Work ?

lovebug33

The first day I go back to work is also nighttime parent conference night. So, I will have to leave for work at 7:00 in the morning and not get home until 8 at night. DH will have to do the same thing because we both teach. I just can't fathom leaving baby for that long the first day back and also making mom watch her that long. I am thinking of asking my boss, who isn't nice, if I could do night conferences a different day. Do you think I should do that? I'm having major anxiety about going back to work since I haven't even met the kids and I have to do conferences and this is giving me even more anxiety!

whynotwhynot

Maybe your mom could bring your baby for a visit during lunch?

danieliza1127

It never hurts to ask!

ASmallWonder

As much as it will suck, I think you're better off just doing it.  Think about the parents with more than one kid at your school who might work odd shifts and would then need to take off twice to meet on regular parent night for one kid and then another night for the kid in your class.   Do you get a break between the end of the regular school day and the conferences?  Could your mom bring your baby to spend a little time with you?

ks3pink

I would just say that I couldn't do it but would be glad to do it another night. This is what I told the EC teacher who wanted me to come to an IEP meeting during my planning period my first day back. I also told all the administrators at my school I would need a week to get caught up and refused to submit weekly lesson plans or grade work while I was out. I had twins and I can barely get stuff done for us much less work at home. I'm a very assertive person though with an I don't give a crap attitude so this approach may not work for everyone.

Neener73

Honestly, as a former teacher, I think it would be odd to conduct parent/teacher conferences on kids I had never met.  (I thought it was odd enough when I would have to attend IEP meetings for kids I didn't have in class because every kid had to have a regular academic teacher sign off on the IEP, but at least I had met the kids.)  Is there a long-term sub covering your class right now?  It seems like that would be the most logical person to do the conferences.

In the districts that I worked, some teachers (including me) ended up missing parent/teacher conferences for one reason or another.  It was never a big deal.  If the teacher knew ahead of time, s/he sent a note home with the students.  If the teacher didn't know ahead of time, a sign was posted on the teacher's door.  In either situation, the parents were provided with contact information so they could schedule a day/time if they were interested in meeting with the teacher.