Happy week every one! I hope you all enjoyed your long weekend and did something to relax and rejuvenate! It was beautiful weather here in Missouri; who can believe 70 degrees in February?!?! This weekend was definitely needed after a busy week of parent/teacher conferences. Parent/teacher conferences can be a stressful and exhausting time for teachers and counselors. Presenting data to parents, delivering tough messages, and making sure that your information is well-recepted can be daunting. As a school counselor, I feel that this tends to be a time when we need to be at the forefront and make our presence known to parents and teachers. But how do you reach every parent for every student?? That task almost seems impossible, especially if you think I am talking about attending each and every conference (don't worry, that is NOT what I am recommending). But you CAN reach every parent without making it feel impersonal or just one more email they receive and delete. So, how do you do this? Below are some simple steps I follow to implement an effective parent connection table at parent/teacher conferences: 1. Choose a Theme. One of the ways our district has come up with to help provide social/emotional information to parents during conferences is called "Coffee with the Counselor". Now, please note I have done different variations of this over the years. For example, this last week I did "Chocolate with the Counselor". I have also done "Cupcakes with the Counselor" and "Cookies with the Counselor". Basically, any way that you can involve free food works and will get parents and students to walk over to the table. Below are the signs I placed on the table:
2. Pick a location. A central location is usually a good choice for your table or location. I usually set up a table in the front foyer of our school where parents will be coming in and out of the building. You could also try outside of your office, but depending on where you office is located that may or may not work. I tried that once, but because my office is located more towards the the upper grade hallway in our school, I missed a good portion of parents for the lower grades. 3. Pick a topic. This is by far the most important part of your event. I would suggest picking a topic that is a focus for your school or district for that time. Some topics that I have covered are:
4. Provide valuable information.
An important thing to remember when providing parents with information is to watch the length of the handouts provided. A three page handout is something that most parents probably will not read. I know I wouldn't! I usually try to keep handouts to a one-page length maximum. Second, I would make sure your sources are creditable. Double check your information is coming from a site or organization that people will recognize. Remember, the information you provide reflects back on you and your district. I usually have my administrator approve what I am setting out ahead of time. Book lists, coloring pages, and applicable charts are also great things to add to your table. Parents love things they can use! I hope your conferences go well and you are able to share information with parents, even if you are enable to see them all face-to-face. It feels impossible to meet with every parent, but it IS impossible to make contact with each one! What are some topics you have shared with your parents? How do you ensure you reach the most parents that you can? I would love to hear your feedback! Have a great week! Jessica
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