scheduling conferences

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Home : 2002 : May : 10

scheduling conferences
By Julianne

I've seen the schedule list idea work in a large school. Several days before the conferences each teacher's list was placed in the front foyer on tables. (They taped them down.) Parents could then walk along and sign on
a time for each of their child's classes and be sure they wouldn't have conflicting schedules. A pile of blank reminder notes were left on the table so parents could write down the time they had chosen. The teachers also sent home a reminder the day before conferences reminding parents of the time they had chosen. This school provided both afternoon and evening time slots.
The way

we do scheduling is to send out a note with all available times. Parents are asked to select a first and second choice of time. Each teacher then schedules parents and sends home a note telling them when to come. We've had very few conflicts and when we do have one we just get together with the other teacher and fix it. But, we also automatically offer afternoon or evening conference times. That way a parent has more choice and fewer excuses for not showing up. We don't give them the choice of "can't come". If they can't come they are sure to tell us that without needing a box on a form! That makes conferences sound optional when, in fact, they should be mandatory. Parents have a responsibility to find out what's going on in school and teachers have a responsibility to make themselves available to address that requirement, even if it means scheduling some conference time in the evening.