1. Several teachers recently attended a professional development workshop on how to approach a parent–teacher conference effectively. The workshop presenter suggested three potential strategies. Below are examples of three teachers each describing the particular strategy they use. How would you evaluate each approach?

Which teacher’s approach do you think would be most successful?

Why? What could you do to strengthen their approaches? Can you see yourself implementing any of these three strategies? Why or why not?

a. Teacher #1—I take the “sandwich” approach. I start with something positive, continue with the things that the child needs to work on, and finish with something positive. I also have the child’s portfolio with me the day of the conference.

b. Teacher #2—It is extremely important to start with a positive statement about the students and to point out any positive experience that child has had to date. I like to make sure that as the parent ends the conference, I review two or three main things the student must do to become an even better student and ask that the parent contact me in a couple of weeks to see if there has been an improvement.

c. Teacher #3—I write notes about the child before the conference and put them into two categories: Strengths and Goals. This helps me to stay focused on the child and their strengths and needs both academically and behaviorally.