Make the most of your parent-teacher conferences
It's getting that time of year. Parent-Teacher Conference Time. According to The Associated Press, the latest trend is the conference that the student attends as well.
From The Associated Press:
The trend is a response to research showing that parents are more likely to attend a conference if their child also has to come, and to studies showing that students benefit from setting goals.
Read on for some tips on how to make parent/teacher conferences a success.
From AP:
Some questions for parents to ask at parent-teacher conferences:
—Is my child in different groups for different subjects? Why?
—How well does my child get along with others?
—What are my child's best and worst subjects?
—Is my child working up to his or her ability?
—Does my child participate in class discussions and activities?
—Has my child missed any classes other than ones I contacted the school about?
—Have you noticed any sudden changes in the way my child acts? For example, have you noticed any squinting, tiredness or moodiness that might be a sign of physical or other problems?
—What kinds of tests are being done? What do the tests tell about my child's progress? How does my child handle taking tests?
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Teachers should:
—Greet parents at the door and create an inviting environment.
—Summarize a student's strengths before raising problems.
—Use materials from the student's work folder.
—Give parents something to take home with them, such as a handout on the curriculum. Parents can review material more completely at home and refer to it during the year. This can also save time at the conference.
—End positively. Set goals. Review how parents can help.