Tomorrow my day begins with my first conference at 8:15 a.m. Conferences are done in 10-minute increments, with five minutes between each conference. For example, my 8:15 will go until 8:25, then I will have five minutes until the next one. Hypothetically. I usually just go straight through. I will finish sometime around 3:30, with an hour lunch break in the middle of the day. (And some strategically placed restroom breaks! It's hard to give a report if your bladder's full, you know?)
To prepare for conferences, I have the report card ready (of course), but I take some extra measures as well.
I always have a newsletter available for the parents to have for reference. The newsletter lists the skills we will be covering by subject for the upcoming quarter. That way, if parents see something they know their child may have trouble with (like fractions), they can preview the skill with their child before we get to that lesson or unit.
I also have the following outside my door in the hallway: (I forgot to take a picture in the rush to leave today; I will post it tomorrow.)
**A student-sized desk or table to use for display.
**Two adult-sized chairs for waiting parents.
**A basket of note cards and markers so parents can leave a little note for their child while they wait. I then put those notes on the desks of the children before they come in the next school day.
**A basket of treats. Usually this is chocolates; tomorrow will be butterscotch or Jolly Ranchers. (My room is nut free, remember?) Tip: Put in a bit at a time and replenish throughout the day. I learned that one the hard way my first conference. Seems that while I was talking with Mom and Dad, little ones were filling their pockets!
**A basket under the desk or table filled with books for children to read while they wait. Clearly labeled with my name, of course!
**A spread of "donation" reminders. (Remember my giraffe cards from Parent Night?)
**An art portfolio of student artwork from the art teacher. (At the beginning of the year, some of the projects get ruined because the students aren't careful with them. I put them in a little folder and hand them off to the parents during conferences so they make it home in one piece.
Well, off to prepare my clothes and myself for tomorrow. See you on the other side.
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