Conferences tonight

**kimmee** · 11-05-2004, 10:19 AM

They have just become such a ridiculous waste of time - I always go in there with my list of questions for the teacher and I am whisked in and she bables on about how shes new and this is what she is trying to establish and here are 70 pages of junk that your kid has done and as you can see here is where he is on the crunchybetaskizzo scale and its all too fast and tells you nothing - the questions don't get answered - the tecaher says she s overwhelmed and hates conferences and then you are whisked out. I want to know how I can help MY child perform better in school, I want to know why he is getting satisfactory or unsatisfactory and how we can improve it to excellent. I want to know if he is being challenged and why he never has homework - why does he have to stay in on recess if he has no homework...Its so frustrating. In days of old teachers weren't forced to see 100 parents in one evening and they actually had time for your kid and you could work as a team to get your child the best possible education.

Aimee's conferences are worse - teachers sit in a circle and parents line up and walk around the circle. all the ever say is oh Aimee's doing great - well yeah, she's straight A's But Is she getting an EDUCATION ?? Is she learning anything - they don't even offer an excelerated program anymore. This is why I so wanted to homeschool but Bob's family was completely against it. I see the kids being rushed through with no excitement - no discovery - very mechanical and I JUST HATE IT!

**Guest1** · 11-05-2004, 10:22 AM

It is sad that teachers are expected to do so much with so little for so many & really just don't have the time to discuss each child fully with each parent.....

I can remember my mother going to one conference when I was a kid & we were slated for 30 minutes per teacher & GOT IT!! Of course, there were only 15 - 20 kids in our classes back then - it's twice that now in some places.....

Take a deep breath & maybe ask for a more extensive meeting some other time....

I really, really think teachers WANT to know that parents are indeed interested & care about their kiddos education!!

**guest2** · 11-05-2004, 10:46 AM

Kimmee

Deb's right, while you are at the conferences, ask to make and appointment to meet again so that you can discuss things in depth when the teacher also has more time to spend with you.

**Ellise** · 11-05-2004, 10:49 AM

ITA with Debbie, call and make an appointment with the teachers. I'm sure that during planning period or down time (which we have at the HS here) they'd be happy to meet with you.

**AmyBoz** · 11-06-2004, 02:41 PM

As a teacher, I concur with the ladies. Go to conferences, and while there, ask if there is another time that you can either come in or speak on the phone in some detail about your child. Any good teacher will welcome the opportunity to really share an exchange of ideas about every student, and should be willing to set up a time to have this meeting. Good luck!