Parent – Teacher Conferences Tips & Questions Surveys show that parent teacher conferences can be big stress producers. They can also be extremely helpful and important to your child. So let's take a crack at cutting back on the stress and pumping up the positives. A parent teacher conference can help answer your questions: Is my child getting along well with his or her peers and teachers? Is he or she struggling with math? And what exactly are grades supposed to measure? A parent/teacher conference gives you the opportunity to meet and get to know your child's teachers, ask those questions, exchange information about your child and discuss how you can work together to improve your child's progress at school. Like anything else, the more effort you put into such a meeting, the more you'll get out of it. A little pre-planning can make all the difference. Before the conference, talk with your child and find out his or her opinion on how school is going. Compare your child's views with the teacher's evaluation during your meeting. Any misperceptions your child has could lead to unpleasant surprises when report cards arrive. Write down your questions in advance to keep the conference on track and professional. If possible, both parents should attend the conference. Having both parents present builds a stronger partnership and better communication between home and school. If one parent can't attend, be sure he or she writes down any concerns for the other to raise during the conference. It's important for separated or divorced parents to make an effort to put aside differences for the conference and focus only on their child. Freely communicate any goals and expectations you have for your child with the teacher. And if the teacher says something you don't understand, ask. As with any profession, teachers have their own jargon and sometimes tend to slip into educational terminology. Do not be embarrassed to ask for clarification when needed. It's also important to find out what you as a parent can do at home to help your child do well at school. Before you leave, summarize the plans you and the teacher have made to help your child. That helps eliminate the chance of misunderstanding. Try to be on time and know the time limitations on the conference. Regardless of the length, the teacher probably has other parents waiting. Approach the conference with a positive, cooperative attitude. Teachers want to work with you and your child. The best way to do that is for the child, teacher and parent to form a team to make sure the child achieves at the highest possible level. Preparing a list of questions So you're about to meet your child's teacher at this school year's first parent/teacher conference. You've reviewed your child's school records, report cards, progress reports and any papers brought home from school. You've talked with your child and found out which subjects he or she likes and which subjects are disliked. You've asked your child to talk to you about any problems that exist in school. And now you're wondering how the meeting will go. You're preparing a written list of questions to take to the conference. Three important areas to inquire about are your child's academic, work and social skills. Here are a few questions you might consider asking: Is my child performing at grade level? Does my child have strengths and/or weaknesses in major subject areas? Does my child need special help in any academic subject? In social adjustment? If so, what help is available? Does my child regularly complete the class work and homework you assign? Has my child attended class regularly? Does my child participate in class? Does my child have an opportunity for independent, paired, small group and total group activities? If so, in which is he or she more comfortable or more successful? How are my child's work habits and attitude? How does the teacher keep parents informed about their child's progress or problems? Ask to see the results of any formal or informal testing that has taken place. Ask about specific ways in which you can help your child at home. You may also want to ask about the specifics of curriculum, grading, special projects and discipline policies and procedures. And be prepared to talk about your child as a whole person, including his or her interests, activities and strengths outside school. You might also bring up significant family situations that could affect your child's performance at school. If a teacher notices a student behaving differently and knows that Grandma is ill or that a beloved pet just died, the teacher can react more appropriately. Be sure to tell the teacher that you want to be involved in your child's education regularly and frequently. Request that the teacher contact you whenever there are concerns or to tell you positive news about your child. And if possible, use this opportunity to compliment your child's teacher on things that are going well for your child as well as to discuss any problems. Before leaving the meeting, be clear on the next course of action. Be certain to talk to your child about what happened at the conference, the positive aspects of his or her schoolwork and the areas where improvement is needed. Then follow up on your action plans immediately. As early as possible your child should come to see education as a joint effort of parent and teacher, family and school.