no show conferences

[cincy teacher]

I usually don't vent, but here goes.
I had a set of parents request a conference right after school. I confirmed that I would be available. Well, here it is 20 minutes past their conference time and NO PARENTS! Don't they realize that we don't get paid for conferences past our "contract" hours?

 

[teachfla]

Here's my solution

I never, ever, ever conferencce with parents outside my contract hours because of this. I'm tired of no-shows. I can't bill them like doctors and dentists can, so I don't call or meet after 2:45. I've had some parents balk at this, but most are respectful and understand that my time is just as valuable as theirs.

 

[fun_friend]

We have to meet anyway if parents don't show, particularly if the student is failing. We are a middle school and meet as a team. I'd say 50 percent of the parents are no-shows.

 

[Quatro]

No more after or before school

I use to give a meeting time right before or after school. NO MORE! Too many no-shows. I don't think they realize or care if we are paid. Sad to say but I don't think we are valued by these types. If you mention the no-show they will probably blame you anyway. Only give meeting times at your convenience. Good luck

 

[Anon]

I understand!

We had conferences Tuesday and Thursday evenings last week. We had a BIG snow storm on Monday evening lasting into Tuesday mid-day. We didn't have school on Tuesday. Yes, I cried all day!!! :-) NOT! And yes, the district didn't communicate well with the parents. On television, it said school "Cancelled. Conferences postponed." Instead of Tuesday and Thursday, they now planned for conferences on Wednesday and Thursday instead. Well, attendance Wednesday evening wasn't as high as usual. Many parents called in and found out when that the conferences were Wednesday.

I had a conference that was scheduled Tuesday - Now WEDNESDAY - with a mother that I really needed to talk with. The speech teacher also wanted to speak with this parent so we had doubled up our conference time - to share this 15 minutes together with this mother. The speech teacher even came to our school on her "spring break" to talk with this mother. As we were waiting for the mother to show, the speech teacher found out that I had called the mother at 1:00 during school and informed her of the change of evenings for conferences and she told me she'd still be there. And I had found out that the speech teacher had called and talked to the father and he told her that his wife would be there. Well - no show on Wednesday evening!

On Thursday evening - we had conferences from 4:00 - 8:00 after a full day of school - at 7:45. I was pretty booked with the schedule of conferences on Thursday evening. This mother walked to my door as I was saying "good bye and thanks" to my 7:30 to 7:45 parents and greeting my last set of parent for the scheduled 7:45 - 8:00 conference - She asked me if she could be "fit in this evening." WHAT??? At 7:45?!!??? I told her that I didn't have any more time for this evenings for conferences but I assured her that I would be willing to meet after our "spring break." I asked her to give me a call after "spring break" and then I would be able to share possible times I'd have available. She looked hurt and frustrated that she had to call me to make a conference time. She attempted to schedule the time right there. I was somehow firm and said, "I'm sorry. . . I don't have my schedule for April handy. Please call after our break and we'll find a time." I quickly turned and greeting my last conference parents and we walked into my classroom.

I'm sure this irritated this mother . . . but I wasn't going to stay another 15 minutes to visit with her. She has a history of going on and on with thoughts that don't even stay on topic and I would have been there until 9:00 before I can get her out of the room so I could go home. Without the knowledge that I had another set of parents and another conference to follow - she would have stayed all night! Besides I was car pooling with another co-worker and the other co-worker would have gotten angry with me to have to stay another 15 to 20 minutes.

 

[Mrs. G]

No shows

I hate no shows too! It is always the parents you need to meet with the most that don't show up. I document the no show conference and keep it on file just in case I should need it down the line for documentation.

 

[Miss C]

Grrrrrrrrr!

I feel your pain. One mom sent me a long note last week about how she wants to know if her child is going to pass 6th grade and she really wants to talk to me and stuff. So I wrote a note and asked her to come in Tuesday at 7:15. Then I saw her later and, since a short conference with her is nearly impossible, I said, "Why don't you come in at 7:00 so we can have a little more time? I have students coming in at 7:30, so that'll give us 30 minutes instead of 15." She says that's great. I saw her Monday and said, "I'll see you in the morning at 7:00" Well then, Tuesday morning at 7:15, she still wasn't there, so I went ahead to morning prayer meeting. She shows up and asks the office lady where I am. She says, "Miss C said your meeting was at 7:00, and she went on to prayer since you weren't here." She says, "Oh, she said 7:15 on the note. 7:15 is the very earliest I can meet. I could never meet at 7:00" Growl.

 

[ogteacher]

Grrr!

This is something that gripes my soul! For my classroom, parents sign up for conferences. I make some at night to accomodate parents who work, as well as have my daytime conferences. I have a sign up sheet on my door, and one on my class webpage. I post the conference times on my webpage, too, so they can easily check to see when they have signed up for if they forgot to write it down.

Not only will I have no shows, but many will actually ask me to schedule a different time for them, after school. Give me a break!

 

[imacacher]

Conferences

Ours are scheduled for the afternoons, 12:45-4:00 the Monday-Wednesday before Thanksgiving and Easter. Our students have half days.

I will schedule them from 8-8:45 also, b/c I have to be there but our kids don't come until 8:45.

In the fall, parents sign up, but in teh spring, we make the schedule. I schedule the ones I know won't show up last thing of the day to make sure that I'm outta there at 4. I've also learned (quickly!) to schedule the difficult/confrontational/argumentative parents in between two other times...it keeps their conferences to their 15 minute time limit.

 

[Mom4a_and_c]

conferences

I know it drives me crazy when they agree to a time and don't show up. It always, at least 99 percent of the time., are the parents of the kids who you need to talk to. The ones who are doing fine have parents who are early and considerate of the teacher.

Marie from PA

 

[Tounces]

conferences

I have conferences again tomorrow. I dread it because I know that I will have most parents come in late or not at all. I send home reminders in writing and tell the students how they really need to be on time because they are back to back. I'm leaving for lunch because if I'm there I probably will have a parent interrupt me. The school decided to have our book fair start this week. Someone's idea was to have the library open all day so parents could drop by and purchase books at any time. This will probably will help parents drop by my room at unscheduled times too. Can't wait for Spring break.

 

[tazzyleigh]

conferences

That is so frustrating. Should the parents want to reschedule ( and or course we know they will) I would say I would be glad to give a conference- a phone conference that is.

Most of the time the parents are as busy as we are and are happy to discuss issues over the phone.

Good Luck

 

[cincy teacher]

no show

The most frustrating thing about this is that the child is very bright and doing very well academically and behavior wise. Our spring break began yesterday, so the chances of them revisiting the conference request is probably slim~they'll probably forget, or shall I say I hope they forget. I think I will try to stay away from after school conferences because of this (unless it is conference day). It has just happened too many times. You know how it is we try to accomodate the parents.