Parent and Teacher Conferences

It is finally that time of year! This time of year offers an opportunity for the Owl class to take a deep breath and realize that the school year is in full swing and to relax into it. For the teachers, it is also a time to trust that there are still plenty more hours and days for all of the teaching that feels so vital and crucial to happen. For me, it is a time to trust there is time for everything.

Also, finally, it is time to more formally share time together as parents and teachers. It is “Parents and Teacher Conferences” time! Spending the days with all of your delightful children is such a gift. There are many moments of celebration and frustration and joy and sadness that the teachers of the Owl class are witness to every day. Conference times allow a sharing to happen so that parents may hear and feel how their children are moving through their days, how they are learning to be a person in the world. It is also a time to consider places of growth, opportunities for learning, and moments to build self-confidence. As much as we look to those areas of strength, we also look to those areas of challenge.

Preparing the conferences takes considerable amount of time because the hope of the teacher is to truly see that child, in her/his wholeness, and reflect as much of that as possible for the parents. It is with a lot of intention that the conference is prepared. Conferences also provide the opportunity for parents to ask questions that bring some clarification of what their children may share at home. Finally, having this sacred time together as parents and teachers creates in an important way the feeling of community. The feeling of community that comes from recognizing we are all here together, providing what is best for all of the children, creating and participating in our “village.”

Written by Tina Leonard