Vanishing School Tradition
December 15, 2022 2023-03-24 13:34Vanishing School Tradition
The end of parent teacher conferences
Education is crucial in a child’s life. As children learn, their parents are updated and notified about their progress, a 10–30-minute conference is often enforced as a casual check-up with both the teacher and guardians. This can pose as a good experience, but the efficiency is questionable. These face-to-face conferences gives every party a chance to share academic progress and growth based on classroom observations. As well as the student’s strengths, needs, behaviors, and learning styles.
Historically, conferences have been the main forum for communication between teachers and parents. These meetings create substantial relationships between the parents and teachers concerned with educational and emotional growth.
Unfortunately, in parent-teacher conferences, some parents fail to show up, and those who do leave 15 minutes after asking about their child’s behavior and progress, lack the will to pay attention. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, attendance for parent-teacher conferences drops dramatically through the grade levels from 89% in K–2 to 57% in high school. In the eyes of parents, the importance of these meetings is slowly losing its meaning resulting in declining interest.
Back in the early 2000s, it was not so easy to tap a button and pull up grades, schedules, attendance, etc. Therefore, the idea of visiting schools for checkpoints was appealing. The rapid rise of technology has made checking grades and contacting teachers accessible at home. Campus districts deliver email addresses, and teacher web pages have all assisted in closing the void between teachers and students.
While it can be considered a good thing, it has also rendered parent-teacher conferences unnecessary. Data has revealed that attendance at these conferences has decreased over time, that currently, there is no justification to carry on this outdated tradition.
