At the beginning of the school year, take the opportunity to make personal contact with parents. This can be accomplished through a letter of introduction, telephone conversation or newsletter. The parent-teacher conference is an opportunity to involve parents in the education of their children. The key to a successful conference lies in good communication and careful planning.
Parents are people, too.
Make them feel comfortable. Prepare a discussion agenda for each conference. Ask parents for their agenda items. Be prepared for parents who are non-English speaking. Be prepared with examples of student work, tests, grades and homework.