How to Navigate Parent-Teacher Conferences

• ​Focus on the positive
• When discussing concerns or problems, try to find solutions as a partner with your child's teachers
• Ask your child's teacher to let you know when new strategies are implemented to address concerns and whether they are effective

Parent-Teacher Conferences: A Partnership for Improving Your Child's Classroom Success

One of the best opportunities parents have to connect with their child's school is parent-teacher conferences. Attending parent-teacher conferences sends the message that you value what takes place at your child's school and that his or her learning is important. Research also shows that collaborative home-school relationships are linked to high academic achievement and low rates of disruptive behaviors in students.

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your parent-teacher conferences:

• Focus on the positive. Ask your child's teacher what he or she believes your child is doing well and what progress your child has made since the beginning of the school year, or since the last time you had a conversation about his or her performance. It's sometimes easy to forget to talk about the positives and focus only on the problems, so be intentional about discovering what your child is doing well.
• When discussing concerns or problems, try to find solutions as a partner with your child's teachers. Thank your child's teacher for what he or she has done to address any difficulties and for bringing them to your attention. Ask what you can do at home to help your child build skills or gain knowledge that will support efforts in the classroom. Convey an open and accepting attitude as you brainstorm solutions.
• Ask your child's teacher to let you know when new strategies are implemented to address concerns and whether they are effective. This way, you can stay informed about what your child's teacher is doing in the classroom, monitor progress (or lack of progress) and use the information as a guide in determining whether you need to seek outside assistance.

Other questions you can ask at parent-teacher conferences include:

• How is my child doing relative to the other students in the class?
• Is my child on track academically and socially for his or her grade level?
• What does he or she need to improve?
• What skills does he or she seem to have continuing difficulties with?
  
• How does he or she interact socially with peers?

After attending parent-teachers conferences, debriefing with your child will convey that he or she is part of the team. During this conversation:

• Focus on the positives that you and your child's teacher discussed.
• Emphasize specific behaviors that you, your child and your child's teacher can use as you move forward to address concerns and support progress.

One more valuable tip is to be proactive. Don't assume there are no problems or concerns in the classroom because your child's teacher has not contacted you. Make it a point to regularly communicate with your child's teacher about specific questions or concerns you might have in between parent-teacher conferences. This is another way you can help your child get the most out of his or her classroom experiences.​