The Parent Conference

Since I opened up my studio ten years ago, I have required all parents to attend a year-end parent/teacher conference. The conference is always scheduled the week after spring term ends. This year it will be the first week in June. Every parent is required to attend in order to register for lessons in the next year. Parents sign up for 30-minute time slots per child. Students that are age 15 or older may join their parents but it is not required.

I really enjoy meeting with the parents to discuss how the year went, goals for next year, and areas that are in need of improvement. Another item of business in the conference is scheduling lesson times for the following year. Usually parents are thinking ahead and know what their child’s school and activity schedule will include. Some are already asking for lesson time changes in preparation for next year. For advancing students, it may be time to discuss and recommend a longer lesson time. This really helps in jump starting my planning for the fall and eases my job in August when putting together my final schedule.

To stay on task in the conference, I give assignments to both parents and students in preparation for the conference. Students are to fill out a student report that includes the following questions:

1. What was your favorite part of piano lessons this year?
2. What was your least favorite part of piano lessons?
3. What area of piano study appeals to you most? (new pieces, sight reading, performing, review pieces, favorites, technique, thoery, improvisation, composistion, etc.)
4. What is your favorite piece you can still play?
5. Is there a special piece of music you would like to learn?
6. What are your goals for next year?
7. What is your piano dream?
8. What is your favorite book?
9. What is your favorite movie?

Parents have fun sharing what their child wrote on the student report and it gives us both a lot of insight! In addition, it is fun to see the reports change from year to year for each individual student as they grow and mature. The piano dream question is especially enlightening – here are just a few responses:

– “to play piano for the rest of my life because it makes me happy”
– “to be a composer”
– “to play for and impress audiences”
– “to perform to make people happy”

Parents must also fill out a questionnaire that includes the following:

1. Does your child enjoy playing the piano?
2. Is your child willing to practice most of the time without protesting?
3. Are you currently satisfied with the amount and quality of practice time?
4. What obstacles stand in the way of practice (i.e., homework, school activities, sports, and other outside activities)? Is your child overscheduled? Are you overscheduled?
5. Are you currently satisfied with your child’s progress? If not, what can I do to help?

My experience with the parent conference has been very positive and it is a part of my studio program that I find indispenable to keeping the lines of communication between parent and teacher open.