As a parent and a teacher, I’ve been on both sides of the parent-teacher conference table. When I’m the teacher, I’m there to answer any questions you might have regarding your child’s performance, classroom activities, rules and expectations. When I’m the parent, I want to know how I can extend classroom learning into our home and how to help reinforce my child’s academic strengths (and work on the weaknesses).
Having sat on both sides of the table, I understand the challenges of parent-teacher conferences. As a teacher, it can be frustrating to explain a child’s weaknesses, especially when parents get defensive instead of listening to constructive feedback. As a parent, it’s hard not to feel like a failure when your child struggles in school. However, it’s important to remember that both parents and teachers share the same goal — to help the child succeed.
This article was updated on Sept. 6, 2024, by Chicago Parent’s Audience Development Manager, Katina Beniaris. Her work included updating the story to make it easier for readers to use as a resource. Questions? Please reach out to katina@chicagoparent.com.
Here are five tips to help you prepare for parent-teacher conferences and get the most out of your meeting.
1. Attend the Conference
Even if your child is excelling in school, parent-teacher conferences are important. Teachers can help you find ways to encourage your child to engage in extracurricular activities, which can enhance learning beyond the classroom.
If you can’t make the scheduled conference, reach out to the teacher via email or phone. Most teachers are happy to find another time to meet or discuss your child’s progress.
Sadly, most of the parents I want to hear from the most never show up.
2. Ask key questions
Be proactive and ask these important questions during the conference:
- What skills will my child be expected to master this year? Ask for copies of the appropriate state standards or examples of in-class work that meets these goals.
- How do you evaluate students in the classroom? Understand the grading rubrics and work together to reinforce learning at home.
- How do you accommodate different learning styles? Every child learns differently and teachers offer differentiated instruction to support each student.
- What topics will be covered this year? You can extend learning at home by aligning family activities with classroom topics. For example, if your child is studying Black history, you can visit local museums to reinforce these lessons.
3. Discuss your child’s well-being
It’s important to share any major life changes, such as a new sibling, divorce or family loss, with the teacher. These events can impact your child’s school performance, and together, you can create a plan to provide extra support.
4. Create an action plan
At the end of the conference, establish a clear plan of action. Decide on a way to communicate (e.g. phone, e-mail or weekly notes and set check-in points to review your child’s progress.
5. Focus on routine and accountability
For older students, ensure they are using an agenda to track assignments, due dates and extracurricular activities. Keeping an organized schedule helps them manage their time and prepares them for adult responsibilities.
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