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A development interview serves as a forum for educators and parents to discuss the child’s development and usually takes place once a year. For educators, development interviews in preschools offer a good opportunity to actively involve parents in their child’s learning and growth process and to share their knowledge. To allow enough time for discussion, development interviews usually last 30-60 minutes and take place in a quiet location in the preschool or preschool. Ideally, all parents or guardians involved should attend the parent-teacher meeting, while the child stays at home. A common problem for educators is that many parents have a negative attitude towards development interviews because they are concerned about their children’s development. It is therefore particularly important to emphasise that development interviews are not problem interviews, but serve to jointly support the child. They play an important role in parental involvement in the preschool and in the educational partnership between parents and the preschool.
Regular development interviews at the preschool are an important quality feature of educational work and offer more scope for depth than brief conversations in passing. On the one hand, a development interview enables educators to keep parents up to date on their children’s development, progress and difficulties, and to pass on their knowledge. On the other hand, it gives parents the opportunity to participate in their child’s activities and ask the educator questions. Since parents and educators report their observations from their respective perspectives, they then have the opportunity to exchange ideas about the child and discuss different perceptions. The aim is to have a constructive exchange of observations from the preschool and from home. The aim is to establish new goals and suggestions that will benefit both educational and family upbringing. In order to get parents on board, it is important to inform them at an early stage and to answer questions such as ‘How often are development interviews held?’ or ‘Are development interviews compulsory at the preschool?’ in detail. This will help to dispel any reservations they may have.
In our concept for conducting a development meeting at the nursery, all of the information outlined here on preparing and conducting a development meeting at the nursery is explored in greater depth, and follow-up work is presented with the help of Sdui.
The topics for the development interview at preschool can be very diverse. To ensure that nothing important is forgotten, it is important to prepare thoroughly for the interview. Observation sheets, photos and videos, portfolios and discussions with colleagues are helpful for this. For many parents, it is often important to know: ‘What are the areas of development?’ or ‘What questions should I ask during the development interview at preschool?’ Sharing a checklist or observation sheet with parents in advance can help to alleviate many uncertainties and support parents in preparing for the meeting.
This checklist provides you with an overview of possible topics for the development interview at the preschool:
WFurther guidelines and templates on the topic of development interview in preschool and preschool can also be found, for example, at eduki.com.
A good development interview at the preschool is an important opportunity to inform parents about their child’s development and celebrate their progress. The procedure and rules for the interview can vary and be adapted to the respective needs of those involved in the preschool. As an educator, ask yourself the questions: “How do I prepare for a development interview at the preschool?” or “How do I start a development interview?” It may be useful to work with colleagues and preschool management to establish generally applicable rules and criteria for the interview. The procedure for a development interview could look like this, for example:
To ensure that parents are happy to attend development interviews and do so reliably, you should inform them in good time about what a development interview is, how it works and what its benefits are. Invite parents to the development interview in writing via a parent letter
For many parents, development interviews are associated with uncertainty. Create a positive atmosphere through openness and a little small talk so that parents feel welcome. Use a quiet room and prepare all the necessary materials, such as observation documentation.
Discuss expectations, wishes and goals for the parent-teacher meeting with the parents. Also set a time frame.
Educators and parents now have the opportunity to exchange observations and perceptions regarding the child’s development. Be sure to start with the positive observations and then explain the negative impressions. Give parents enough space to ask questions and process what has been discussed. Avoid using technical terms during the conversation and illustrate your observations with visual aids such as photos, videos or the portfolio.
Briefly summarise the important points of the conversation and recap what has been said. This will make it easier for you and the parents to take in the key messages. Agree on the next steps for supporting and helping the child and record the results in writing. If you use a digital solution such as Sdui, you can easily share your notes with the parents via Sdui Cloud.
At the end of the development interview, allow time for mutual feedback and check with the parents whether their expectations of the development interview have been met.
In our concept for conducting a development interview at the preschool, all the information outlined here on preparing and conducting a development interview at the preschool is explored in greater depth, and follow-up work is presented with the help of Sdui.
A development interview is an important part of parental involvement in preschool. The aim is to involve parents in their child’s development at preschool and to facilitate deeper communication with the educators. The educational partnership should be strengthened in order to pursue common goals and provide the best possible support for the child. A successful development interview is prepared and led by the educator and covers all important topics related to the child’s development, while providing space for mutual understanding and clarification of questions. Educators and parents should gain new insights into the child’s educational or family upbringing.