How to Prepare for Parent Teacher Conferences

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Whether your child is struggling, or she is excelling beyond the curriculum, you must be prepared for a meeting with your child’s teacher. After a solid discussion, hopefully you will gain valuable tools to enhance your child’s learning experience, uncover the root of a problem, develop strategies to solve the problem, address any additional concerns and most importantly--make sure that your child is actually learning skills and content at an appropriate pace.

Nine Quick Tips to Help the Parent Teacher Conference Go Smoothly

1. Do everything in your power to arrive on time.
2. Make every effort for both parents/ guardians to be present
3. Find an appropriate caretaker for your child during this time. Unless the teacher has expressly asked that he/she be present, you child should be in another safe environment
4. Show the teacher respect and be amiable
5. Write down your questions and concerns so that you don’t forget what needs to be addressed
6. Use examples from the work that has been sent home with your child to illustrate your points
7. Listen to the teacher’s suggestions to develop an action plan for your child during the conference
8. Expect to extend lessons beyond worksheets/homework. Find creative ways to reinforce the lessons that are tailored to your child’s learning style.
9. Review the action plan with your child and help her implement it

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