TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL PARENT
– STUDENT- TEACHER CONFERENCE
In order to help
your child have a successful school year, you need to know what is expected of
him/her, academically, from now until June. Parent-teacher conferences at
Discovery School will be held this Friday, October 25. These conferences present
an excellent opportunity to find out how your child is adjusting to the new
school year and to get to know his/her teachers, and what the expectations are
for the school year.
What should you expect?
Ø
A two-way conversation. Like all good conversations,
parent–teacher conferences are best when both people talk and listen. The
conference is a time for you to learn about your child’s progress in school:
Ask to see data about your child’s attendance, grades, and test scores. Find
out whether your child is meeting school expectations and academic standards.
This is also a time for the teacher to learn about what your child is like at
home. When you tell the teacher about your child’s skills, interests, needs,
and dreams, the teacher can help your child more.
Ø
Emphasis on learning. Good parent–teacher conferences focus on
how well the child is doing in school. They also talk about how the child can
do even better. To get ready for the conversation, look at your child’s
homework, tests, and notices before the conference. Be sure to bring a list of
questions that you would like to ask the teacher.
Ø
Opportunities and challenges. Just like you, teachers want your child
to succeed. You will probably hear positive feedback about your child’s
progress and areas for improvement. Be prepared by thinking about your child’s
strengths and challenges beforehand. Be ready to ask questions about ways you
and the teacher can help your child with some of his or her challenges.
What
should you talk to the teacher about?
- Progress. Find
out how your child is doing by asking questions like: Is my child
performing at grade level? How is he or she doing compared to the rest of
the class? What do you see as his or her strengths? How could he or she
improve?
- Assignments and
assessments. Ask to see examples of your
child’s work. Ask how the teacher gives grades.
- Your thoughts about
your child. Be sure to share your thoughts and
feelings about your child. Tell the teacher what you think your child is
good at. Explain what he or she needs more help with.
- Support learning at
home. Ask what you can do at home to help your child learn.
Ask if the teacher knows of other programs or services in the community
that could also help your child.
- Support learning at
school. Find out what services are available at the school to
help your child. Ask how the teacher will both challenge your child and
support your child when he or she needs it.
How
should you follow up?
- Make a plan. Write
down the things that you and the teacher will each do to support your
child. You can do this during the conference or after. Write down what you
will do, when, and how often. Make plans to check in with the teacher in
the coming months.
- Schedule another
time to talk. Communication should go both ways.
Ask how you can contact the teacher. And don’t forget to ask how the
teacher will contact you too. There are many ways to communicate—in
person, by phone, notes, email. Make a plan that works for both of you. Be
sure to schedule at least one more time to talk in the next few months.
- Talk to your child. The
parent–teacher conference is all about your child, so don’t forget to
include him or her. Share with your child what you learned. Show him or
her how you will help with learning at home. Ask for his or her
suggestions.
Taken
from Harvard Family Research Project http://www.hfrp.org/var/hfrp/storage/fckeditor/File/Parent-Teacher-ConferenceTipSheet-100610.pdf
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