To be dreading face to face parents evening Thursday

@Miffee I think the issue is not that teachers don’t want to meet parents: often far from it, there are many parents we really would like to meet with but who don’t seem to want to talk to us about the work ethic of their child. It’s the fact that this expectation is “at any time”, including late evenings. (On a similar note, perhaps opticians, shoe shops and banks could also routinely offer on demand late evenings, as that’s when I am available.)

In the evening we do the work we need to do in order to ensure that our actual teaching work can happen: children waiting for twenty minutes for us to write a ppt or download differentiated work won’t work all that well. Oh and see my own family, to do some parenting.

I can only assume that the teachers in @Tolson DH’s school share the delight of their £19500 salary, bonuses and excellent working conditions by allowing others to take over their jobs on a regular basis. Not all free schools are like this: DH is a deputy head in one and it follows standard terms and conditions. If anything the working conditions seem favourable.

Online parents eves worked so much better for parents and teachers. For working parents they are a godsend.

Teachers are paid for 1265 hours across 195 days-so 6.48 hours a day or 32.5 hours a week (not dissimilar from the public sector roles) . That is basically the time with children plus a small amount extra of directed time (parents evenings, staff meeetings etc)

How mush of your unpaid time do you give every week ? The DfEs own surveys show that for most teachers it is 55 hours- so 17.5 hours a week unpaid but you want them to give more?

Any teacher replying to an email from a print is almost certainly doing it in their own time

@Miffee It's the late evening and early morning comment alongside the home visit.
I have no problem with speaking to parents during reasonable hours, say 8-4.30. I'm not phoning someone late in the evening when I'm with my own family.

Parents evening only takes place a couple of times year - it's part of the role!

our school has a bell that goes off after 5mins is up so no over running

And the Ofsted focus on teacher workload? L&M judgements have been impacted in some schools where the Head and governors have not taken teacher world into account.

And how does that align with the DfE push for free schools to consider teacher workload?

Genuinely aghast at how controversial this comment is.

At times I had to miss parents evening multiple schools (2 primaries and a secondary) assured me that I could arrange another appointment with teachers. Indeed I thought it was completely normal to be able to access a teacher to discuss issues outside of parents evening. Why wouldn't it be?

Utterly bizarre that people think your husband is a monster. This isn't a great look for teachers.

@waterrat

5 min per kid in a secondary clocks up about 30 hours, and then 2 written reports a year takes about ten min per child so that’s 60 hours… and then open evenings, etc etc. It all add up, on top of a long busy day with no breaks

I’m a parent who is a massive fan of online parent’s evening. No rushing home from work, being in the hall for an hour, not getting in with every teacher (some years including maths) over 3 kids. Then waiting behind that parent! Live it staying focussed and being managed in 5 minutes. The teachers are also primed so they have your kids info at hand.

@waterrat

No one begrudges 5 minutes, but from a secondary school point of view, 5 mins per teacher is enough. Overall this gives you at least 40 minutes discussing your child's progress in each subject.

Do you have any proposals for how to increase the length of the appointments while staying within teachers directed time limits?

@doingitforthegirls
Cuts out after the allotted time.

So should face to face appointments. Well done for outing yourself as someone who thinks they're special and need extra time, therefore messing up the rest of the evening for everyone.

I agree - not nice to read the contempt in the OP (though I suspect she’s aiming to be h i l a r I o u s)

Is your husband the yoni man by any chance?

Can you give yourself an easier day today? So less direct teaching and put on a few documentaries?! Depends what you teach and age I guess! I teach RE/ethics secondary so there is always something interesting they can watch

@Tolson - you do sound like a good little wifey, being so intimately familiar with the goings on at your husband’s place of work.

Or are you a tea… I mean, learning journey facilitator there yourself?

I don’t know what you’re all moaning about. Face to face sessions were only 5 minutes per teacher and were absolutely chaotic. The online system is much better and much calmer. Parents evenings are not supposed to be an in-depth analysis of Little Johnny’s (Our Lord and Saviour) prodigious knowledge of ox bow lakes. They’re a ‘what he’s doing well, what he could do to improve, and any concerns’ and that’s all you need. For anything more serious a separate meeting can be offered. OP I agree with you - online is the way forward. We have the technology - we should use it.

@Tolson you sound like a brochure or a press release. And also a little bit brainwashed.

“My husband…” 😳

LOL - best reverse ever.

I retired recently after teaching many years. Parents’ nights are the WORST. I can’t think of a single colleague who enjoyed them. Then you have to be there on Friday, exhausted after your Thursday evening trial by fire.

I should have said that while refusing to discuss the detention at the parents' evening, lard it with: This is plainly very important and needs a different place and time....." Hand over the card.

Don't let them them run over. Say: I have to see the next parent now, and get up from your seat. Have a stack of cards with your school email and phone number to arrange a time to discuss matters further.

Refuse to discuss detentions, keep saying: Tonight is discuss your DC's progress, I'm happy to make a separate time to discuss the detention. Rinse.Repeat.Hand over the card.

I've done this. Some don't like it, but tough.

Online is crap - trying to keep younger children quiet so you can stay focussed and hear what the teacher is saying. Cuts out after the allotted time. Parents evening is not a new thing. It's part of the job description

Online is so much better, obviously more private and the time pressure of a fixed slot allows for a more focussed and constructive dialogue.
You can tell the teachers who know the kids and care when they are specific about learning goals, strengths and weaknesses and ask that you email with any further questions, the others are a waste of time.

If a teacher (or a parent) waits until parents’ evening to raise a serious issue then neither are doing their job properly.