Post by CharlesI am preparing an article for parents of elementary school children giving
suggestions on how to approach a parent-teacher conference. What tips would
you suggest to a parent who asked for help?
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
First of all, I am curious as to what type of help a parent is
searching for regarding these parent-teacher conferences. Have they
ever been to one before? Are they extra concerned about how their
child is doing? Are they proficient in English? I think the most
beneficial advice I can give is for parents to go into a conference
with a completely open mind. Most likely the teacher will highlight
both the areas in which a student is excelling and areas where they
are struggling. It is necessary to have an open mind and really
listen to the teacher's comments and concerns for the child. Also,
parents should come to the conference with any questions or concerns
they may be having about how the child is doing, what they are
learning, how grading is done, etc. It should be a 2-way
conversation, not just the teacher talking at the parents. Parents
should arrive a few minutes early and should be comfortable talking
about their child and possibly what the child does at home or how
their home life might influence the school atmosphere. Hope this
helps!