Parent Conferences

It doesn't matter how many years I've been doing this or how I know, logically, that the same thing happens every year, but here's how it always goes: I get worried, worried sick, almost, about meeting with all my students' parents. No matter how prepared I am for the conferences, or how hard I've been working with the students, I always get all these gut twisting fears. I worry the parents will ask me questions that imply I'm not doing enough, or that they'll express extreme dissatisfaction with their child's experience in my classroom. I start worrying at least a week before, and then worry almost nonstop for a week stright.

And then the conferences will actually happen and they'll be wonderful. I'll enjoy meeting the parents, delight in celebrating the students, and skillfully coach the students through a goal setting process. I'll end up feeling a sense of gratitude from the parents, and a renewed determination to help them all reach their fullest potential. All in all it's always a positive experience. But---that doesn't change one bit the extreme anxiety I get the next time they come around.

Tomrrow and Tuesday are our fall conferences, so I'm in the anxious phase right now. I'll be glad when they're over.