PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

Parent-Teacher Conference Checklist*

Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up in a few weeks.  Life can often be so busy that parents barely have a moment to think about their child’s conference before it happens.  The following checklist can be helpful and is meant as a resource for your next conference.

Before the Conference:

·      Find a meeting time that's convenient so you won't feel rushed or distracted.

·      Ask your child if there's anything s/he wants you to discuss with their teacher or anything s/he wants you to know beforehand. This will help you focus your questions to the teacher. Plus, you can talk to the teacher about what’s on your child’s mind. Help your child understand the positive focus of the meeting so they don't become overly worried about it.

At the Conference: Questions to Consider

·      What information and skills will my child learn this year?

·      How do you handle different learning abilities and styles?

·      What seem to be my child’s favorite subjects? His/her strengths and weaknesses?

·      Does my child participate in class? How’s their overall attitude?

·      How are classes structured? Is my child assigned to any groups? How is the group determined?

·      Are report cards based on tests, attendance, homework, portfolios, discussion, or another means? If  my child falls behind, how will you handle it? How will I know?

·      How does my child get along with other students in the classroom? Can you tell me about their social group?

·      What kind of support should I be giving her/him at home? How can I learn about homework assignments?

·      Have you noticed any worrisome behavior?

·      If there's a problem: Ask when, where, and what's happening and how can it be fixed?

After the Conference: Follow Up

·      Tell your child about the conference and explain (if appropriate) what was discussed.

·      If there was a problem discussed, keep in touch with the teacher regularly so you can check in on your child's progress.

Kathryn Mason and Lauren Henry are available to join you 
in the parent/teacher conferences if you would like.  
Just let them know:

kmason@wsesu.org  802-254-4678

lhenry@wsesu.org 802-254-3740

*http://www.scholastic.com/familymatters/parentguides/