Parent-Teacher Meetings: A Simple Prep Checklist

Parent-teacher meetings can be some of the most tiring evenings of the school year. Fifteen or more short conversations, back to back, each one important to the family in front of you.

A little preparation makes them calmer for you and more useful for parents. Here’s a simple checklist.

The week before

• Jot three points per child. One strength, one area to work on, one thing parents can do at home. Our free Parent-Teacher Meeting Notes sheet is laid out for exactly this.
• Gather work samples. One piece of work says more than any comment.
• Flag the tricky ones. If a conversation might be difficult, talk to your principal or a colleague beforehand.

On the night

• Start with a positive. Every parent wants to hear that their child is seen.
• Keep to time. Offer a follow-up meeting if a conversation needs longer.
• Write one line after each meeting. You won’t remember the details by Friday.

Look after yourself

Eat before you start. Bring water. Plan something easy for the next morning. A long evening of conversations is real work, and it’s fine to be tired after it. Our post on 6 small wellbeing habits for teachers has more ideas for busy weeks.

What teachers say

“The Mental Health Fitness course has been a valuable and insightful experience. It has deepened my understanding of the importance of emotional wellbeing and provided practical strategies that can be used both personally and within the classroom. I found the focus on mindfulness, emotional regulation, positive self-talk, and building resilience particularly beneficial.”

Catherine, 1st-3rd class teacher, on Mental Health Fitness

Go deeper

Mental Health Fitness is our online EPV summer course on emotional wellbeing, for you and your class. It’s done online, at your own pace. See Mental Health Fitness or browse all our EPV summer courses.

Free downloads in this post: Parent-Teacher Meeting Notes