Parent-Teacher Conferences

Today is the beginning of parent-teacher conferences. It is the bane of every teacher. For us, it means we teach a normal day, then spend the next 3-1/2 hours talking to parents about their kids. And we have to be very, very political about it. And then we return to do it again the next day from 8:00am to 4:00pm. It's exhausting. And we're already feeling dead.

I have a few tough conferences. One kid is getting an F. He has EARNED that grade through not paying attention, not doing the work and messing about. But his parents think he's god's gift and that the school (incl teachers) are not supporting him. Now I can tell them that I gave him several opportunities to make up work, to get extra points...but he didn't help himself. I'm not looking forward to this.

Another kid wants to take the AP exam in my class (like an A Level exam). He is a low B student in my normal Psychology course, has missed quite a few classes and is a bit lax during classes that he attends. I'm sure his dad will ask how he'll do in the AP and I will have to say that he needs to attend class, that he needs to put in more work and that he has to do work outside of class in order to do as well as he needs on the AP (at least a 4 out of 5...which is doubtful!).

So...keep me in mind the next two days. It's not going to be fun. Sigh.

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So...yesterday went relatively well. Had some VERY intense parents. It's funny how the kids who are not doing hardly anything have such focused parents. What happened? But I have a plan for all of them which makes the parents happy.

My worst meeting was this morning with two parents who are well known for being obnoxious. But they weren't. In fact they were funny and appreciative of what I'm trying to do for their kid (who is very badly failing my course). We'll see if I can get this kid to do some work...kinda scary prospects to be honest.

So, only two more to go...and both are great kids who are doing very well. Easy peasy!

Almost the weekend....