Preparing for the Parent-Teacher Conference

The kids are settling into their new school routines – a new teacher, new classroom, some new classmates and higher expectations on their performance from last year.  As parents, our first real interaction with our children’s new teachers is the parent-teacher conference.  If this interview is anything like at our school, you get 15 minutes to hear first-hand from the teacher how your child is doing.  Most of the time it does not feel like enough time to get to the bottom of any issues raised or to cover all the questions you have.

Where do you start and how do you get the most out of that first interaction with your child’s teacher?  These steps should help you prepare for the meeting.

Review your child’s report cards from last year

Review comments, areas of concern and areas they are excelling in.  Make a quick summary of any trends you are seeing, such as comments about organizational skills, lack of focus, creativity in their work, etc.

Review your child’s most recent schoolwork

Now that you have a summary of last year’s work, take a look at your child’s recent work.  What comments are you seeing from the teacher? What areas are they struggling with?  Are you seeing a repeat pattern from last year?

Discuss the upcoming parent-teacher conference with your child

Sometimes our perception of how our child is doing at school does not mesh with our children’s perceptions.  So ask them:

• What is your teacher going to say about your work?
• What will the teacher say about you?
• What do you think you do really well?
• What do you need to focus on?
• Do you want me to ask the teacher any specific questions?
• Come with prepared question

Now it’s time for that 15 minute meeting.  You won’t remember to ask all the questions you have unless you have written them down.  In order to maximize the limited time that you have with the new teacher, make your questions specific and organize them in order of importance to you.

Here’s a sample of questions to get you started:

•  Do you have any concerns about my child’s skills level?
•  Does my child have difficulty listening to and/or following instructions?
•  Does my child have difficulty staying on task?
•  Does my child have difficulty organizing notes, work, stories, etc.?
•  Does my child have difficulty completing assignments?
•  Does my child read with comprehension?
•  How well does my child read and understand words
•  Does my child actively participate in your class?
•  Does my child hand in assignments on time, complete and at an acceptable level?
•  What work areas does my child like best?
•  What areas are more difficult for my child?
•  What are my child’s learning strengths?
•  Are there things we can do at home to help my child?
•  Do you have suggestions for me to discuss with my child?
•  Does my child seem to enjoy coming to your class?
•  Is there anything about my child’s behavior or performance that you would like to share?

During the conference

You have your list of questions and you are sitting face-to-face with your child’s new teacher.  Now what? Usually these meetings start with a few pleasantries and the teacher will go over her notes.  Then the floor opens for you to ask your questions. Here are some suggestions for ensuring the conversation flows smoothly.

•  Bring a notepad: you are covering a lot of information in a short amount of time.  Making some quick notes as your teacher speaks and then answers to your questions will help you review and go over what was said later that evening.
•  Don’t be confrontational: if you don’t agree with something the teacher says, don’t rush to your child’s defense immediately.  Ask for clarification or examples to what the teacher is telling you. At the end of the day you both have the same goal: to see your child through another year of academic success.
•  Ask for suggestions: your teacher has seen it all, or at least most of it.  If there are areas you are struggling with, don’t hesitate to ask them.  They are the experts after all.  It could have to do with how to encourage your kids to read more, how do you help your child focus better, or how can we teach them to be more organized, or it could be about time management skills.
• Action plan: agree on an action plan.  Before you leave, summarize what you have heard from the teacher and identify next steps.  Make sure the goals you set together are achievable.
• Follow-up: set a date for a follow-up meeting where you can discuss progress.
• Ask about additional help: don’t be afraid to ask for additional help where needed.  If your child needs a boost in getting their math back on track, ask the teacher if there are resources at the school that can be applied, or what you can do at home in terms of supplemental education to help your child.