Parent/Teacher Conferences
Launch the media gallery 1 playerParent/Teacher conferences are right around the corner. This year they are scheduled for Wednesday, October 23rd and Thursday, October 24th. Conferences are 3:30 – 7:00 both nights. As a result of having conferences on successive nights, there is no school for students or staff on Friday, October 25th.
P/T Conferences are a standard part of the school's efforts to build a strong partnership between parents and teachers. Whether your child is having a positive or negative experience in school, parent-teacher conferences will help you and your child's teacher find ways to work together to ensure your child's success.
Before the Conference
The conference with your child's teacher will be more efficient and productive if you do some preparation beforehand. To prepare for the conference:
Ask your child what his/her strongest and weakest subjects are, and which subjects he/she likes most and least. Ask your child if he/she would like you to speak about anything particular with the teacher. Make sure that your child understands that you and the teacher are meeting to help him, so that he doesn't worry about the conference. Often times, the student himself is involved in the conference.
Make a list of topics that you want to discuss with the teacher and that you think the teacher should know, such as your concerns about the school, the child's home life, any major changes in your family, habits, hobbies, part-time jobs, religious holidays, or anything that is worrying your child. Be sure to ask for input from your spouse or other adults that are caring for your child as well.
During the Conference
Get off to the right start: come to the conference on time. Remember that other parents may also have conferences scheduled for that day; if you arrive late, you have may missed your conference altogether. You should also plan on ending the conference at the scheduled time so that other parents can start their conference on time.
Stay calm during the conference. Respectful communication will be the most effective way to work together with your child's teacher. Getting angry or upset during the conference will make it very difficult to have a positive conversation.
Ask the most important questions first as you may run out of time, especially if other parents are waiting to have their conference after yours. You can always schedule another meeting with the teacher to cover any points you didn't cover.
If you disagree with the teacher, respectfully explain why you disagree. If you don't let the teacher know about your differences of opinion, the teacher may think that you agree and will move on to the next topic. Discussing your differences with the teacher may help both of you find a more effective way to help your child.
After The Conference
Talk about the conference with your child. Emphasize the positive points, and be direct about problems that were discussed. If you and the teacher created an action plan, explain it to your child. Make sure that your child understands that you and the teacher created this plan to help him.
Stay in touch with your child's teachers. This will help you strengthen the parent-teacher partnership, and will be an important part of the child's success in school. When a child sees that parents and teachers are working together, the child will understand that his/her education is a top priority at school and at home.