Teacher Parent Conference How Many of You Parents Have To Just Show Up and Waite in Line?

Question

The school my young teen goes to in the next town over when parent and teacher conferences go on we parents have to show up at the school and wait in long lines to speak to the teacher about our child (mind you in public talking about private issues).
I am wondering is this a normal way that middle schools do these conferences? I do not remember doing it this way when I went to school.
I would rather not go to these and missed this one, however I do care about my teens education. Just not comfy about talking about my child's personal issues in public! I think my child might be embarrassed by this. Living in a small town privacy is hard to come by (gossip, gossip).

When I do get to talk to the teacher they just don't seam to care what I have to say..

How many of you out there feel the same way I do?
Would you like to talk about your child's private issues in public?
Is this the way your school does there parent teacher conferences?
Do you feel this is just small town backwardness

My younger child has a form of autism and this child my too (he is very smart and very board in school) , so there are issues I like to talk over with there teachers. This is not open house but conferences.
I do keep in almost daily usually weekly contact with the schools my children tend. Some teachers just seam to be unapproachable.

Answer 1

Many schools do it that way, which can be a pain. The school i teach at does it alittle different. We give the parents the students schedule and we have a ten minutes periods and the parents go through their childs day. This is good bc pnce you give an overview of the class only a few parents ask specfic questions.

Answer 2

I teach high school, and we have conferences next Tuesday. The students are dismissed at 11am, we get an hour for lunch, then what happens is this: we have to be in our classrooms between 12-4, we have a break, then between 5 and 8 we go back to our rooms. The parents who want to come talk to us just show up and come to our classrooms. If we don't have any parents, we can do whatever we need to do; plan lessons, grade papers, organize our resources. We CAN leave our classrooms for short periods, to go make copies, for example, but the admin. prefers us not to be out of them for long.

I always put a desk or two in the hallway outside in case I'm busy with a parent, then others can sit and wait, out of earshot, or they can go check with another teacher and come back to me later. I don't like to sit behind my desk at conferences, I usually pull up a student desk and sit facing the parent so we can talk. That's what it's about.

I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean about talking about your child's progress in public... could you give more details?

It's too bad that the teachers don't seem to care what you have to say. As a teacher, the most important thing I can do in a parent-teacher conference is LISTEN to what the parent is saying, as I try to see things from THEIR point of view. That doesn't mean I will change my own opinion, but at least I will understand where the parent is coming from.

No matter how uncomfortable you feel, please go to the conferences... I'm so glad you care about your child's education, I wish I had more parents who did!

Good luck!

Answer 3

I think it's just small town lazy. Our "Open House" is just that - everybody goes and it's pretty much a waste of time. Individual conferences are just the parent(s) and the teacher - maybe a Guidance Counselor and sometimes they bring the child in at the end. They schedule plenty of time and speak only about your child - in private!
If this is what's happening in Middle School - wait 'til High School - you'll have to beg them to speak to you.
Our community is about 30,000 people. One LARGE industry - on it's way out - and LOTS of farming. School District is NOT great.

Answer 4

I've waited in line, and to be honest, that's fine with me, but the bit about having to speak in public about your child seems off base. I'd suggest that you show up, and when it is your turn, say "I'll just close the door now so we can talk", or ask the teacher to join you somewhere else. If you are still not getting anywhere, call the principal. If you still get no where, speak to other parents that you see (on line if necessary) and see if you can get a bunch of folks who agree with you to make a stink. (nicely).

Best of luck.

Answer 5

I think you should become more involved and 'waite' in line like everyone else. If there are things going on you do not want to discuss in public, make an appointment and talk to the teacher in private. Does it really matter 'how many of us feel this way'? Small town backwardness? Grow up, if you don't like where you live, move. Spend more time with your kids and less time on Yahoo Answers.