Parents Meeting In September To Discuss Curriculum, Routines, Reading

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I am currently in my second year of teaching and have changed schools. At my new school I have been told that all the teachers have a parents evening where we discuss routines, curriculum and reading. I will be teaching reception. Last year I taught Reception/ Y1 and found the hardest and most difficult part of teaching was dealing with parents. I just felt like parents thought I was young and I was so scared of confrontational parents. Last year the former reception teacher led the new parents evening and I was ok with that but the thought of this parents evening in September fills me with dread! I'm already panicking! I believe I am a good teacher but I struggle with confidence dealing with parents. Its scares me that I will do a presentation in front of 30 parents! and I worry they will think I am not capable or I might get my words wrong!

 

Anyway, I am just wondering if anyone else felt like me or did early on in their teaching career? what happens if I mess this evening up?? I know I am silly to worry about this now but its playing on my mind!

 

Rachel.

[Guest]

I work in an early years unit with teachers who have 18 years experience of teaching and dealing with parents,but come september when we have a parents evening and they get up to talk they are still nervous.

try to put information onto power point so you dont have to talk as much and also have very low backgound music as this helps to keep calm.

get other members of S.M.T to talk as well so its not all up to you.

good luck and dont worry .

enjoy the holidays.

[luluj]

Hi Rachel, Think MARYS advice really good. Powerpoint presentation enables a visual stimulus and its preperation will be really good for you in terms of helping you to 'revise and revisit' what you want to say.And because you will have put much time, thought (and probably several draftings) into its preperation this will really help develop your confidence. Our deputy is one of the most confident,knowledgable and articulated practitoners I have ever met but hates speaking in front of an audience thinking she is awful. In fact she's brilliant! Preperation is the key! You'll be great! luluj

Edited July 21, 2007 by luluj

[Guest]

Thanks for your speedy replies! I will definately take your advice on board and prepare a presentation. I think I just need to forget about it this summer and worry about it in Sept

[Guest]

Hiya, its hard giving presentations and I think as everyoine else says if you prepare a powerpoint it will focus on what you want to say - perhaps break it down into sections - like settling in and transition, general housekeeping eg lunch money, sickness, uniform, book changing or home reading or anything that you know causes you problems, routines of the day - I know as a parent its quite good to know what the children are doing and when e.g. if you do cooking/pe on a particular day as it gives us an opening for discussing what they have done that day - rather than the what did you do today - nothing reply. Then perhaps go into a little bit of why they do what they do - bring in a little child development and briefly explain the ELG's and how the curriculum is offered. Most parents will want to know about reading and writing so you might want to touch on your own personal ethos and explain why things are done in a certain way. You may even want to support this with a handout of some kind. Explain where they can find out what you are doing on a weekly/monthly whatever basis and how you plan for an individuals learning. Think of the things you get most questions asked about and this is probably a good place to start. I am sure it will be great and once you have the format which may take you some time if you are like me then it will work out just fine and you will have nothing to worry about.

Nikki

[Guest]

Don't forget to include what parents should be doing, eg reading to their children, ensuring that all their clothes are labelled, and how that ties in with what you are doing. This hoepfully with shift the onus onto a partnership and not just on to what they expect from you. good luck