Parent Teacher Conferences (Pt 2): A Little Homework Makes A Big Difference
- Parent Teacher Conferences (pt 1) |
- Parent Teacher Conferences (pt 2) |
- Homework: A Concern for the Whole Family |
- Homework Help: Monitoring Assignments |
- Homework: Guidance for Parents |
- Homework: Resolving Problems |
- Top 10 Reasons to Support Public Education |
- Violence, Greed, & Social Conscience |
- Smile for our Children & Schools |
- Congress Cutting Our Confidence |
- Public Schools: Yardsticks of Progress |
- Thanksgiving: A Time for Teaching |
- The Power of Parents |
- Character Counts |
- Were Rockin & Reading Now |
- The Legacy of Christa |
- We're In This Together |
- Lets Read: Open the Door |
- Public Schools & Democracy
So you're about to meet your child's teacher at this school year's first parent/teacher conference. You've reviewed your child's school records, report cards, progress reports and any papers brought home from school. You've talked with your child and found out which subjects he or she likes and which subjects are disliked. You've asked your child to talk to you about any problems that exist in school. And now you're wondering how the meeting will go and you're preparing a written list of questions to take to the conference. Three important areas to inquire about are your child's academic, work and social skills. Here are a few questions you might consider asking:
- Is my child performing at grade level?
- Does my child have strengths and/or weaknesses in major subject areas?
- Does my child need special help in any academic subject? In social adjustment? If so, what help is available?
- Does my child regularly complete the class work and homework you assign?
- Has my child attended class regularly?
- Does my child participate in class?
- Does my child have an opportunity for independent, paired, small group and total group activities? If so, in which is he or she more comfortable or more successful?
- How are my child's work habits and attitude?
- How does the teacher keep parents informed about their child's progress or problems?
- Ask to see the results of any formal or informal testing that has taken place.
- Ask about specific ways in which you can help your child at home.
You may also want to ask about the specifics of curriculum, grading, special projects and discipline policies and procedures. And be prepared to talk about your child as a whole person, including his or her interests, activities and strengths outside school. You might also bring up significant family situations that could affect your child's performance at school. If a teacher notices a student behaving differently and knows that Grandma is ill or that a beloved pet just died, the teacher can react more appropriately.
Be sure to tell the teacher that you want to be involved in your child's education regularly and frequently. Request that the teacher contact you whenever there are concerns or to tell you positive news. And if possible, use this opportunity to compliment your child's teacher on things that are going well for your child as well as to discuss any problems.
Before leaving the meeting, be clear on the next course of action. Be certain to talk to your child about what happened at the conference, the positive aspects of his or her school work and the areas where improvement is needed. Then follow up on your action plans immediately. As early as possible your child should come to see education as a joint effort of parent and teacher, family and school.
