Tips for Conferences

Talk to your child before the conference

Let your child know you will be talking to the teacher and ask him if there is anything he would like you to discuss. Are there any problems that he/she would like addressed? Are there accomplishments he/she would like you to hear about?  You may want to say, "I'm going to meet your teacher. What do you think we should talk about?"

Ask questions

Come prepared to with questions about your child's academic and social progress.  Don't be afraid to ask about the teacher's philosophies and classroom practices.

Some questions you may want to ask are:

• What are my child's strengths/weaknesses?

• What can I do at home to extend my child's learning?

• Is my child working up to his or her ability? If not, what can we do to change that?

• How well does my child get along with classmates?

• How do you evaluate my child?

• How do you challenge a student if he/she is excelling?

• How can you support my child if he is falling behind?

Share Information About Your Child

No one knows your child better than you do. Tell the teacher about what you see at home. Talk about your child's interests, struggles, and achievements. Be sure to make the teacher aware of any changes in your child's behavior or temperament. The more information you can provide the better equipped the teacher will be to meet his/her needs.

Raise Issues of Concern

Think ahead of time about any issues you are concerned about. State your concern politely and without placing blame. Listen to what the teacher has to say and discuss how you can work together to solve any problems.

Take Notes

Conferences can often be full of information. Write down key points and review your notes later. If there is anything that is unclear follow up with a phone call to the teacher. 

Make the Most of Your Time

Most conferences are scheduled for only 10 -15 minutes. Make the most of the meeting by arriving on time. If possible, avoid bringing children to the conference as they may cause distractions. Feel free to ask for a follow up meeting when you can take more time to discuss any remaining issues.

Talk to Your Child After the Conference

Tell your child what was discussed.  The focus should be on praising accomplishments and talking about what steps will be taken to deal with any problems.

Adapted from an article by Jackie Glassman M.S. Ed for Discovery.com