How to Conduct Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences can be intimidating for early educators. From finding a time that works for everyone to planning how to approach difficult conversations, there is a lot to consider. 

This guide includes everything you need to plan and conduct parent-teacher conferences in your daycare or preschool, helping you keep the process as stress-free as possible. 

How to prepare for a parent-teacher conference

You can start preparing for parent-teacher conferences from the first day a child walks into your daycare or preschool classroom. Gathering samples of their drawings, writing, and art projects is a great way to show parents how their child is progressing over time. 

Set up a “portfolio” for each child, with examples of their work that shows where they are developmentally. It’s fun to repeat the same projects each month, to watch the progression of their skills over time. For example, you can have each child draw a self-portrait every month. At the end of the year, you can look back at how much their drawing skills have improved. Other things to keep in a child’s portfolio include: 

• Samples of scissor work: Have a piece of paper with some straight lines, some curvy lines, and some zig-zag lines drawn on it. Ask each child to cut along each line and keep the paper in their portfolio. Repeat this every three months or so to monitor progress. 
• Handwriting samples: Have each child write their name on the first day of class, even if it is just a scribble. Collect samples of their handwriting every few months and keep them in their portfolio to watch their skills improve. 
• Checklists of skills: It’s easier to assess skills as you go along than trying to cram it all in the week before conferences. Have a few checklists made up that assess gross motor skills, fine motor skills, alphabet knowledge, etc and as you watch children play, mark off what you notice them being able to do. 
• Anecdotes and observations: You should be jotting down observations and anecdotes about each child throughout the year and you can keep these in their portfolio. These can be helpful, especially when talking about difficult topics because you have documented real-world examples over time. 

If you are doing the work ahead of time by gathering anecdotes and work samples as you go, then there isn’t a huge time crunch to assess a child’s skills before conference time. 

How to make scheduling easier

Depending on the size of your program, you may want to call in a floater or substitute on the days you’ll be running conferences. This will allow you to have time to get yourself organized in between conferences and not feel rushed. 

You can hang a sign-up sheet on your door or create an electronic sign-up option, whatever is easiest for you and the parents you serve. Parents can then sign-up for a time slot that works for them out of the choices you’ve provided. 

You may run into a parent or two who has a challenging work schedule and can’t make any of the times you’ve offered. If this is the case, you can choose to create an alternate meeting time for them or hold the conference virtually. 

Tips for a successful parent-teacher conference

• Create a welcoming space. Parents may be nervous about meeting with their child’s teacher, it helps if they feel welcomed!
• No surprises. If you have concerns about a child, you shouldn’t wait until the parent-teacher conference to bring it up. Ideally, you would have been having conversations all along about any concerns, and the conference would be a time to revisit it and talk about any progress the child has made. 
• Share the child’s portfolio. Show the parent some examples of their child’s art, writing, or other work. Parents love getting a sneak peek into what their child has been doing during the day. 
• Emphasize a team approach. We all know that even if you are working super hard on a skill at preschool or daycare, follow-up is needed at home for the child to progress. Things like potty training or dealing with behavioral challenges require home and school to be on the same page. 

Tips for having difficult conversations 

It can be intimidating to talk about behavioral challenges or other concerns with parents. If you’ve been having small conversations about your observations all along, then it can make the information you share at the conference less of a shock. 

• Start positive. Always start the conference off with something positive about the child. It’s good to think about it like a sandwich, two positive things about the child with your concerns in the middle. This way, the first and last things the parent is hearing are positive. 
• Call in some backup if you need to. If you think the parent may have a hard time digesting your concerns, you can always ask someone else to conduct the conference with you. Sometimes hearing the same thing from multiple people helps. 
• Let the data speak for itself. If you have written observations, checklists, or other documentation, it can be helpful to share it with the parent. 
• Stick to the facts. Try to use objective language whenever possible. When describing challenging behaviors or other concerns, only describe what you see. For example, instead of saying “she doesn’t listen during circle time” say something like “during circle time, she is very wiggly in her spot and often tries to get up and leave the rug.”

Wrapping up a conference 

One of the hardest parts of conducting a parent-teacher conference in preschool or daycare is ending the conference! You want parents to feel like they have the time and space to have their questions answered, but you have to be mindful of the other parents you have scheduled. It’s helpful to have a set amount of time set aside for each parent and try your best to stick to the allotted time. 

You don’t want to be checking your watch the entire time, but keep your eye on the time. When you are five minutes or so from the end time, you can say something like “we have about five minutes left so I want to make sure you can ask any last-minute questions you may have.” Then, when the time is up if you still had more to talk about you can offer a follow-up conference. You can set an appointment with the parent for a time that works best for both of you. 

Before the parent leaves, be sure to give them any information they may need to help support their child. You can prepare a folder with any tip sheets or checklists you prepared for them as well as any referrals for services or evaluations.