ParentTeacherConferenceGuide

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PurposeofPTCs
ByproactivelyconductingPTCs,youcanproactivelysolicitfeedbackandaddresssmallconcerns
beforetheygrowintomajorproblems.Themoreparentstalkwithyou,orknowadiscussionis
scheduledinthenearfuture,thelessinclinedtheywillbetoturntootherfamiliesforadviceandsupport.

ExplainingthePTCProcess
YourCDwillsendanemailtoallparentsinvitingthemtosignupforPTCsonsign-upgeniusand
explainingthepurposeandprocess.Thisemailwillexplainthatstudentsshouldnotbepresentatthe
conference.

SchedulingPTCs
PTCsareofficiallyoptional,butyoushouldattempttoschedulePTCswitheveryfamilyeachsemester
(twiceeachschoolyear).WorkwithyourOACtopostyourPTCopeningsonSignUpGeniussothat
parentscanchoosetheirdays/timesandwillreceiveautomaticremindersindaysprior.Twinsmust
haveseparateconferences,whichcanbebacktoback.

PreparingforPTCs
ThekeytoagoodPTCispreparation!Arrivingunpreparedwillcertainlybenoticedbyparentswhoare
eagertolearnabouttheirchildsstrengthsandchallengesatTSS.Rememberthatparentsdonotgetto
seetheirchildreninsocialenvironmentswiththeirpeersforseveralhoursasyoudo.

PTCsarealsoaninvaluableopportunitytopartnerwithparentsonaddressingchallengingbehavior.By
sharingobservationsseenbothatschoolandhome,youcanworktogetherwithparentstounderstand
thecausesofchallenges,agreeonactionplans,andinsuresupportisconsistentinbothenvironments.

BeforethedayofyourPTC,discusseachstudentwithyourteachingpartnertoshareinsightsandlist
discussionpoints.UsetheattachedReflectionSheettoprepareforyourconferenceandtothinkand
reflectonthechild.ReviewyourscheduleandplanwithyourAPCandCDandstrategizeonhowto
approacheachfamilyonanimportantissue.IfyouhaveastrongCE,considerallowingthemtohandle
afewPTCsthatyouexpecttogowell.Ifyouworkwith3yearoldsandpre-kclassesyouwillreceive
assessmentdataoneachchildpriortothePTCs.TheHOC,APCandCCwillassess3yearolddrawing
skillsandpre-kagechildrenonkindergartenreadinessskills.

InviteyourAPCand/orCDtoPTCsthatyouexpecttobedifficultandfearthatparentsmaynotagreeor
cooperatewithyourrecommendations.EventhoughTSSeducatorsarenotdiagnosticians,youmay
needtoshareconcernsandadvocateforparentstoagreetoseekadditionaltoolsandsupportinthe
classroom.

Andbesuretoeatlunchjustpriortoyourmeetingandneverduringyourmeeting.

LetYourParentsKnowYouPlantoOnlyMeetfor15Minutes
Byimmediatelysettingatimelimit,parentswillbemoreefficientintheirdiscussion.PTCsactuallyrun
about20minutes.IfaPTCruns30minutes,standupandtellthefamilythatyoumustnowstopthe


ParentTeacherConferenceGuide
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meetingtoadequatelyprepareforthenextday.Iftheparentsappeartohavemoretheywishto
discuss,offertoscheduleanothermeeting.

StartYourPTCOnaPositiveNote
Becausechildrenaresoimportanttofamilies,parentsoftencometoPTCswithlotsofemotions.So
youshouldstartbydescribingthebeautifulthingsabouttheirchildtomeltawayanyanxietyor
insecurities.Bymakingyourparentsfeelsafeandrelaxed,addressingchallengeswillbemore
constructive.

LetParentsTalkFirstToUncoverAllConcernsandIssuesRightAway
Besuretofirstfindoutwhatisonthemindsofyourparentsbeforeyoustarttalkingatlength.Ifyou
waituntiltheveryendtoaddressquestions,youwillsurelyrunoutoftimeandleavelingeringconcerns.
Askparentstolisttheirinitialquestionsandconcernsandwritethemdownsoyoucanbesureto
addressthemallbeforeyourmeetinghasconcluded.Ifparentsneedhelptalking,askthemprobing
questionslikeWhatdoesyourchildsayhe/shelikesordislikesaboutourclassorhowdoyoufeelthe
schoolyearhasgonesofarforyourchild?

AddressAllConcernsThoroughly,CelebrateProgress,andMakePlansforFuture
Methodicallyaddresseachquestionandconcernandshareanexampleofhowthechildisworking
throughthatchallenge.Sharehoweducatorsaresupportingthechildwiththosechallenges(e.g.conflict
resolution,developmentallyappropriateness,andhowtheirbehaviorisnotuncommon).

Next,reviewtheoverallprogressthestudenthasmadebasedonyourobservations[play,socialskills,
etc]sincethebeginningoftheyear.

Andfinally,suggestaplanformovingforwardtosupportthedevelopmentofeachchildandsolicitthe
approval,suggestions,andsupportofparentsinyourplan.



ParentTeacherConferenceGuide
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Reflections

Childsname: Date:

Whatareafewmemorablemomentsthatyouandthechildhaveexperiencedtogether?
Whodoesthechildplaywith?
Whatmaterialsdotheyenjoyplayingwith?
Doesthechildenjoysensoryactivities?
Doesthechildenjoyoutdoorplay?
Howdoesthechildcontributetotheproject?
Howdoesthechildplay?Doesthechildengagewithothers?
Whatindependenceskillsareyouworkingonwiththechild?Washinghands?Toilettraining?
Snackdishes?Puttingonjacket?

Typesofplay
Inwhichwaysdoyouseethechildplay? Notes
Large-motorplay:Childrenlovetoclimb,
run,slide,swing,jump,andengageinevery
movementpossible.Suchplaydevelops
coordination,balance,andasenseofones
bodyinthespacearoundit.

Small-motorplay:Playwithsmalltoysand
materialssuchasstringingbeadsand
sortingobjectsdevelopsdexterity.

Masteryplay:Childrenoftenrepeatanaction
inplayandpersevereuntiltheymasterit.

Rules-basedplay:Enjoysthechallengeof
makinguptheirownrulesandthesocial
negotiationinvolvedinadaptingtherulesfor
eachplaysituation.

Constructionplay:Buildinghouses,forts,
andotherstructuresisabasicformofplay
thatinvolvesskillandimagination.

Make-believeplay:Thisbroadcategory
incorporatesmanyotherplaytypesandis
richwithlanguage,problem-solving,and


ParentTeacherConferenceGuide
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imagination.ItfrequentlybeginswithLets
pretendandgoesontoanythingchildren
mighthaveexperiencedorimagined.

Symbolicplay:Childrendevelopmasteryby
playingwithwords,rhymes,verses,and
songstheymakeuporchange.Theytell
storiesanddramatizethem.Theyare
fascinatedwithforeignlanguages.

Playingwiththearts:Childrenintegrateall
formsofartintotheirplay,usingwhatever
materialsareathandtodraw,model,create
music,perform,andsoon.Theyexplorethe
artsandusethemtoexpresstheirfeelings
andideas.(100Languages)

Sensoryplay:Mostchildrenenjoyplaying
withdirt,sand,water,andothermaterials
withdifferenttextures,sounds,andsmells.
Suchplaydevelopthesenses.

Rough-and-tumbleplay:Thisfundamental
formofplayisfoundinanimalsaswellas
humanchildren.Animalsknowhowtoplay
roughlywithoutinjurybyroundingtheirbody
gesturesandnotaimingfordominance.
Childrencanbehelpedtodothesameif
theirplaybecomestooaggressive.

Risk-takingplay:Childrenextendtheir
abilitiesthroughriskyplayandlearnto
masterchallengingenvironments.They
generallyknowhowfartheycangowithout
actuallyhurtingthemselves.