Parent-teacher conferences are a great way for parents to stay involved and keep themselves informed of what’s going on with their child inside the classroom.
However, many parents may not know what to expect when parent teacher conferences roll around, or how they should be preparing.
All this can make parent-teacher interviews seem overwhelming. But they don’t have to be!
Instead of wondering how to survive parent teacher conferences, our key steps to success will help you use this opportunity to get your child on the path to better grades.
The Purpose of Parent-Teacher Interviews
Parent-teacher conferences help parents stay up-to-date on their child’s social and academic progress in school. Meeting with your child’s teacher once or twice a semester is a chance to discuss your child’s strengths and weaknesses, address concerns, and review any problems that may be inhibiting his or her success.
This is also a chance for you to build a relationship with your child’s teacher, and open the lines of communication.
What To Expect At Parent-Teacher Conferences
No one really knows what to ask at a parent teacher conference naturally, but this may be especially true of parents who are attending one for the first time.
Here’s what you can expect to hear:
- An assessment of your child’s behavior, achievements, and struggles
- A firsthand overview of your child’s in-class work
- Stories about in-class behavior, interactions with other students, and any classroom struggles (both academic and social)
What Parents Should Do Before the Conference
In order to get the most out of your time with your child’s teacher, it’s important come to the interview prepared.
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- Review your child’s recent report card
Look for any trends across report cards to see whether your child is facing challenges (or exceeding) in certain classes. Evaluating how your child has been performing will help give you an idea of how your child has been improving or where he or she still needs a bit of extra help.
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- Look at recent assignments and tests
Review comments and grades on assignments and tests to get a more complete picture of how your child is performing. Check whether the work is complete, organized, and accurate. Make a note of any concerns you have to bring up with the teacher.
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- Talk to your child about how he or she feels about class
Ask your child how he or she feels about class performance. Ask about likes and dislikes, as well as about any subjects that might cause struggles. Find out if there is anything your child would like you to talk to his or her teacher about.
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- Prepare talking points for the interview
Use the information you gathered from looking at your child’s marks and talking to your child to identify any concerns. Bring these up in the interview so you and your child’s teacher can start addressing these issues.
How To Have A Good Parent Teacher Conference
If you want your child to have the best opportunity to succeed both in and out of school, follow this list of what to ask at parent teacher conferences:
What To Ask At A Parent-Teacher Conference
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- How are my child’s learning skills?
Ask how your child performs in class. Does he or she have trouble in any areas, like listening, writing, or reading? This can provide valuable insight into learning skills and habits your child may need to practice.
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- Does my child participate in class?
Kids who don’t speak out in class may not do so because they are having difficulty understanding a subject. If the teacher notes your child isn’t participating in the classroom, it’s important to find out why this may be.
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- Is my child is having any challenges?
If your child isn’t giving his or her all in school, it’s important to start figuring out why. It could be that he or she isn’t understanding the material, is having a hard time staying focused, or even struggling to see the board.
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- What does my child excel at?
This question will help you and the teacher identify your child’s strengths create a learning plan that suits these strengths. Take what works for your child and incorporate into other areas where he or she may be struggling.
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- How can we help at home?
Your child’s teacher wants him or her to succeed, and needs your help to achieve this. Show the teacher that you’re willing to get involved by asking what sorts of routines or work you can do at home to improve.
After the Interview
Talk about the conference with your child, who may be feeling a lot of anxiety about you meeting his or her teacher. Talk to him or her about the main points of the meeting, including where he or she is succeeding and where he or she is facing challenges. Make a plan with your child to address any of these areas moving forward.
Get Your Child On The Path To Success
As a parent, it’s important to be aware of and involved in your child’s school life—and having a successful parent-teacher interview is a great way to start. Now that you know how to have a good parent-teacher conference, you can develop a relationship with your child’s teacher that will benefit everybody!
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