Parent - Teacher Conferences

As a parent, you are concerned about the quality of education your child is receiving. There are many ways you can help get the best education possible for your child. One important way is through successful parent-teacher conferences. When mothers, fathers and teachers cooperate, the team approach allows them to share their own special knowledge of the child. They can then work together with as much information as possible about the total child. Parent teach conferences are intended to help you lean about your child’s progress and find out how you can be more involved in your child’s education. This message will give you some ideas to make your parent teacher conference more comfortable and more productive.

Think about the conference before you walk in the school doors. What is it you want to know about your child’s school experience? If you have questions and concerns, write them down so you don’t forget important points. You may want to ask questions about your child’s interests, eagerness to learn, and attitude toward school. Can your child get along with other children and adults? Does your child work well in a group? Think about what the teacher might need to know about your child; health concerns, emotional issues, family crisis, effective discipline strategies, or any other information you think the teacher should know in order to make school a more positive experience for your child. Other questions you might consider include:

• Is my child performing at, grade level in basic skills such as math or reading?
• Is my child performing at his/her ability level?
• Has my child taken achievement or aptitude tests in the past year? What do the scores mean?
• How can I be involved in my child’s education and what can I do at home to support the learning process?

After the conference, discuss the results with your child. First, point out the strengths. Then talk about the areas that need improvement. Suggest a plan of action and indicate to your child that you plan to start immediately. If necessary, follow-up with the teacher on areas of concern.

Make sure your child knows that you and the teacher are working together in their best interest. The child should know that you and the teacher are in partnership, with the sole aim of helping them to get the best education possible.

Nancy E. Mense, MenseN@missouri.edu
Regional Specialist, 4-H Youth
Clay County, Missouri
University of Missouri Extension