Parent-Teacher Conference: Advice to Parents from An Experienced Teacher

​Parent-teacher conferences may often bring you and your children a sense of anxiety even if they have been performing well.
​However, this is a great opportunity to increase communication between school and home, keep you informed about your children’s academic and social performance, and a time to develop strategies to help your children succeed.
Here are some tips on how to make the most out of your parent-teacher conference. 

Before the Conference: Be prepared.

1. Talk with your children about any concerns surrounding their education or teacher so that you can voice these concerns during the conference.
2. Check your children’s grades. Check the school’s online report card to identify successes or any red flags such as missing assignments or poor grades.
   
3. Prepare a list of questions so that you may have a productive meeting:
   

• What are my children expected to learn this year and will there be any major projects or exams?
• How will their progress be evaluated and what help is available? 
• Are my children participating in class discussions and activities? 
• Are they showing any signs of unusual behavior such as being depressed, bullied, or some forms of aggressiveness?

During the Conference: Stay positive

1. Listen carefully to both positive and negative suggestions from the teacher. Express concerns but do not take criticism personally; teachers want to see their students succeed. If your children are performing above grade level, ask how the school will support them to be challenged.
2. Create an action plan with the teacher to help your children achieve their goals.  Goals should be specific and realistic as well as have action steps (click here to read more about smart goals)
3. Set up a follow-up meeting with the teacher. Identify the best way to communicate with the teacher then schedule a follow-up meeting to go over your children’s improvement.

After the Conference: Monitor progress

1. Discuss the conference with your children. Share what was discussed in a positive tone but also be honest about any problems. If it's applicable, ask your children how they plan to overcome the obstacle. If an action plan was created, explain it to your children and get their acceptance on the solution.
2. Watch for any warning signs. Watch for any behavioral changes such as a loss of appetite, moodiness, or feelings of frustration. There may be other factors, such as bullying or other social conditions, that are causing your children’s low grades or abnormal behavior.
   
3. Seek outside help. If your children are struggling academically then you may want to seek an experienced tutor. A qualified tutor can quickly turn a poor grade around and help your children excel in school!

If you found this article to be useful or if you have any follow-up questions, please leave a comment and we will be happy to offer our help!