Anecdotes which illustrate student behavior can effectively communicate to parents information on positive or negative student behavior. This article describes the use of anecdotes in parent conferences, gives details on keeping anecdotal records of student behavior, and advises teachers on how to convey information to parents about student…

Offers five tips that teachers can use to improve their skills in communicating with parents. Discusses each tip and provides a scripted example emphasizing how each tip could be used in a parent-teacher conference. (MS)

Suggestions are offered for resolving conflicts between parents of gifted students and educators. Specific guidelines are offered for both parents and educators to facilitate an effective conference. Additional guidelines consider conflict styles, problem solving, and the "caring confrontation" technique. (DB)

Outlines a series of eight defense mechanisms teachers typically employ in parent/teacher conferences. Offers alternative approaches that teachers can practice and consider prior to conferences. (MG)

Presents tips to help teachers put parents at ease, involve them in student learning, and establish partnerships. The article describes how to send invitations, determine goals, prepare agendas, plan questions, create appropriate settings, conduct conferences, and follow up afterwards. Cautions and considerations are noted. (SM)

This study sought to extend the literature on parent participation in the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process by implementing an intervention aimed at fostering parent participation in IEP meetings and comparing its results to those obtained using one school district's standard IEP meeting procedures. This study also sought to determine the…

Ethnographic data were used to address the challenge of parent-professional interaction in the cross-cultural context of 12 Spanish-speaking Puerto Rican American families from low income backgrounds with learning-disabled or mildly mentally retarded children in special education. Illustrations from parent conferences show how parent participation…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Meeting of the Minds: The Parent-Teacher Conference Is the Cornerstone of School-Home Relations. How Can It Work for All Families? (Laura Pappano); (2) In Search of That "Third…

This report presents the findings of a study conducted for the U.S. Department of Education that analyzed 17 family education programs for disadvantaged families. In-depth studies were conducted on-site for 7 programs; an additional 10 programs were studied via telephone interviews. An "Executive Summary" of eleven pages (also separately…

This document summarizes the practical advice for improving parent/teacher communication through written messages and telephone conversations provided in two documents written by Michael L. Henniger of Central Washington University: (1) "Building Parent/Teacher Relations through Written Communication" (ED 211 216); (2) "The…

Article illustrated some of the problems a teacher has in recording the progress of students for parental analysis. (RK)

Explains the why and how of active child participation in parent-teacher talks, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the three-way conference. (SDH)

Student teachers are provided with guidelines for preparing, conducting, and following up parent-teacher conferences. Conference preparation is viewed as essential. A list of eight general objectives for planning conference activities is provided. Subsequent discussion focuses on scheduling and the atmosphere for the conference. Communication…

This handbook for teachers on conducting a successful parent-teacher conference offers suggestions on: (1) key factors of a successful conference; (2) kinds of individual conferences; (3) creating a positive conference environment; (4) preparing for the conference; (5) conducting the conference; (6) concluding the conference; (7) following the…