Inside Four Walls: Best parent conference ever!

So I mentioned earlier about my favorite parent conference of all time, so here's the story. It was like my 3rd year of teaching, so I was still learning. We were on factoring and I told my class that if you couldn't factor that you would fail the class. One student told me that I wasn't allowed to talk like that. I asked why and the student told me I needed to be positive and encouraging to students. I said that if you can't factor you would fail 4 chapters, too many to overcome. I told them they needed to bring their best so they could master factoring. The student said I was mean and that they were going to talk to their counselor. I said fine.

So long story somewhat shorter, we have the meeting with the parents (dad was a detective at the local PD) and the counselor. The student tells the story again and the mom chimes in about how teachers need to be supportive and encouraging to students and not tell them they can fail. The counselor took their side too, which I quickly realized is a common thing. When the counselor asked me what my side was I said that what the student said was true. That factoring was necessary for solving quadratics, rational expressions, and for finding roots of parabolas. And that if a student couldn't factor they would fail the class. I told them that I tell students this so they know they need to be focused.

At that point, everyone kind of looked at the dad. When he opened is mouth it was the greatest thing I had ever heard before, or since.
I'm sorry for wasting your time Mr. Wendland. I don't think there is anything wrong with what you said. In fact, it's kind of refreshing to see someone that is honest about what is needed to be successful. At least the kids know what they need to do to pass now.
Ahhhh so good. The look on the student's, mom's, and counselor's faces was priceless. The student tried to talk, but the dad stopped them mid-sentence. The dad stood up shook my hand and I left. That was without a doubt my best parent conference ever.

Inside Four Walls: Some Honesty

Parent conferences are a mixed bag. Some go well and others not so well. I will tell my favorite parent conference of all time another time, but this one is pretty good too. I have a student who is struggling a bit, and to top it off this student hasn't been doing the homework.

The counselors usually try to give the student an out, or an excuse, as to why something isn't getting done. I'm not sure why they do this, but they do. It's kind of annoying because they are basically giving the student an excuse...I mean the student doesn't even have to think of one. I guess maybe they want to play good cop to the student in front of the parents?

Anyway, so the counselor asks the student about the homework;

Counselor: So I see you aren't doing your homework. How come? Is it because you don't have time to do it or you don't know how? 

Student: I don't feel like doing it. 

Counselor: Ok, so is because you just don't get it so you don't want to try? 

Student: No. I just don't want to do it.

It was pretty funny to watch both the parents and the counselor's reaction to the statements. When something like that is said, I feel like standing up and saying "ok well this problem seems to have been solved, I'll see you all later."

Most of my meetings have been the same, but it's one of those things that you are kind of required to do.

Video Killed the Radio Star: Parent - Teacher conference

Saw this on Darren's blog, but it was so good I had to re-post it here.



I have had most of these things said to me in a parent conference. I don't know if it's worse because I teach high school or not, but the parents still say the same thing up here.

Here's another one...once again; so eerily weird.