Setting the Stage – A Director’s Role in Family-Teacher Conferences

As I watch my favorite television show, my attention is immediately drawn to the actors and actresses, and especially the lead performers, around whom the story is based. They are front and center, and rightly so. But what makes them shine? Certainly, it’s the result of much hard work on their parts, but there are many others working behind the scenes that also contribute to the show’s success—the writers, stage hands, choreographer, and the stage designer, among many. The show would not be successful without the producer working to make each of these components come together.

Similarly, a lot goes into formal family-teacher conferences in early care and education programs. When we think about family-teacher conferences, we most often think of the main characters—the families and the teachers. Both groups have dedicated substantial time and effort to make sure each conference is successful and productive. Teachers invest in preparing for conferences through observations, assessments, and sometimes portfolios for each child and family. Families prepare by making time to attend the conference, sharing their own observations about their child’s progress, asking questions, and setting goals for their child.

We are less likely, however, to think about the behind-the-scenes role of early childhood administrators and the part they play in ensuring that conferences are meaningful, productive, and uplifting. Using the same metaphor of a television show, here are some behind-the-scenes tasks that will help ensure successful conferences.

Be intentional about timing.

The first decisions are how many conferences to have per year and when to have them. According to the Program Administration Scale: Measuring Whole Leadership In Early Childhood Centers (PAS), at the “good” level, the center will provide two formal conferences to discuss children’s learning and development per year at times that are convenient for working families. “Times convenient for working families” means being flexible and offering conferences outside of the center’s operating hours. In an ideal situation, programs will pay teachers or compensate them for their time for conferences outside of their scheduled hours. For conferences within center hours, extra staff (e.g., assistant directors, floating teachers, educational coordinators) might be scheduled to cover the classroom while the teacher is in conferences. Other options to increase family participation include scheduling virtual meetings or holding conferences off-site. Also, the earlier you let families and teachers know the timeframe of the conferences, the better chance they have to accommodate the schedule.

Provide clear expectations.

Teachers: If teachers are your lead actors, making sure they are able to express the program’s overall goals to families is important. Questions you might consider providing answers to include: Is there a conferencing format that all teachers use, individualized for each child? Do teachers know where conferences will be held and how long they will last? What is the policy and flexibility allowed for conferences scheduled outside of teachers’ scheduled hours? Do others (e.g., another teacher, health consultant, director) need to be involved? What type of follow-up from each conference is expected?

Families: Think of families as another main character who is critical to the success of the conference. How do you “advertise” to get them to show up? Are your conferences at times that are convenient for them to attend? Do they have a part in the conference? Who can attend the conference—only parents, or can another family member or friend attend as well? Can they bring their child or children? Is child care provided? Do they know what will be covered, and if they have specific concerns, will they be addressed at this time, or should they schedule another time to talk? Informing families ahead of time through the parent handbook, newsletter, emails, or via communication apps will help ensure the success of the conference.

Be mindful of space and location.

Typically, conferences are held at the child care center but, as mentioned above, some conferences might be held off-site, or via Zoom or FaceTime. Wherever they are held, conferences need to be in quiet, comfortable places, free from distractions, so that information and conversations will be private and confidential. In preparation for conferences, think about what you can do to make the space comfortable for teachers and families. If possible, have adult-sized seating and a table so children’s work and notes can easily be shared with families. Arrange chairs around a table to create a friendly atmosphere. Use children’s artwork, flowers, or other simple things to make the space welcoming. Offer water or coffee to drink and a comfortable, conversation-like atmosphere whenever possible.

Continue the conversation.

Families: A good television show leaves you hungry for more. That is how we can think of conferences as well. A good conference experience leaves teachers and families with a renewed sense of excitement and a desire to keep communicating. Has the teacher asked the family about the best way to stay in touch with them? Is it email, text, notes home, face-to-face? Let families know that the program wants to keep in touch, and share with them that the program views conferences as just one piece of an ongoing, collaborative relationship.

Teachers: After the productions (conferences) are over, carve out time for staff to reflect on how they went. Ask teachers to journal or discuss with their peers or supervisors what went well, ideas for future improvements, as well as how to continue to develop two-way communication with families. Be sure to show your appreciation for their dedication and commitment to working closely with the families in your program.

SELF-REFLECTION

As you begin a new school year, what are some additions or programmatic changes you might make to help assure that conferences are one of many practices you implement to foster healthy communication between families and teachers?

Are you interested in learning more about the PAS or our other program evaluation and support tools? The McCormick Center has a wide selection of professional development opportunities designed to meet the needs of center-based administrators, family child care providers, and those in technical assistance roles. Click here to learn more or contact us at PAS.BAS@nl.edu.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES

Couchenour, D. L., & Chrisman, K. (2004). Families, Schools, and Communities: Together for Young Children (2nd ed.). Delmar Learning.

Keyser, J. (2017). From parents to partners building a family-centered early childhood program. Redleaf Press.

Talan, T. N., Bella, J. M., & Bloom, P. J. (2022). Program Administration Scale: Measuring Whole Leadership in Early Childhood Centers (3rd ed.). Teachers College Press.

Paula Steffen, M.Ed., is a Quality Training Specialist for the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University. In this role, she serves as a National Anchor for the Program Administration Scale (PAS) and Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS). Previously she served as a State Assessor conducting assessments using the PAS, BAS, Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), and Environment Rating Scale (ERS) tools for ExceleRate – Illinois’ Early Childhood Quality Rating and Improvement System. In addition, she was the Illinois State Assessor Anchor for the PAS, BAS, and Infant Toddler Rating Scale (ITERS). Prior to joining the McCormick Center in 2007, Paula was the Professional Development Manager for Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, co-owned a child care center, and worked as a director and professional development advisor in both Head Start and community college-based programs.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Scaffolded Beginnings: Navigating Orientation with Intentional Design: Part 2: Making It Stick

By Leslie Layman • November 12, 2025

BY LESLIE LAYMAN Introduction: Building on Intentional Design In part one of this “Scaffolded Beginnings” series , Emilie Austin, McCormick Institute for Early Childhood’s Manager of Learning Design Experience, spoke to the importance of intentional design and scaffolding to support new employees in deepening their learning during orientation. This second part of the series covers the importance of operational leadership in helping that learning to “stick” so that employees can successfully apply skills learned in orientation to their new roles. Many organizations structure orientation as a “big day” of meeting people, reviewing handbooks and procedures, and maybe sharing coffee and sweets. On that day, new employees are taking on a new role, expectations, and culture while trying to understand and memorize functional processes and procedures. Going beyond the big day by applying intentional environmental design and contextual, participatory learning theory in your day-to-day helps your employees own and grow into their place in your organization’s culture. Applying a Reggio-Inspired Approach to Onboarding Intentional leaders are responsible for both the administrative leadership of the workplace environment and the strategic leadership and guidance of the organization. Both areas are involved in scaffolding new employees from understanding what they have learned during orientation to applying that information in their new role throughout and beyond the onboarding and training process (Talan, Masterson, & Bella). Loris Malaguzzi’s Reggio approach to early childhood education is a useful framework for thinking of and planning for new employees as learners and participants in the environment, as well as educators and carers of children and families. “To make a lovable school, industrious, inventive, liveable, documentable and communicable, a place of research, learning, re-cognition and reflection, where children, teachers and families feel well - is our point of arrival.” -Loris Malaguzzi (Sourced from: Institutionzione del Comune di Reggio Emilia ) Each of the Reggio Values can be used to create a shared learning space where educators and children can thrive. A few examples include: Children are active protagonists in their growing processes And so are adult learners! Find ways to make new employees the “lead” in the story of their onboarding. New employees can participate in individualized goal setting to help them feel in control of their professional development. Progettazione/Designing People of all ages learn by doing. Support new employees to participate in designing training and learning experiences rather than providing only pre-planned or scripted training. The Hundred Languages People bring all of themselves, their experiences, and their ways of being to learning and work environments, and they gain new knowledge through active co-construction. Integrating learning experiences into the work environment can help training become more memorable and easier to apply. One example is implementing training on technology or documentation tools as they are being used in context. Participation New employees need opportunities to participate in the environment as they are learning and to experience the emotions and culture of the role. Observation time is important, and being an active team member early on is also important. Organization and the Environment Intentional planning of the way in which employees will interact with the space makes learning more fluid. Some ideas include: making sure that the resources needed for tasks are in functional locations, having deadlines for documentation or responding to family communications built into the daily schedule, and modeling intentional care for children by demonstrating deliberate care for the space. Thoughtfully organize adult materials and create a welcoming, inviting environment for adults and children. Leadership Insight: Apply what you know about Learning and environments The same principles of guiding the learning and independence of children in the educational environment can be applied when helping new staff to move beyond understanding their role to actively embodying their role on your early care and education team. This process can be applied using the early education and care philosophies that are most important to you and relevant to your leadership context. Reflecting on the philosophical and curricular choices you have made for your program and why you chose them can help you think about how you may want to apply those approaches for adult learning. This strategy works because it is integrated and intentional, and it builds skills by modeling skills in the “real world” context to make them stick. Resources for Further Exploration Scuole E Nindi D’Infanzia, Institutionzione del Comune di Reggio Emilia. (N.D). Reggio Emelia Approach. Reggiochildren.it, https://www.reggiochildren.it/en/reggio-emilia-approach/ Beirmeier, M. (2015). Inspired by Reggio Emilia: Emergent Curriculum in Relationship-Driven Learning Environments. Young Children, 70(5), https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/nov2015/emergent-curriculum Schlieber, M. & McLean, C. (2020). Educator Work Environments Are Children’s Learning Environments: How and Why They Should Be Improved. Sequel, January 21, 2020. https://cscce.berkeley.edu/blog/educator-work-environments-are-childrens-learning-environments-how-and-why-they-should-be-improved/ Citations Scuole E Nindi D’Infanzia, Institutionzione del Comune di Reggio Emilia. (N.D). Values. Reggiochildren.it, https://www.reggiochildren.it/en/reggio-emilia-approach/ Talan, T., Masterson, M., & Bella, J. (2023, April 4). Whole leadership: A framework for early childhood programs – 2023. Whole Leadership: A Framework for Early Childhood Programs – 2023 | McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.