How to have Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences (even during remote learning)

Back-to-school season is in full swing, and it’s easy to let the momentum of the school year and the stress of this crazy new normal distract you from the new relationships you are building in your classroom. Parent-teacher conferences are the perfect opportunity to strengthen the bonds you formed while getting to know your students at the beginning of the school year. ClassTag is an essential tool to keep you organized throughout the process.

Learn how to have successful parent-teacher conferences this year, whether you’re teaching remote, hybrid, or in person!

Schedule and Coordinate Parent-Teacher Conferences Like a Pro

Thanks to ClassTag, scheduling is a breeze! It’s the easiest way to organize your parent-teacher conference times. Enter your conference date, set up the time slots that work with your schedule, and let the parents and caregivers take care of the rest! They can view your uniquely tailored schedule and sign-up for a time that best fits theirs.

Pro-tip: Parent-teacher conferences sync with Google Calendar and automatically add a Google Meet link; making remote conferences stress-free!

Gone are the days of checking folders for paper RSVPs and follow-up phone calls to confirm dates. ClassTag bundles everything you need within a classroom event, giving you the ability to focus on the meeting agenda rather than the paperwork.

Use Parent-Teacher Conferences to Build Relationships and Set Expectations

The best way to ensure a productive parent-teacher conference is to take your own advice and do your homework ?! With some families, you have already formed close bonds, while in others, you may be introducing yourself. Meet them where they are and really get to know the families of your students.

ClassTag allows for multiple parents/guardians for each student. Having the site available during your conferences will help you tailor the ClassTag experience to meet each family’s needs. This will allow you to connect with those who have been out of touch or recognize those who have been active users.

This is a great time to build relationships and set (or reset) expectations. 

Pro-Tip: This is an ideal time to customize the ClassTag experience and showcase what the platform has to offer to parents. Think of it as a private ClassTag tutoring session!

Collaborate with Parents during Conferences

Conference time is a wonderful opportunity to review your students’ transitions into your classroom, but don’t spend all of your time recapping the first few weeks of school. Plan your conversations ahead of time. Address what concerns you have, but spend the majority of your time on an action plan. Collaborate on a common goal, outline the steps you as a teacher and they as a parent will take to achieve those goals.

Conferences are not exclusively for reporting. They are a team-building exercise. Be intentional about what steps everyone is going to take in the best interest of the children.

Pro-tip: Many teachers opt for a student-lead parent-teacher conferences. These work just as well during remote or hybrid learning. 

Use Direct Messaging to Keep in Contact with Parents After Parent-Teacher Conferences

When your conference ends, don’t let the communication bonds you have formed come to a screeching halt. You’ve put so much effort into your action plans, so keep them moving by getting those chat windows open!

Pro-Tip: The ultimate goal of parent-teacher conferences is collaboration. The more you connect with your parents, the more comfortable they will be working with you on your child’s shared vision.

Reach out with ClassTag’s private messaging feature. Thank each person individually for taking the time to meet with you and list the goals you created at your meeting. Not only is this message a great record-keeping feature of your conference’s conversations, but it opens the door to future communication and progress updates regarding their child.

Loving how easy it is to coordinate parent-teacher conferences? Make ClassTag collaborative while helping colleagues improve their parent communication: 

Share ClassTag