Parent Teacher Conferences: Part Deux

It's that time again- SEOP's... which are more commonly known as Parent/Teacher Conferences. I blog about them every time, because they are my most and least favorite part about being a teacher.
For all of you parents out there, here's the low-down on PTC from a teacher's perspective.
Top Five Reasons I LOVE PTC's:
5. I get credit for sitting there doing basically nothing
4. I get to show off all of the awesome stuff I do in class to parents
3. Free lunch provided by the PTA
2. Time to catch up on my reading
1. I actually get to talk to 1 or 2 parents that I really need to see.

Top Five Reasons I HATE PTC's:
5. I have to stay at work from 7:30 am until 7:30 pm. If you show up at Parent Teacher Conference later than 5 pm, the teachers are going to be extra cranky because we haven't been home since we left for work in the morning.
4. I don't get paid overtime. It's part of the job. They used to give us "Comp" days to make up for this, but they were cut from the budget this year.
3. Most of the parents that show up are grade grubbers and/or helicopter parents whose kids would benefit MORE from having their parents just ease up on them a little. These kids are wound up so tight they're about to snap... at age THIRTEEN! Seriously. If your kid as an A or B in my class, all I'm going to say is "Keep up the good work. Next!"
2. Most of the kids who ACTUALLY need help from their parents don't get it, and don't bother to show up at PTC's. Hence the failing grades in the first place... making PTC's generally unnecessary, except for an average of 1-2 kids per evening.
1. Most parents don't know what to expect and end up wasting their time and mine.

So, to make parent/teacher conferences a little more enjoyable for you and your kids' teachers, here are some tips.
1. Know what your child's grades are before you come (if possible) and be prepared with specific questions. If you don't know how your son or daughter is doing and there's no way to find out ahead of time, try to be as specific as possible at the time. If he/she is doing well, what could you be doing at home to develop their talents? If your child is doing poorly, what does the teacher suggest that you do at home to help?
2. Don't let teachers push you around. Teachers have favorites. It's a sad truth. If a teacher is ripping on your kid, volunteer to come to class with him/her for a few days. If your child is actually struggling, the teacher will welcome the relief. If they are hesitant about you attending, it may mean that they realize they are treating your child unfairly and don't want you to find out. It's a good litmus test. Follow through. Go to class with your kid for 45-75 minutes a few times. It's good for poor students and for excelling students.
3. Don't rip on a teacher unless you have actual data to back it up. Make sure you don't let things get emotional (SO hard to do! Trust me. I know this as a parent!) and be willing to listen to his/her explanation of the scenario. If you really feel that there is a genuine conflict, speak to counseling and request a change of class.
4. If your child is really growing and thriving in a teacher's class, thank them. We almost never get thanked, even though most students are little brats. Don't worry. We love them anyway and teach them because we love them, but a few props would be nice now and again. It always helps leave a good impression.
5. Keep it brief. Elementary teachers are usually prepared to talk to you for 10-15 minutes MAX, and Secondary teachers (middle school, Jr. High, and High School) are only prepared to talk to you for 2-5 minutes. 5 minutes would be a stretch. They will most likely, during that time, highlight your child's major successes, deficiencies, missing work, and behavior. Listen and then respond with your pre-planned questions, or any major concerns that come to mind. If you would like to schedule a longer conference, do so at the time of the Parent/Teacher conference and leave it at that.

Following these steps will help relieve some of the stress of Parent/Teacher Conferences for you, your child, and their teacher, and make it a much more productive meeting.