Most parents and teachers look forward to their time together. Parents get the teachers' undivided attention to review work, ask questions, and gain helpful feedback to share with their kids. Teachers get to share with parents how they can best support their child's education at home, and review the strengths and areas that need improvement.
During the parent-teacher conference, it's important for both the teacher and the parents to be prepared, stay focused, and stick to the time scheduled. Even if your child is doing well in school, it's still important to take this time and meet with the teacher. This way, if any issues come up later in the year, you already have an established relationship.
Parent-teacher Conferences: Teacher Tips
- Be prepared – Compile several examples of student work, standardized evaluations, and report cards. Be sure to address any social issues, if applicable.
- Set expectations – Let parents know about conference timing and what will be covered.
- Celebrate the good stuff – Be specific about how the student is doing well. What learning objectives is the student achieving or exceeding?
- Share improvements – Be specific about how the child can improve his or her performance. What learning objectives need more attention? Are there any behavioral issues that need to be addressed?
- Have a plan – What's the plan for helping this student improve his or her academic or behavioral performance?
- Ask questions – What's important from the parent's perspective?
- Seek involvement – What can you ask the parents to do to prepare in their child's learning?
- Say thank you – Sincerely thank parents for their time and support.
Parent-teacher Conferences: Parent Tips
- Be on time – You only have a short time with your child's teacher. Be respectful of that time.
- Bring questions – What would you like to know about classroom, academic, or social happenings? What requests do you have for the teacher?
- Surface concerns – What concerns do you have about your child's performance? Bring work samples and be prepared with examples.
- Ask for examples – If the teacher doesn't get specific, ask for examples of what your child does well and needs to work on.
- Participate – Parent involvement is one of the highest predictors of student success. Ask how you can help your child better meet the leaning objectives. Explore opportunities for volunteering in the classroom or at school.
- Say thank you – Sincerely thank the teacher for his or her time and hard work with your child.
By following these guidelines, your parent-teacher conference can make the difference between an average year for your child, and the best year ever!
Lori Krein - Lori Krein is a member of team VolunteerSpot . She works to improve the volunteer experience of everyday heroes -- active community ...
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