Phone Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
1-800-933-ASCD (2723)
Address 1703 North Beauregard St. Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
Complete Customer Service Details
September 2016 | Volume 58 | Number 9
Sarah McKibben
For some parents, teacher conferences are more speed dating than substance. Learn how to make them worth the price of admission.
You could hear a pin drop in high school classrooms across Frederick County, Maryland. Rather than the buzz of chatter from parent-teacher conferences, there was a notable silence—caused by a string of unfilled appointments. In fact, across the district's 10 high schools, parents signed up for just 18 percent of available conference slots; and teachers spent, on average, two of the 10 instructional hours set aside to talk with parents.
The poor attendance nudged the school board to eliminate high school conferences altogether. Kathryn Groth, Frederick County Public Schools board member, says the district is instead promoting on-demand conferences and other parent engagement initiatives.
Join the education organization for all educators.
Get full access, plus expert resources and solutions to support whole child education.
Subscribe to ASCD Express, our free email newsletter, to have practical, actionable strategies and information delivered to your email inbox twice a month.
ASCD respects intellectual property rights and adheres to the laws governing them. Learn more about our permissions policy and submit your request online.