If you’ve received a notice from your child’s teacher that they’d like to have a meeting with you, there’s no need to panic — this doesn’t mean your child’s in trouble. Parent-teacher conferences are (or at least, should be) a regular part of your child’s education. No matter how your child is performing in school, parent-teacher conferences are designed to help you and your child’s teacher to find ways to help your child thrive. Scroll down to read about what to expect, what points to discuss in parent teacher meetings, and tips on how to prepare, straight from Goodstart Preschool‘s very own teachers.
What’s the importance of parent teacher meetings?
Establishing a solid partnership between home and school is a critical step to set your child up for success. Teachers understand that no one knows your child better than you, and that you have valuable information that could help them teach more effectively — such as what your child’s personality is like, and what he or she is interested in. Parents, on the other hand, will gain insight from the teacher into how their child performs in school — not just academically, but also socially and emotionally.
“A child’s learning and emotional growth depend on great teamwork between teachers and parents,” says Teacher Cai, Nursery Lead Teacher. “Parent-teacher conferences are for establishing the open communication needed for this partnership.”
It’s also helpful for teachers to know what kids are going through at home, such as medical problems or family issues that could be affecting their mood. Parents, on the other hand, can learn how to better support their child’s learning at home.
“Parents should make it a priority to go because it gives them a chance to receive and discuss anecdotes about their son or daughter in the school setting,” says Teacher Jamie, Program Director. “Behaviors that may arise in school that parents don’t see at home are usually brought up and this can help both the teachers and families attend to the needs of the learner.”
To make the most of your time, prepare points to discuss in parent teacher meeting beforehand. (Photo by Tanaphong Toochinda on Unsplash)
Parent-Teacher Conference: 5 Tips For Parents
These meetings with your child’s teacher is a valuable opportunity to learn how to support your child’s learning and development in and out of school. Here are some ways you can make the most of your parent-teacher conferences.
1. Before your meeting, go over your child’s schoolwork
To prepare for the meeting with your child’s teacher, you can go over your child’s schoolwork to get a good handle on how your child is performing and come up with points to discuss in parent teacher meeting.
“Parents can prepare by going over the worksheets, activities and their child’s notebooks for the day-to-day comments and recommendations by the teachers,” says Teacher Cai. “This may help them communicate with the teacher should they have questions or concerns regarding their child’s performance in the classroom.”
2. Ask for your child’s feedback
Of course, it’s important to talk to your child to understand his or her impression of school. You don’t have to make a big thing out of it — just regular, casual chats should give you a good idea of what he or she is learning. You can ask about the books they’re reading at school, their friends, how they view their teacher, and so on.
3. Prepare points to discuss in parent teacher meeting
It’s a good idea to come prepared with a few questions so that you cover all bases at your brief meeting with your child’s teacher. “Parents can list down the questions they want to ask (like the child’s behaviour, temperament, willingness to join activities…) and the goals they want to discuss with the teacher,” says Teacher Jack, Pre-Nursery Lead Teacher. “They should also be open and flexible to different ideas during the discussion with the teacher.”
Some questions you could ask the teacher could include:
- What’s the best way to communicate with you? (Email? Text? Facebook?)
- What are my child’s strengths? Where is he/she struggling?
- How is my child doing socially? How do you support kids socially?
- What can I do to support what you’re doing in the classroom?
How is your child doing in school and how can you support his/her learning at home? Answering this question is part of the importance of parent teacher meetings. (Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash)
4. Come on time
Because teachers have to meet other parents as well, your allotted time for the meeting is limited. Teachers understand that parents lead busy lives, which is why they schedule parent-teacher conferences in advance so that parents can make room for the meetings in their respective schedules. To make the most of your parent-teacher conference, make it a point to be on time.
5. Have an open mind
Your child’s teacher is probably going to discuss your child’s progress and behavior, and may have some questions and concerns about your child. These are all intended to help your child get what he or she needs in school, and so there’s no need to be confrontational or defensive.
“Always go with an open mind and an open heart,” says Teacher Jamie. “What is important is to dialogue with your teacher. Remember, both of you just want the best for your child.”
Teachers may ask you about:
- Your home life. Teacher Jack says that this includes your child’s behavior, temperament, routine, and interactions.
- Your expectations and goals for your child. “[These] goals are not only limited to academics,” says Teacher Cai. “Teachers are also concerned about their students’ holistic growth. This is so that teachers can also reinforce in school the values being taught at home and vice versa. “
- Your “big school” plans. “For the Kindergarten level, I usually ask the parents which big school they plan to send their child to,” says Teacher Alyssa. “Parent-teacher conferences provide a good opportunity to discuss the family’s plans after attending Goodstart. It helps us prepare the students for the application and testing procedures in advance.”
6. Listen
Parent-teacher conferences don’t happen every day, so it’s important that you make the most of these meetings. Pay attention and stay engaged throughout the meeting.
“We understand that the parents are busy with other responsibilities,” says Teacher Alyssa, Kindergarten Lead Teacher. “They can get distracted by checking their phones while the parent-teacher conference is ongoing. We would like to encourage parents to stay engaged during the parent-teacher conference for them not to miss important matters that the teacher brings up. We also encourage parents not to dismiss the teacher’s concerns and to make necessary adjustments to help their child.”
(Featured image: Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash)