PARENTS-TEACHERS MEETINGS communication with parents and the parent can be part of it. The teacher a great deal.
part of it. The teacher a great deal. There are a number of
Parents-Teachers Meetings
A parent-teacher meeting (also known as
parent-teacher conference) is a once per
term, short conference between students'
parents and teachers. It is a chance for
parents to meet their child's teachers and
review any issues or concerns the parents
or teachers may have with child/student's
performance.
Necessity for Parents-Teachers
Meetings
When parents are involved in their
children's education, both children and
parents are likely to benefit. Researchers
report that parent participation in their
children's schooling frequently:
• enhances children's self-esteem
• improves children's academic
achievement
• improves parent-child
relationships
• helps parents develop positive
attitudes towards school
• and a better understanding of the
schooling process.
Despite these advantages, it is not always
easy for parents to find time and energy to
become involved or to coordinate with
schedules for school events. For some
parents, a visit to school is perceived as an
uncomfortable experience, perhaps a
holdover from their own school days.
Others may have their hands full with a job
and other children. The availability and
cost of babysitters are other factors.
Therefore, the principal, the teachers and
other school staff must make special
efforts, such as organizing Parents-
Teachers Meetings, to increase
encourage involvement in children's
learning experiences.
Importance of Parents-Teachers
Meetings
Experienced educators say that it is
impossible to educate a child unless
his/her parents maintain united authority
both between themselves and with the
school. This union of authority will not
simply occur accidentally. Rather, it will
result only from the combined efforts of
parents and teachers.
There will come many instances where
some behavior by the child needs to be
discussed. This is why it is important to
have these meetings.
If the child is lacking in some area, then it
is the best time for them to start discussing
those issues. It is there that you will hear
of anything to do with the ease with which
the child gets distracted. The parents will
in turn suggest what methods the teacher
can implement to improve classroom
environment. Consequently, should the
parents have any questions, criticisms, or
suggestions relative to the operation of the
school, they might require an opportunity
to discuss with the teachers and the
principal of the school. Most of the time the
behavior of the child is related to the things
that go on at home. Therefore, if there is a
problem, then it is likely to carry over to the
school. They can share ideas about how
the child’s homework should be
supervised.
The meetings in many cases are in a way
that the parent benefits more from them
compared to what the school gets. They
are in a nutshell a talking point of how best
to let the child be taught in school and how
gets to familiarize with the circumstances
the child goes home to.
If a meeting with the teacher does not
solve a difficulty, parents are asked to
confer with the principal either privately or
in the presence of the teacher. At times,
the teacher or the principal may find it
necessary to confer with parents.
Teachers often gain insights into children’s
problems when they have an opportunity
to discuss them with parents.
Benefits of Parents-Teachers Meetings
Parents-Teachers meetings should be
viewed positively. These meetings enable
the parent to gain vital information about
their child and how he or she is doing in
school, both academically and socially. It is
an opportunity where parents and teachers
discuss goals for the child. Parents and
teachers can learn if they are both on the
same page in regards to the child’s
academic expectations--as well as
emotional and social expectations. It is a
great time for the lines of communication
to be opened up between the parent and
teacher. Becoming familiar with the
teacher will help to make the parent more
comfortable in approaching the teacher if a
problem or issue arises at a later date.
Challenges in Involving Parents
All teachers experience the frustration of
trying to involve parents and getting little
response. Teachers complain that parents
do not come to meetings. This leads some
teachers to conclude that parents do not
care about their children's education. While
it is true that the emotional problems of a
few parents may be so great as to prevent
them from becoming involved with their
children's education, most parents do care
reasons why these parents may not
become involved, and teachers need to
consider these before dismissing parents
as uninterested.
For many parents, a major impediment to
becoming involved is lack of time. Working
parents are often unable to attend school
events during the day. In addition,
evenings are the only time these parents
have to spend with their children, and they
may choose to spend time with their family
rather than attend meetings at school.
For many apparently uninvolved parents
school was not a positive experience and
they feel inadequate in a school setting.
Parents may also feel uneasy if their
cultural style or socioeconomic level differ
from those of teachers. Some parents who
are uninvolved in school may not
understand the importance of parent
involvement or may think they do not have
the skills to be able to help. Even parents
who are confident and willing to help may
hesitate to become involved for fear of
overstepping their bounds. It is the
responsibility of teachers and
administrators to encourage such parents
to become involved.
Conclusion
Parents-teachers meetings help to
communicate to parents the areas their
children are excelling in and to give them
specific ideas of how to improve upon their
child’s performance. Parents-Teachers
meetings should be used as a platform to
make a lasting bond with the parent to
increase the likelihood of academic
success for their child.