November Parent Teacher Conferences
It’s that time of year; not just for Thanksgiving turkeys and fall leaves but also the all-important parent-teacher conference. This week all of our LANK teachers—from those teaching our adorable two year olds to those teaching the “big” kindergarten children will all be sitting down to talk with families about their precious children.
At the preschool level a November conference is less about assessment, and more about what teachers have noticed about your child’s preferences for play, learning style, and temperament at school. Although we have only been at school for a few short months our classroom teachers want to convey how well they know your child, and some of the goals and objectives they have in store for your child in the coming months. But parent-teacher conferences are not only designed for the parent to receive information, but also for the teacher to gain perspective from you! We hope you will share stories from home, special family rituals, and anecdotal observations about your child. We consider you our partner in every way, and hope to instill a climate that encourages communication that is two-way.
As I reflect on all the parent-teacher conferences I attended about my own children and those I held in my classroom over the many years of teaching, I realize that this was perhaps one of my favorite memories. As a parent, there is great joy in talking about your own child. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to spend a few minutes of attentive focus on one child. The same feeling exists for the classroom teacher. The classroom is a busy place, but as teachers prepare for conferences they develop a laser-like focus on each specific child in their care. Perhaps the reason the parent teacher conference evokes a warm fuzzy feeling for me is that I always left the classroom knowing there was another adult acting in my child’s best interests as encourager, cheerleader, advisor, mentor, and caregiver. At LANK, it our hope that you leave the parent-teacher conference secure in that same good feeling.
