Whether it’s your 1st or your 100th time, Parents Evenings can sometimes be intimidating, and we all feel at least a bit nervous about meeting the children’s parents.
We are about to face the adults responsible for the pupils we teach, they will challenge us, surprise us, support us and in some cases refuse to believe us.
Despite this, with some careful planning, it can be an enjoyable experience. An opportunity to further develop links with home and build a positive relationship with your pupils extended families. All it takes is structure, planning, time management and some general crowd control.
Sounds easy doesn’t it?
Before you start
Get your classroom ready
If you are using your classroom, make sure its tidy, marking is up to date and that every child has at least one piece of work on display.
Create a timetable for parents and have this on display both inside and outside the classroom, that way everyone can see where they are in the queue and how much time they have left with you.
Think about the furniture. Do you want to sit either side of a desk to give you some separation or side by side with parents so you can share a laptop screen or pieces of work?
Get your notes ready
Have a separate file for each pupil which includes any pieces of work you want to share with parents, any assessment material and other useful information.
On the night
Get comfortable
It’s tempting to avoid drinking any fluid so you don’t need to nip out to the toilet but don’t forget to stay hydrated and have a snack on hand to keep you focused through the evening.
Put a structure in place
Think ‘2 Stars and a Wish’. Start with the positives, what has gone well, the progress the child has made or a piece of work that the pupil really focused on and put a lot of effort into.
Then move on to their next steps, what will you be doing in class to support them and how can the parent / carers offer further support.
This is a collaborative meeting and there should be a two-way sharing of information.
So take time to listen to the parents, you will learn a lot about the pupils home life and outside interests and how you can involve parents in the next steps.
Timing
Remember the timetable you put up for parents to see? If you are running late (it does happen) apologise and let them know they will still have their allotted time. If you find yourself running over, ask them to make a follow up appointment so you can further discuss any issues at a later date.
Take Notes
Refer to the notes you prepared earlier and add new information or agreed support or anything you agreed with parents. If you suggest a follow up meeting, make sure you contact them afterwards to arrange a date and time.
And finally....
If you need help, ask. Just because you are the teacher doesn’t mean you can answer every question. Don’t be afraid to say you need to consult with the Leadership Team or take a deeper look before giving an answer.
Don’t forget parents can be nervous too, try to stay calm and relaxed. If you stay in control, the parents will relax too.
After the long day, go home, switch off and come back in the morning ready to start over.
About the author
Alan Yeoman
Alan is now in his thirtieth year working in education. His career began in Argyll and Bute as a primary teacher and he soon moved on to a variety of promoted posts including Education Officer with responsibility for supporting ICT across the Local Authority with a particular focus on video conferencing and developing a Local Authority Intranet – one of the first of its kind in the UK.
