Conferences

We have 2 Thursday nights {5:00-9:00} and 1 full Friday for conferences.  Seems like a lot.  I've said that every year but they like to offer 2 night choices I guess.  Conferences were last week and it was a whirl-wind of a week!  I was Last-Minute Lucy and procrastinated on the sorting of the paperwork.  I got it all done, so it wasn't too big of a deal!  Also, I was so happy to have my Parent Teacher Conference pack to get me through.  I swear I don't know how I got through conferences before without it!

So the night before conferences I realized that I had nothing hanging in the hallway outside my door. I woke up suddenly at 3:30 a.m. realizing this.  #thisismylife  I ALWAYS change out the things outside my door.  How could I have let this happen?!?!  As soon as I woke up Thursday morning, I zoomed to my computer and searched for a craft for my kids to make.  We had been studying fiction and had read one of my favorites, Corduroy during the week.  We did a graphic organizer from my Differentiated Graphic Organizers pack to go with it.  I knew I could find a simple Corduroy craft...and low and behold...THIS saved my butt!  Thank you, Rhonda!  Although I don't know you, you are a life-saver!  

So back to Wednesday night around 8:00 pm---This is what my basement looked like while I was sorting {but my entire floor was full of piles-too ashamed to photograph the whole thing!}: 

I had all of my kids most recent assessments done and all forms/papers copied.  I just made a stack for each child.  Once at school, I placed the stacks into hanging file folders.  I did yellow folders for the 1st Thursday night conferences and green for the Friday conferences.  I put the folders in order in a hanging file folder caddy.  I left it on the floor next to me so I wouldn't have a lot on my table.  As the conferences began, I just snagged the folder I needed and went through the contents in order.  

I updated my class reading level and Math unit test graphs.  I moved them to behind my table for conference time so I could reference them during conferences.  Having these visuals really shows parents where their kids are in perspective to the class as a whole.  I had mine blown up at Office Depot a few months ago.

I had some handouts ready to give the parents, which they always appreciate.  Most were from my conference pack but the website one is from A Year of Many Firsts.

Conferences went off without a hitch this year!  I'm glad to have most of them over with.  Now it's full speed ahead to Christmas!  Oh year, and Thanksgiving, too!  LOL!  Have a great evening!

xo

Megan