PTA meetings - did your parent(s) meet with teachers occasionally

[shootingstar]

Too busy for the PTA, but working-class parents care (theconversation.com)

I found this interesting and probably the bias from some teachers that such parents, especially immigrant, non-English speaking parents don't care about their child's education. I would say the opposite not just personal family experience, but also several friends with who also have immigrant parents. In fact, there was noticeable expectation from home, the child must do good in school..to be even better.

I think my father attended probably attended less than 8 PTA meetings for his total of 6 kids over 24 yrs. (I had to multiply this correctly since there is a 10 yr. spread between youngest and oldest child.)

[shootingstar]

I doubled this post.

[Kirby]

I don't really recall a PTA in my school, but I'm sure my parents attended any event where parents were invited.  We would have some sort of "Open School" night in high school where parents could meet all the teachers and I recall those.

My Mom was a grade school teacher and had plenty of her own class nights where parents could come and talk, so she always viewed these types of events as important.  Plus I had siblings that attended the same schools before me, so by the time I got there, my parents already knew most of the teachers.

[Prophet Zacharia]

I was aware of PTA when I was in grade school, I don’t recall how active my parents were. But I do recall more parent-teacher conferences when I was a child than I was offered as a parent. 
 

I certainly wouldn’t use a parent’s PTA involvement as any kind of marker for their involvement or interest in their children’s education.  

[Wilbur ★]

My parents were teachers in the same district we attended school in.  A PTA meeting was a quick phone call on an as-needed basis. 

[maddmaxx ★]

My mom was also a teacher/principal.  We or she attended all teacher conferences.  How else could she and my teachers and advisors decide who I was and where I should go to school and what I should study.

[donkpow]

No.

Five kids and a crop in the field.

[donkpow]

 

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

Yes I was a PITA in school. My parents would read me the riot act after meeting with my teachers. Oh, you said PTA, never mind. 

[Wilbur ★]

2 minutes ago, Old No. 7 said:

Yes I was a PITA in school. My parents would read me the riot act after meeting with my teachers. Oh, you said PTA, never mind. 

"Young No.7 would do better if he applied himself." 

 

[Further]

I remember the parent teacher conference’s 

It was usually a long, uncomfortable night after one

[groupw]

We had parent/teacher conferences each semester both as a student and a parent. I was a good student. My middle brother was a challenge for my parents until he was a junior when a teacher finally helped him find a direction. 
My kids were pretty easy.  All bright kids who aced their tests. The last 2 didn’t ascribe to daily work, though. That always led to conversations with the teachers. 

[Zephyr]

There was not a PTA (as in "Harper Valley PTA) where I went to school.

There were parent teacher meetings offered 3 times a year, Oct, Jan and April when report cards came out.  My parents, both of them, went to all of them for all 4 kids.  

My three siblings all got treats after M&D went to the school, I usually got spoken to.

[shootingstar]

I have to say, some of  my sisters were quite involved....1 of them volunteered-assisted in the class. (The doctor-sis since she worked her lengthy 3-day job shifts  on weekends.)

Doesn't mean the kids are doing fantastically well all the time either, despite parental attention.

[ChrisL]

PTA meetings, no but my parents attended open house & parent teacher conferences.  They were involved to the extent that they could be.

My wife was in the PTA for our kids and helped out a lot as she left her job to stay home with the kids.  We where really involved in all of the school activities and I was a sports booster. 

[MickinMD ★]

My parents did not meet with teachers unless they had to.  I don't think our schools even had Parent Night back then.

For example, my mother met with the principal when my brother got in trouble. When my mother asked what he did, the principal couldn't stop laughing for a minute, then said, "He taped a sign on a fat girl's back that read, "Do not pass. Wide load.""

When I taught gifted and talented classes, there was standing-room only in my classroom on Parent Night and I often had to get the senior class volunteers to run down to the photocopy machine and make more copies of my handouts when I ran out.

Those who were teaching low-level classes spent most of Parent Night sitting in the teacher's lounge drinking coffee because not a single parent showed up for most classes.

That was a big hint of why the gifted kids were gifted and the low level kids were low level.

[Longjohn ★]

My school had PTA meetings. I didn’t know what they were about or why anyone would want to go to them. I thought it was some kind of club that parents had to join if they wanted to go to the meetings. My parents never went to any.

[Kzoo]

We didn't have parent teacher conferences.  I remember we had a PTA in my elementary school.  My mom was president for a couple years when I was in grade school.  I don't know what they did besides set up school events and parties - sponsoring the halloween party... creating special lunch for the teachers at Thanksgiving... sponsoring the Christmas Party...

 

[Razors Edge ★]

I was a horrible kid who the teachers loved.  Parent-teacher meetings were lively discussions on how to get me to apply myself. Meh. School was easy.

[ChrisL]

1 hour ago, Kzoo said:

We didn't have parent teacher conferences.  I remember we had a PTA in my elementary school.  My mom was president for a couple years when I was in grade school.  I don't know what they did besides set up school events and parties - sponsoring the halloween party... creating special lunch for the teachers at Thanksgiving... sponsoring the Christmas Party...

 

You pretty much nailed it… That’s all we did.

[ChrisL]

1 hour ago, Razors Edge said:

I was a horrible kid who the teachers loved.  Parent-teacher meetings were lively discussions on how to get me to apply myself. Meh. School was easy.

That was my son. Really just bored so acting out. GATE solved all of his disciplinary issues…

[shootingstar]

3 hours ago, MickinMD said:

When I taught gifted and talented classes, there was standing-room only in my classroom on Parent Night and I often had to get the senior class volunteers to run down to the photocopy machine and make more copies of my handouts when I ran out.

Those who were teaching low-level classes spent most of Parent Night sitting in the teacher's lounge drinking coffee because not a single parent showed up for most classes.

That was a big hint of why the gifted kids were gifted and the low level kids were low level.

You mean kids who were in remedial oriented courses/classes.

As I said, poor working class kids with parents who don't show might also mean the parents:  a)Don't know English language. Unless one has the kid there to interpret, a role some of us unwillingly had to do for other adult like situations  ie. doctor liaison, bank, etc.  b) parent works night shift or mutliple jobs or is just too tired/must deal with running household in addition to paid job(s)

[ChrisL]

1 hour ago, shootingstar said:

You mean kids who were in remedial oriented courses/classes.

As I said, poor working class kids with parents who don't show might also mean the parents:  a)Don't know English language. Unless one has the kid there to interpret, a role some of us unwillingly had to do for other adult like situations  ie. doctor liaison, bank, etc.  b) parent works night shift or mutliple jobs or is just too tired/must deal with running household in addition to paid job(s)

We see that in my community.  My district is unique in that it encompasses a city of tremendous wealth (Newport Beach) and a city with pockets of working class ESL families.  (Costa Mesa). The schools in the high ESL neighborhoods always test lower than other areas and it brings down the cumulative standing of the district. 

But it really doesn’t speak to the intelligence of the student, they are just working through issues the affluent kids are not. 

[Razors Edge ★]

1 hour ago, ChrisL said:

We see that in my community.  My district is unique in that it encompasses a city of tremendous wealth (Newport Beach) and a city with pockets of working class ESL families.  (Costa Mesa). The schools in the high ESL neighborhoods always test lower than other areas and it brings down the cumulative standing of the district. 

But it really doesn’t speak to the intelligence of the student, they are just working through issues the affluent kids are not. 

Yep - intelligence is spread pretty evenly across the population.  Opportunity is not.  We waste a LOT of our nation's greatest capital not identifying that intelligence early on and helping it to grow.

[Airehead]

My mother was the PTA PRESIDENT for a number of years. We had a balloon launch. 
 

 Cultural and language differences make these meetings uncomfortable for some parents. It is our responsibility as educators to bridge that gap. 
 

some parents work long hours to put food on the table. It is our responsibility to help find another time or way.