The parent-teacher conference is a valuable strategy to improve a student's performance. This news brief offers suggestions for developing a "parent friendly" handbook to help parents effectively prepare for teacher-parent conferences. The handbook should include the basic information, a statement that emphasizes the importance of the conference,…

The Parent-Teacher-Student Network Model was developed to aid in development of open communication among parent, teachers, and students. A description is given of this model for parent-teacher-student conferencing which was designed to allow participants to discuss educational goals, resolve conflicts, plan strategies for achievement, and evaluate…

This paper describes a three-stage model for helping teachers to prepare themselves for conferencing with inner city parents. All of the concepts, procedures, and processes involved in the model are applicable to routine conferencing as well as the problem-oriented variety of conferencing toward which the model is focused. The first stage of the…

Guidelines teachers have found useful for initiating and maintaining formal and informal communication with parents are provided in this discussion for child caregivers. Topics briefly discussed include the mechanics of initiating a conference, working with parents during a conference, arranging meetings for parent groups, and techniques for…

In 1977, the Portland School District introduced a locally developed achievement testing program for Grades 3 through 8 in reading and mathematics. In 1979, language arts tests were added. These three test series comprise the Portland Achievement Levels Testing Program. The new tests were created by district personnel to measure student…

Sixteen teachers of preschool handicapped children were assigned to a microcounseling group and 16 to a didactic lecture control group. Microcounseling training included viewing of a parent-teacher videotape model and discussion of appropriate communication skills such as clarification, reflective listening, and dealing with parental resistance to…

Outlined is a typical routine for presenting lessons to culturally disadvantaged elementary school students, who seem to require highly structured, immediate, and concrete activities and material. It is felt that teachers need to develop and use a range of visual, manipulable learning devices, and to acquire an understanding of the background and…

Guidelines are offered on the technique of establishing understanding between pupil, teacher, and parent by formal and informal conferences. Means of establishing goals for individual students are suggested, and methods of evaluating performance are given. The importance of communication between parent and teacher by means of conferences and…

Reviewed were reports of 50 parent-teacher conferences involving pre-primary through secondary level students; information as to the nature, content, and outcome was obtained; and conferences involving teachers of self-contained classes were compared with those involving resource teachers. Results indicated that the teachers initiated conferences…

Numerous practical guidelines are presented informally to help the teacher of severely and moderately mentally retarded children and youth conduct successful parent teacher conferences. It is speculated that past public school experience with the use of parent teacher conferences has been unsuccessful for reasons such as lack of teacher knowledge…

Know what to look for and report your findings. Battered children need your help. (Editor)

Discusses a short list of positive ways parents can use television to help their children. (Author/RK)

Describes the fears, frustrations, and problems of parent-teacher conferences. Suggests that parents not wait for the first conference to start communication, that they get involved in the school, and that parents go to conferences prepared with written questions and concerns. (MS)

Suggests that parents who understand how written language development resembles oral language development are more willing to accept whole language instruction. Offers teachers suggestions on how to convince parents of this similarity. (ARH)

The purpose of this study was to obtain perceptions and thoughts of 325 parents of handicapped children regarding their relationship and involvement with school, their level of satisfaction, and their recommendations and suggestions on how to improve parent-school relationships. (MT)