A parent-teacher conferencing procedure is described, and the results of a survey designed to determine the attitudes of parents and teachers toward components and outcomes of conferences are presented. The procedure involves a 20-minute conference at the end of the first marking period (November), with report cards sent for the three remaining…

Suggestions for helping teachers answer questions parents may ask on discipline, reading, and family situations are offered in this article. Teachers and parents can work together to solve problems dealing with their children and students. (DF)

The author surveyed a cross-section of parents about their preferences among thirty forms of home-school contact. First preference was for an evening open house with an interview with the class teacher. The total preference rankings are discussed in comparison to Plowden Report recommendations and actual school practices. (SJL)

Proposes that the best reading advice to give parents is this: parents should read to their children. Explains the reason why this is the best advice, and offers tips for successful read-alouds. (MG)

A primary school in Cali, Colombia, has implemented major changes intended to give students a more active role in their education. Encouraged by new government guidelines, teachers banished letter grades and began to assess students on mastery of curriculum objectives. During parent-teacher conferences, children speak confidently about their…

Describes eight steps that help students develop the skill necessary for analyzing their work and articulating their progress and goals. Describes how "We Can Charts" help students assess their growth as readers, explain their growth in reading to parents, and develop new reading goals. Discusses the characteristics of active learners and…

This paper presents findings of a study that investigated elementary school principals' perceptions of parent-involvement practices in their schools. A survey was mailed to 75 principals of high-achieving elementary schools and to 75 principals of low-achieving elementary schools. The perceptions of 39 principals of high-achieving schools were…

This paper describes the nature of "community," provides several examples of what such a community looks like in elementary schools, builds a case for the importance of family-school relationships in the building of community, and describes the family conference as one approach for building a community of learners. Data are based on 2 years of…

Observation of 26 initial placement/individual education plan (IEP) conferences for elementary age learning-disabled children found minimal parent participation during the conferences, but parents reported, in postconference interviews, satisfaction with the conferences. Results are related to the intent of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All…

Parent-teacher conferences sometimes become a cause for concern for everyone involved. This Spanish-language ERIC Digest outlines ways to improve communication during parent-teacher conferences. Suggestions are offered to help parents participate more effectively in conferences, including identifying what is being done to help a child overcome a…

Parent-teacher conferences sometimes become a cause for concern for everyone involved. This Digest outlines ways to improve communication during parent-teacher conferences. Suggestions are offered to help parents participate more effectively in conferences, including identifying what is being done to help a child overcome a problem, examining the…

Describes a complaint file system for dealing with students' complaints about others, whereby students write up their complaints and deposit them in the teacher's mailbox for future action. Describes requirements for complaints and how each is followed up with a written conference with parent(s) and perhaps a meeting with a counselor. (KDFB)

A study involving 11 non-medical professionals and 17 parents of children with autism resulted in the following guidelines for sharing a diagnosis of autism, including establish a family-friendly setting, understand the family's needs, use good communication skills, provide a list of resources and interventions, discuss prognosis, provide hope,…

Data from four parent-teacher dyads highlighted the nature of discourse during parent-teacher conferences focused around family literacy portfolios. Participating Latino parents attended an intergenerational literacy program. Results show how parents and teachers share the floor during conferences and highlight the influence of portfolios on topic…

Examines the nature of the relationship between educators and parents of children in public schools, focusing on minority families. Discusses the need for flexibility and adaptability, the value of informal assessment, effective joint parent-teacher problem solving, and family differences and support. Provides options for improving communication…