Parent Conference

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Archive : 2003 : January : 30

Parent Conference
By Mrs. A

First, you are fortunate that this parent cares.
Remember that how a parent feels will directly affect the child. Parents will feels secure and work with a teacher when they feel confident that the teacher likes
their child AND has a plan to help the child. Similarly, when a teacher is only negative, the parents feel anxious and stressed. Who suffers? The child.
As a teacher, it is your job to remain positive: have a plan. Right now, your plan is to (1) call in the experts (special ed), who will evaluate this child and work with you to help her; (2) communicate this plan to the

parent in a positive, non-accusatory way and to enlist her help.
Also, with a child this far behind, and with possible attention challenges, even simple homework can seem totally overwhelming. Encourage the mom to play very easy math games for not more than five minutes a day for a while (for example, one night, line up 10 skittles or m&m's, count backward while eating one by one; another night, can you sort a random number of the candies into groups of two with no leftovers? If so, you have an even number/if not, odd; eat!). Why do such a little amount at such a basic level? So that the student and the parent can start to experience success and have fun with math. With a student so far behind, celebrate every success and focus on little steps. Be confident! You are on the right track and seeking the special help it sounds like this student needs!