It’s the day of parent-teacher conferences. You arrive a few minutes early and are waiting in the hallway for your turn. You enter the room calm and ready to chat. (If you didn’t do both of these things, be sure to read Tuesday’s article filled with helpful hints.) What should you do once the conference begins?
As we mentioned in the previous article, if you have specific concerns or questions, you should mention them at the start of the meeting, so that they are covered during your conference. After you’ve done that or if you have none, most likely the teacher will begin by sharing feedback or asking questions of you.
The most important thing to remember during the conference is that this is a partnership. This is why they are called parent-teacher conferences. You are there to work together. While the teacher can provide quite a bit of information about what is happening in class, you also have information that he may seek. Whether it’s that your child is having difficulty falling asleep at night, has mentioned not enjoying music class, or there is a new baby at home, you may have data that the teacher isn’t aware of.
As a partnership, there are two groups working with your child- home and school. Be sure to offer your support to your child’s teacher. Do have time to volunteer in the classroom? Feel free to offer that, if it’s something that’s needed. Of course, be sure to offer support at home. Even if you’re making sure that homework is complete, there may be more that you could do. Does your child have difficulty keeping his desk neat at school? You could practice at home by making sure he keeps his room neat. Discuss how the same needs to be done at school.
The most key part of this meeting is to be sure that you are working as a team. There may be times that you disagree with a teacher’s thought or method but keep in mind that the teacher’s goal is for your child to be successful. Find ways to work as a team for the betterment of your child. If you work together, your child is more likely to succeed.
Receiving information from the teacher and providing it from your home will allow both sides to work jointly to create a good school year for all.