Scenario:
In your student teaching experience, you learned a number of important lessons about holding parent–teacher conferences, including what can go wrong. Now that you are a teacher yourself, you want to be proactive. You invite parents to a parent coffee in which you give a presentation to summarize what they can expect to happen during the upcoming parent–teacher conferences. One of your goals is to be crystal clear about the purpose of the conference. Second, you describe the work samples and other types of data and/or artifacts you will likely bring to the conference. Third, to reassure parents that you will be as professional and supportive as possible, include a section in your presentation that describes what your conferences will not be (e.g., you being the “expert”).

Focus Assignment

1. Create a PowerPoint presentation to prepare parents for an upcoming parent–teacher conference. First, create four  slides that offer examples of the topics that you plan to discuss at the conference. Next, create three  slides that describe the types of student work samples, data and/or artifacts you plan to bring to the conference. Last, create three slides that describe the pitfalls you sincerely wish to avoid during parent conferences. Include a final slide that invites parents to offer feedback.

2. Be sure to read the SELF-EVALUATION section below to guide your thinking. Write your self-evaluation after you have completed your PowerPoint presentation.

Self-Evaluation

1. For each slide in your PowerPoint presentation:
     a. Explain how this slide addresses the issues in the scenario.

2. Describe and justify how your PowerPoint presentation would improve teaching and learning in the scenario.