parents. (Indicator 7N) c. Understand the benefits, barriers, and techniques involved in parent/family relationships in an effort to

promote student learning and well-being. (Indicator 8Q) d. Learn effective strategies for working with parents/guardians from diverse home and community situations

and for students with disabilities. (Indicator 8P) 3. Course Materials and Preparation: List all materials that will be used to deliver the workshop, i.e. books,

handouts, websites. Identify all work that needs to be done prior to the presentation. Disclaimer: The acquisition of written approval for copyrighted materials to be used by participants is the sole responsibility of the presenter.

Prior to workshop: a. Read through the Workshop Outline and PowerPoints. b. Copy all handouts listed. c. Watch the video clip and make certain the AV equipment will play the clip with sound. d. Make headings on two flip charts to match the questions on slide 1. e. Cut out “Instead of Saying” Cards and print one full sheet for reference. f. Print one set of the Scenarios PowerPoint in handout format – 2 per page for the group activity. g. Place one scenario in each business envelope and number the envelopes to match the scenario.

Basic materials a. Flip charts, markers b. Post-its, pens or pencils for participants c. Business envelopes (13) d. PowerPoint for workshop e. Scenarios PowerPoint (used separately)

AV equipment: a. Laptop with Real Player or capable of playing a video clip with sound. b. Speakers and LCD projector

Reference materials: a. No Child Left Behind, Part IV: Parent and Community Involvement, Ruby K. Payne, Ph.D.,

http://ahaprocess.com/Downloads_Documents.html b. Resource materials from www.teachervision.com

Handouts/materials in the order needed: a. PowerPoint, handout version b. “Instead of Saying” cards c. NCLB article- Parent and Community Involvement d. Scenarios in numbered envelopes e. TeacherVision resource sheet: two-sided

Copyright 2009 by ICE 21 Prepared by Ardella Perry-Osler for "Hosting Positive Parent-Teacher Conferences" of 30


4. Icebreaker: (How will you activate prior knowledge and pull the group into the content?)

a. Slides 1 and 2: Have mentors and beginning teachers jot down answers to the two statements presented on the slide: What I wish I’d known about p/t conferences and what I need to know about p/t conferences. They can put these on chart paper with matching headings.

5. Introduction: (Why are we here? What will we discover together?)

a. Ask both groups to line up on either side of the room and share their thoughts back and forth. b. While the group is still standing, connect their responses to the content and purpose of the workshop. c. Slide 3: Share the learning activities for the training and to tie in the responses of the group. d. Slide 4: Have the group set norms for the training before having them return to their seats.

6. Modeling: (How can I demonstrate the need for the learning? What illustrates the point, i.e. video clip, scenario, role play, comic strip, etc.) a. Slide 5: Directs the participants to consider what either mother in the clip wants or needs from the school. b. Show the clip, “Mamaphobia, Parent-Teacher Conference”. Some statements the mothers made that can be

brought into the discussion would be: a. “She doesn’t know my kid.” “You don’t want to criticize the teacher.”

“I feel like a kid in the principal’s office.” “What am I going to do in these 20 minutes?” “The conference is only 5 minutes long.”

7. Collaboration: (How will you have the group investigate the information?)

a. Slide 6: Lists the 5 conference steps according to Barclay and Boone b. Slides 7-15: Provide more in-depth information for each step. As you go through the slides, only point out

parts that may not have been mentioned by the group already. Also consider whether any of these steps were followed in prior teaching experiences or would work for the mothers in the video clip. Encourage mentors to add to the information so that is not all one-sided from the presenter.

c. Slide 16: Provides language pointers and tips for parents who are English Language Learners. Complete the activity “Instead of Saying…” as practice for how to convey information to parents positively and concretely. Give each group one card and allow 3 minutes for the group to complete the statement in a truthful, yet positive manner. Have one person from each group read the statement to the whole group.

d. This may be a good place to take a break and pass out the NCLB (Ruby Payne) article. e. Slide 17-18: Ruby Payne’s concepts about approaching parents in diverse economic groups; participants may

want to add examples from their own experiences. Be familiar enough with the article that you can summarize key parts of sections I&II. Some points are included in these 2 slides.

f. Slide 19 – The Fear Factor: Use Part III of the Ruby Payne article, page 3 – “Tools to Use…” and “Dealing with Difficult Parents.” Ask the group to read that section quickly and have brief table discussions about the content. Ask for one key point from each group.

g. While the group is reading, scan the flip charts from the opening activity to check whether all “Want to Know” questions have been addressed. Take off those that have not for use in the Culminating Activity section.

8. Independent Expression: (How can you apply this information into your personal practices? What additional

information do you need? i.e.: I-charts or funnel: what I do, here’s what I’ve learned, what’s my new thinking? This may also include participants choosing resource materials/activities to review or use.) a. Slide 19: Scenario Activity. Have the group follow the directions on the slide. b. Switch to the ‘Scenarios’ PowerPoint so that as each group presents their answers for the scenario, others can

read the scenario on the screen. You will need to have the groups present in numerical order. This can be an optional activity if time is limited, or select only a few to complete.



9. Culminating activity, question, comment or reflection: (How will you get the participants to commit to or take ownership for their new learning? Which component are you currently using, which one will you add to your repertoire? i.e., exit slips, survey, journal writing or participant led conversations.) a. Have participants review the tool on page 5 of the NCLB (Ruby Payne) article to determine if it can be used

for their conferences. Ask what additional tools or resources they will need to have successful conferences, or what tips can they take and use immediately from this session.

b. Review the resource sheet from TeacherVision. c. Add any tips from the “Want to Know” poster that were not discussed.

10. Evaluations and Closure (What’s next, where do we go with this information?) a. Complete evaluations b. Slide 21: Closing slide re-emphasizes the need to connect with parents and view the conferences as a team

effort. Wish the group ‘good conferences’ and encourage them to collaborate with their mentors as they plan.

11. After the workshop: (What follow-up needs to be done?) a. No follow-up is needed.

12. Research References: (What were at least two relevant references on which you based the content of this workshop?)

a. No Child Left Behind, Part IV: Parent and Community Involvement, Ruby K. Payne, Ph.D., http://ahaprocess.com/Downloads_Documents.html

b. Resource materials from www.teachervision.com c. The Parent Difference: Uniting School, Family and Community, Kathy Barclay and Elizabeth Boone. 1996 d. Mamaphobia: Parent-Teacher Conference video clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqQ5ML1jwo8


BLANK PAGE DIVIDER


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WELCOME TO:WELCOME TO:HOSTING POSITIVE PARENTHOSTING POSITIVE PARENT--

TEACHER CONFERENCESTEACHER CONFERENCES

Use post-its to respond to these statements:

Mentors: “What I wish I’d known about P/T Conferences before my first one!”

Beginning Teachers: “What I need to know about P/T Conferences!”

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SHARING OUTSHARING OUT:Mentors, please line up on one side of the room.

Beginning Teachers, please line up on the other side.

We will share your thoughts about what you’ve learned and/or need to know about parent-teacher conferences.

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FOCUS AND LEARNING FOCUS AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES:ACTIVITIES:

Analysis of a parent’s needsSlides on the 5 steps in Parent-Teacher Conferences (Barclay and Boone) with inclusions from other sourcesGroup Activity on LanguageRole Play scenariosReview of Resources


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WHAT NORMS WILL WE WHAT NORMS WILL WE NEED FOR THIS SESSION? NEED FOR THIS SESSION?

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WHAT PARENTS NEED?WHAT PARENTS NEED?

As you watch this video clip of two mothers discussing parent teacher conferences, consider how you can help them address their concerns.

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CONFERENCE STEPSCONFERENCE STEPS

1. Plan the conference2. Communicate with parents3. Prepare for the conference4. Meet with the parents5. Close the conference

Source: Barclay and BooneBarclay and Boone

We will review these quickly to see what may not have already been mentioned. Teachers are encouraged to provide additional suggestions.


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STEP 1 –PLAN THE CONFERENCE

Find out about school policies.Make a schedule – allow parents to choose times and alternatives.

Give the office a copy of your final schedule. Parents often call in to ask about their appointment. Let the children know (often) when their parents are to come.

Decide on conference topics.Will children participate?

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STEP 2 –COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS

Send reminders in advance and also the day OF the conference. Is an interpreter needed and/or available?Encourage parent input before the conference, and suggest that parents talk to the child before the conference.

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STEP 3 –PREPARE FOR THE CONFERENCE

Organize samples of student work.

Prepare note cards on each student.

Review data in cumulative folders.

Evaluate recent test data.

Get observations from other teachers (specials).

Interview the child.


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SETTING THE STAGE

Put your name and room # on the door.Place a few chairs outside the door for waiting parents.Post your schedule outside the door.Have material or textbooks for parents to look through while waiting.Arrange a conference area with adult-sized chairs (out of hearing range of the door).Don’t sit behind the teacher’s desk.

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APPEARANCE/ATTITUDE

Dress professionally.Smile! Show enthusiasm!Hold building concerns until the staff meeting; don’t discuss them with parents.

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MATERIALS/INFO

Tell parents the skills and knowledge your grade level is expected to master this school year.

Know what resources are available for struggling students and the process to access those resources.

Have the RIGHT child’s records, organized & in the order of presentation.

Share individual student grade sheets rather than the grade book.

Have a copy for both you and (all) the parents.


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STEP 4: MEET WITH THE PARENTS

Greet parents at the door by the correct name.Respect whoever comes, in whatever condition.Give eye contact; get into appropriate rapport with the parent(s).

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LISTENING

Actively listen to the parents.Involve them in finding solutions.Be honest with them.Select workable plans together.

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STEP 5: CLOSE THE CONFERENCE

Set goals for the child’s future work.End on a hopeful note.Summarize the main points, especially any steps to be taken to resolve problems that were identified.Thank them for coming.Schedule a follow-up conference if needed.

(Have your next conference schedule ready so that they can sign up now!)


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LANGUAGE/LANGUAGE

Direct conversation to the parent, not the interpreter. (Or both parents if present.)Remember that the interpreter may be a child.Choose positive expressions.Listen actively to understand what parents want for their child. (You are disappointed that Lucille is not doing her best.”)Avoid superfluity embedded with incomprehensible academia.Explain goals and the child’s progress. Give concrete examples rather than broad generalities. (“He has trouble comprehending.”-too broad.)

ACTIVITY – INSTEAD OF SAYING… SAY….?

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Rubygems! –Affluent Parents

Don’t use humor initially or they will think you don’t care about their child.Get straight to the point; don’t waste their time.Expertise is respected. (Post your credentials.)Use the adult voice; be firm about parameters their child must follow.

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Rubygems! –Parents of Poverty

Call parents from poverty Mr., Ms. or Mrs. (unless told otherwise). It is a sign of respect.

Assume nothing. (Race does not determine socioeconomic status.)

Use phrases such as: “If you do this, your child can win more often.”“If you do this, your child will be smarter and won’t get cheated.”


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THE FEAR FACTOR

What about difficult parents? Scan page 3 of Ruby Payne’s article, Part III – “Tools to Use…” and “Dealing With Difficult Parents”.Discuss it with your table briefly and choose one key point. Okay - let’s practice!

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SCENARIO ACTIVITY

Open the scenario activity envelope at your table.Select a reader and a reporter.Have the reader read the scenario to the group.Discuss QUICKLY how you would handle the situation.Each reporter will present the table’s answer to the entire group.

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EVALUATIONS AND CLOSING

REMEMBER: IT’S A TEAM EFFORT.WE NEED THE PARENTS,

AND IT’S ALL ABOUT THE STUDENTS!


BLANK PAGE DIVIDER


DIRECTIONS: COPY 1 set ON CARD STOCK AND CUT OUT EACH CARD. DISTRIBUTE ONE CARD TO EACH GROUP.

Instead of saying, “Your child is lazy,”

say- ____

Instead of saying, “Your child is below average,” say- ____

Instead of saying, “Your child is not comprehending,”

say- ____

Instead of saying, “I don’t know what you

do with him at home,” say- ____

Instead of saying, “Your child does sloppy

work,” say- ____

Instead of saying, “Your child always cheats on tests ,”

say- ____

Instead of saying, “Your child wastes too much time in my class,”

say- ____

Instead of saying, “Your child comes to

school dirty,” say- ____

Instead of saying, “You need to get this boy

tested for special ed,” say- ____

Instead of saying, “Your child is a big

showoff,” say- ____


BLANK PAGE DIVIDER


An integral part of a principal’srole is working with parents.Conflicts that arise because of

time constraints, differing belief sys-tems, and difficult social and behav-ioral issues consume a large chunk ofa principal’s time. Furthermore, inalmost all legislation, parentalinvolvement is now either required orconsidered to be a key component inimproving student achievement. Sohow does a principal get parentalinvolvement?

First of all, some concepts need tobe revisited. There is no correlationbetween the physical presence of par-ents at school and student achieve-ment. The correlation is between stu-dent achievement and parentalinvolvement. So getting parents tophysically come to the school is not akey issue in student achievement.

Second, another concept thatneeds to be revisited is the “one sizefits all” approach, which only workswhen the student population is veryhomogenous. It doesn’t work whenthe student population is racially orsocioeconomically diverse.

The third concept is that our cur-rent scheduling of parental activitiesis fine—and that all activities mustinvolve the parent coming in to theschool. The scheduling and structur-ing of parental outreach and activitiesis often set up for the convenience ofschool personnel, rather than the par-ents, and is one-way, i.e., school per-sonnel do not go to the parents. Thatneeds to change.

The fourth concept is that parentsactually have a support system thatallows them to participate in schoolactivities and that their experiencewith school has been positive. Formany parents this is simply not true.

And last but not least, a conceptamong school personnel is that manyparents are difficult. Tools to addressdifficult parents give teachers andadministrators more efficacy and,therefore, often more success.

New Model to Involve ParentsThis article is going to provide amodel that involves the following:(1) niche marketing to parents; (2)building a layered, “community ofsupport” approach (Wehlage, et al.,1989; El Puente Project, 2003)involving myriad interventions anddifferent scheduling; and (3) tools fordealing with difficult parents, parentsfrom different economic classes, andparent/teacher conferences.

Copyright © 2004 Ruby K. Payne u www.ahaprocess.com u (800) 424-9484 page 1

(Chart continues on page 2)

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Ruby K. Payne, Ph.D.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Series u Part IV

IDEAS FOR INVOLVEMENT

Put many things in print, e.g., fliers, newsletters, Web pages,etc. These parents will read and keep informed. Ask for e-mailaddresses and send a monthly or weekly e-mail that updatesthem on the classroom and school activities.

These parents are at school, volunteering their help. The issuehere is over involvement and parents wanting to take onadministrative roles. Sometimes the boundaries involvingstudent privacy need to be revisited.

This occurs at both ends of the economic spectrum. Phonebanks where parents call parents and tell them about schoolactivities begins a network. Home contacts are very powerful,as are coffee klatches (see Part II for explanation).

These are grandparents, foster parents, etc. They often needemotional support. Assign them a mentor—e.g., a counselor orinvolved parent—who touches base with them once a month.

SUBGROUPS OFPARENTSTwo-career parents

Involved parents

Non-working anduninvolved parents

Surrogate parents

PART I: NICHE MARKETING TO PARENTS

No Child Left Behind:Parent and Community InvolvementBy Ruby K. Payne, Ph.D.Founder and President of aha! Process, Inc.Part IV of a four-part series

Niche marketing is a term used in advertising. Simply put, it means that one size does not fit alland that marketing needs to be targeted at specific audiences. The following table outlines someof the subgroups of parents found in many schools and ideas for involvement in their child’seducation. A parent does not need to come to school to be involved.

Put these activities into the site-based plan so that they occur. The activities actually become amarketing plan for the campus.


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Ruby K. Payne, Ph.D. u NCLB Series u Part IV


A part of site-based planning is toidentify the percentages of parentswho fit into these categories. If youhave many parents in one subgroup,then it would be important to addressmore of those involvement issues.

PART II: BUILDING COMMUNITIESOF SUPPORTThe layering and structuring of“practices that contribute to studentengagement and high school comple-tion” is the basic concept in commu-nities of support. “Chief among theseis the ability of school personnel tocreate communities of support that

are concerned about how studentsperform and express that concern ingenuine, effective, caring ways” (ElPuente Project, 2003). So how doesone do that? One way is to create ascaffolding of interventions. Theother is by creating linkages to com-munity groups.

The following suggestions canhelp create communities of supportfor parents:a) Mutual respect: Parents are wel-

comed by first-line staff. Parentsare welcome in the building.Accusatory and blaming languageis not present.

b) School design teams: A cross-sectionof staff, parents, law enforcement,ministers, and students who identifyissues of support.

c) Home contacts: These are not homevisits but quick five-minute visitsto the home at the beginning ofschool to say hello. Substitutes areused to release teachers to do this.

d) Videos: These can be made bythe staff and students to introducefaculty, to tell about schooldiscipline programs, to highlightupcoming events, etc.

e) Student and parent voices:Through informal conversation(not meetings), parents and stu-dents are asked what the schoolcould do to better serve them.

f) Weekend activities: Fridayevenings, Saturday mornings, andSunday afternoons work the best.

g) Varied and targeted parentalinvolvement activities: Free donutsfor dads the first Monday of everymonth. Carnations for moms. Lunchfor grandparents. Picnics for peoplewho live in the student’s house.

h) Support mechanisms for parentsthat involve follow-up: 3x5 cardswith the steps that will be followed.Magnets for the refrigerator thatlist school phone numbers andholidays. Stickers that parents cangive to the child for good behaviors.

i) Informal coffee klatches:Counselor or principal asks a parentwith whom they already have arelationship to invite three or fourother friends over for coffee in theparent’s home. The principal orcounselor brings the donuts. Thisis a forum for an informal discussionabout what bothers parents, whatthey would like to see, what theylike, etc.

IDEAS FOR INVOLVEMENT

Make short videos dubbed in their own language explaining howschool works, how to talk to the teacher, what grades mean, whathomework means, etc. Have the videos made by a person in yourcommunity from that immigrant group. DO NOT MAKE THEM TOOSLICK OR PROFESSIONAL because they will not be believed.

Color-code the information you send home. White paper is “nice toknow.” Yellow paper indicates a concern. Red paper means thatimmediate attention is needed. You can call these parents at work aslong as you do not talk at that time; ask them to call you back.Videos to introduce the teacher work well also.

Structure activities that make life easier for the parent, activities thatwould include the children or child care, food (so they don’t need tocook), or activities scheduled on the weekends or with open timeframes rather than specific meeting times. Videos to introduce theteacher also work well here.

These are parents who are incarcerated, mentally ill, physically ill,traveling a great deal, have been sent back to their native country,have an addiction, etc. Teach the student how to be his/her ownparent and provide linkages for the student to other school serviceagencies. Have the counselor have “what if” lunches where pizza isbrought in and four or five students in this position discuss issues.

There are only a few of these in a building (less than 1%), but theycan destroy time and energy. These are the parents who constantlyhave a complaint. Each time a solution is reached, there is a newcomplaint. School personnel need to take their daily rate, divide itby 8 to calculate an hourly rate, and document the cost of personneltime used by one parent. No board of education wants to know thatone parent took $60,000 to $70,000 of personnel time for no reason.

SUBGROUPS OFPARENTSImmigrant parents

Parents working twojobs

Single parents

Parents who areunavailable and studentswho, in effect, are theirown parents

Parents who are“crazymakers”

PART I: NICHE MARKETING TO PARENTS (continued from page 1)


j) Overcoming reluctance to partici-pate by creating one-on-one rela-tionships.

k) Tools for dealing withparent/teacher conferences.

l) Tools for dealing with difficultparents.

m) Simple written documents thathave pictures and words and/orcartoons.

n) Using networking capabilities inthe community: Make a flier withcartoons that is one page and hasan advertisement for a business inthe community on the back.Introduce your faculty throughcartoons. The advertiser pays forthe paper and the printing.Distribute them to beauty salons,grocery stores, barbershops, churches,etc., much like a local communityshopper or merchandiser.

o) Information for parents thatenhances their lives: Offer infor-mation like how to fix bad credit(knowledge about money), how tomanage a difficult boss (conflict-resolution skills), etc.

p) Information on video or in cartoonthat helps parents deal with theirchildren, i.e., how to enhanceobedience in your child.

q) Giving awards to parents: A childidentifies something a parent hasdone. On a Saturday morning thechild gives a certificate to his/herparent and thanks the parent.

r) Parent/teacher conferences led bythe student.

s) Weekend activities that use thecomputers and athletic facilities ofthe campus.

t) Partner with a campus that has asurplus of parent involvement.

u) Peer-mediation training for students:They teach it to parents informally.

v) Teaching students to be betterfriends: Have students list the fivefriends they go to when they havea problem. Tally who are the “bestfriends.” Teach them how to askquestions to solve problems. Teachthem how to identify which problemsare serious and need to bereferred, such as threats of suicide.

w) Teaching parents to be betterfriends to other adults.

x) Block parties: Get a street blockedoff for an afternoon and have aparty.In other words, creating communi-

ties of support is a layered, varied setof interventions and activities. Theidea that a school can have X numberof meetings a year, a carnival, and aHalloween party is not enough. Whatmust occur is a scaffolding of inter-ventions.

PART III: TOOLS TO USE FOR PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES AND DEALINGWITH DIFFICULT PARENTSSchool personnel need to hone theirconferencing skills to create a sup-portive environment for parents anddevelop conflict-resolution skills todeal more effectively with difficultparents. Our online questionnaires fornew teachers have found that theirtwo greatest issues are student disci-pline and dealing with parents.

Outlined below is a step sheet forthe process to be used as a part ofthe parent/teacher conference, a parent/teacher conferencing form (page 5),questions to ask to facilitate resolu-tion of conflicts, and phrases to useby economic group.

Step Sheet forParent/Teacher Conferences1. Contact the parent. If it’s going to

be a difficult conference, have theprincipal or a counselor attend.

2. Make a list of items that need tobe in the folder that is shared withparents: student work, grades, dis-cipline referrals, rubrics, tests, etc.

3. If time is short, let the parent knowabout that and apologize for thetime frame.

4. Have mutual respect for the parent.Ask the parent to tell you abouthis/her child. “As we begin thisconversation, what would you likeme to know about Johnny? Youlove him and care about him oryou would not have come to seeme.” They know more about thechild than you do. Tap into thatknowledge. Do not use “why”questions. Say “our child.” (Seebelow for questions to ask.)

5. Keep the conference focused onthe data and the issues. “I have afolder of John’s work. I would liketo go through the folder with youand talk about his work.” Or, if thestudent is there, “John is going togo through the folder and showyou his work.” Let the work speakfor itself.

6. Ask the parent if he/she has questions.7. Identify the follow-up strategies

and tools to be used. 8. Thank the parent for coming.

Questions/Techniques toFacilitate the Conference1. Stay away from “why” questions.

Instead, begin with these words:when, how, what, which. Forexample: “When he did that, whatdid he want? How will that helphim be more successful? How will

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Copyright © 2004 Ruby K. Payne u www.ahaprocess.com u (800) 424-9484 page 3Copyright 2009 by ICE 21 Prepared by Ardella Perry-Osler for "Hosting Positive Parent-Teacher Conferences" of 30

that help him win? What have younoticed? How would you like to dothe follow-up? Which way wouldwork best for you? What is theworst-case scenario? What is thebest-case scenario? How wouldyou like to have this resolved?What plan could we use?”

2. STAYAWAY FROM STATEMENTS.Use data and questions.

3. Identify the fuzzy nouns and pronouns(everyone, they, them, all the par-ents, all the students, women, men,kids, etc.). If those words are in theconversation, ask this question:“Specifically who or which …?”

4. Identify vague qualifiers. Example:“It’s better.” (“Better than what?”)

5. Identify fuzzy adverbs. Example:“He always has a bad teacher.”(“Always? Has there ever been atime when the teacher was good?”)

6. Identify the emotion in a statement.For example: “You’re racist!” (“Isense that you feel the school isunfair and insensitive. Can yougive me a specific example thatwould help me understand?”)

7. Identify the hidden rules or beliefs(should, must, can’t, have to, oughtto, should not, mandatory).Example: “What would happen ifyou did? What stops you?”

8. Identify the parameters of theschool. Example: “We do that tokeep children safe.” Or: “Just aswe don’t allow other parents tocome in and tell us what to do withyour child, we cannot allow you todictate procedure for other people’schildren.”

Phrases to Use with Parents

CONCLUSIONThe concepts that schools have usedfor so long to involve parents tend tobe one-way, linear, and meeting-oriented.Just as advertisers have discoveredthat multiple messages and mediumsare required to influence buyers, wemust also use the scaffolding of rela-tionships, interventions, activities,mutual respect, conflict resolution,and targeted assistance to create com-munities of support.

BIBLIOGRAPHYRosario, Jose R. (2003). Final NarrativeReport: September 1, 2002-August 31, 2003.Hispanic Education Center, El Puente Project.Indianapolis, IN. Funded by LuminaFoundation for Education.

Wehlage, G.G., Rutter, R.A., Smith, G.A.,Lesko, N., & Fernandez, R.R. (1989).Reducing the Risk: Schools as Communitiesof Support. Philadelphia, PA: Falmer Press.

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IN POVERTY

This will help him/her win more often.

This will keep him/her from being cheated.

This will help him/her be respected and incontrol.

This will help him/her be tougher andstronger.

His/her mind is a tool and a weapon that noone can take away.

This will help him/her be smarter.

This will help keep you safe when you areold.

This is a legal requirement.

I know that you love and care about yourchild very much or you would not havecome to see me.

IN AFFLUENCE

This coping strategy will help him/her bemore successful in the corporate world.

Responsibility and decision making arelearned behaviors. We can give him/her thecompetitive edge as an adult by learningthese behaviors now.

This will keep him/her safe.

This will help him/her have the advantage.

This is a legal requirement.

This is an investment in your child’s futuresuccess.

He/she will need processes/skills/content inthe work world.

Ruby K. Payne, Ph.D., founder andpresident of aha! Process, Inc. (1994),with more than 30 years experience asa professional educator, has been sharingher insights about the impact of poverty—and how to help educators and otherprofessionals work effectively withindividuals from poverty—in morethan a thousand workshop settingsthrough North America, Canada, andAustralia.

Her seminal work, A Framework forUnderstanding Poverty, teaches thehidden rules of economic class andspreads the message that, despite theobstacles poverty can create in alltypes of interaction, there are specificstrategies for overcoming them. Sincepublishing Framework in 1995, Dr.Payne also has written or co-authorednearly a dozen books surrounding theseissues in such areas as education,social services, the workplace, faithcommunities, and leadership.

More information on her book, AFramework for Understanding Poverty,can be found on her website,www.ahaprocess.com.


PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE FORM WITH STUDENT

Student name__________________________________________________ Date___________________ Time________________

Parent name___________________________________________________ Teacher________________________________

PURPOSE OF THE CONFERENCE (CHECK AS MANY AS APPLY)

_______ scheduled teacher/parent conference

_______ student achievement issue

_______ parent-initiated

_______ discipline issue

_______ social/emotional issue

WHAT IS THE DESIRED GOAL OF THE CONFERENCE?

WHAT DATA WILL I OR THE STUDENT SHOW THE PARENT? Student work, discipline referrals, student planning documents?

WHAT QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ASKED? WHAT ISSUES NEED TO BE DISCUSSED?

WHAT FOLLOW-UP TOOLS AND STRATEGIES WILL BE IDENTIFIED?


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BLANK PAGE DIVIDER


SCENARIO 1

Mr & Mrs Johnson’s 6th grade son Mr. & Mrs. Johnson s 6 grade son is failing most subjects. Records show that he has been struggling for several years. Mr. Johnson wants him tested for a learning disability. The mother thinks he just needs to work harder The parents begin to work harder. The parents begin to disagree during the conference.What will you do?

SCENARIO 2

Ms. Castiglione is angry that g g yher daughter is failing English and wants her out of your class. (She get A’s in everything else, by the way.) The parent thinks you’re too young to be teaching and tells you so. “How will you respond?”


SCENARIO 3Mr. & Mrs. Smith don’t allow their children to do homework because the children to do homework because the children have so many other extracurricular activities to attend. Alicia passes all her in-class assignments and tests. She never does homework even though you require it.How will you address both homework How will you address both homework issues with the parents?

SCENARIO 4

Mrs. Expediadotcom cries when she sees that her son is struggling in 9th grade work. She says that she doesn’t know what to do with him-she’s tried all the social services, and they keep telling her he’s just depressed. She says that he would do better if his Dad were around.What is your response?


SCENARIO 5

“Our daughter Matilda is gifted and we want her in the gifted class!” In actuality, Matilda ‘borrows’ answers from other students and is not excelling in her work at all. Her parents also think your rules are too strict.think your rules are too strict.Which issue will you address with her parents, and how?

SCENARIO 6

Thomas has been showing signs of being behaviorally challenged since the first day of school. The cumulative folder shows that he was once using medication for ADHD, but his mother refuses to give it to him now. He has not been able to stay on task very much in class, so his work is suffering.What will you say to his mother?


SCENARIO 7

The parents of a 3rd grader pressure you to make their child work harder so that she will qualify for gifted classes the following year. They want more homework and more intense classwork for her.

How will you address their requests?

SCENARIO 8

Anne kept telling you that her mother would not come to the conference no matter how much you contacted her. You still give her mother an appointment and sure enough, Ms. Jolowski didn’t show. The next day at school, Anne is among the small group of students among the small group of students whose parents didn’t attend conferences and she is crying.What will you say to Anne and how will you get her mother to have a conference?


SCENARIO 9

Juan is living with grandparents along with his 4 other brothers and sisters. When the grandfather comes to the conference, it is clear that he does not understand English very well. He says that he did not finish high school .

You need to explain to him how to help Juan at home. How will you do it?

SCENARIO 10

You have a high school student that will not be able to finish the semester before her child is born. The mother wants you to prepare all the semester work so that the girl can finish it at home while she is on “maternity leave.” She also wants you to give her advice about social services for the girl.What will you tell the mother?


SCENARIO 11

It is the last day of the conference; l t i t t t f your last appointment was set for

12:45 to 1:00. You have a private 1:15 appointment to attend. Two sets of parents show up at 1:00 and say that when they called the office at 10:00, the secretary told them to come (even though their ( gappointments had been the day before) and you would see them.

What can you do so that the parents’ needs are met?

SCENARIO 12

When you show Ms. Carmen her ychild’s grades, she begins to slap him in the face and yell at him about how poorly he has done. She says he’s too smart to be failing.

What should you say and do?


SCENARIO 13Not many of your parents are coming to the conferences. You haven’t had anyone show up for the last 2 hours, so you decide to sit in the lounge with the other teachers who have ‘no shows.’ About 20 minutes later, the principal announces over the intercom that you need to go to your room because a parent has been waiting in your room for you for 10 minutes. What’s the best way to handle this with both the parent and the principal?


BLANK PAGE DIVIDER


PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FROM

You can download materials free with a 7 day trial.

Partial sample of ‘parent’ search results:
