Considering the influence of others in each student’s success is essential, whether it’s a coach, a friend, another teacher, etc. A student’s success cannot be determined by the singular efforts of just one parent or one teacher working alone. “It takes a village” is an overused but apt phrase to apply in parent-teacher conferences. It is important to answer the question “How can I help?”-but “Who else needs to help?” should also be discussed. Many parent-teacher conferences are two-person meetings, which means that some of the key players in a student’s success aren’t present. Who Else Needs to Be Involved to Ensure the Student’s Success? Too often, conferences focus on areas for improvement and the successes are assumed to not be question-worthy.ĭiscussing successes and using those successes as potential sources of information for making improvements in other areas is essential to a parent-teacher conference that is truly focused on helping the student grow, learn and enjoy school. The answer should never be, “There’s nothing you can do.” 3. Sometimes it takes a great deal of thought to consider how someone else might help you.ĭon’t expect an immediate answer-but always ask the question and make sure there is follow-up. However, answering this question is not always easy. If the conference is truly collaborative, then there is always a way that teachers and parents can help support the student. This is probably the most important question any parent or teacher can ask of the other. That was information that helped me understand the grade and discuss with my son why he did not choose to do the optional homework. If the information can be easily communicated in writing, then what needs to be discussed that isn’t evident?įor example, I was once in a 10-minute conference with a high school teacher who explained that she believed the “B” my son was earning in Spanish would have been an “A” if my son had chosen to do the optional homework. Keep the conference focused on the most important information that needs to be shared in the limited meeting time. Here are five that are important in any conference. While the most effective questions to ask will depend on the individual student, the teacher, and the parent, there are overarching questions that both parents and teachers should be asking each other. If the student attends, the questions and discussion should be well-planned and the student should be part of the conversation. Parents, meanwhile, might make their own decision whether to have the student attend with them. This type of sharing can be an excellent learning opportunity because students work with their teachers to self-evaluate their work and practice how they will orally present it to their parents. For example, in grades five through eight, some teachers organize student-led conferences in which the students help prepare for the meeting and share their progress with parents. The way a teacher organizes the conferences might dictate the answer. Opinions differ over whether the student should attend the parent-teacher conference. Will you need more than _ minutes for your conference?.Do you have questions or concerns that you want me to be prepared to discuss?.What subject area do you want to focus on first in the conference to make sure we address it?.Some questions may need to be asked in advance, such as: If the goal of the conference is to discuss the report card, then the minutes will be packed with a lot of details and paper shuffling. Knowing the purpose of a scheduled parent-teacher conference is essential to asking questions that will lead to student support and progress in school. Before: What is the Purpose of This Conference? Let’s consider what questions might be asked at these different points. The conference itself can be thought of in terms of three stages: before, during and after. The parent leaves with a folder full of papers, thinking, “I really need to ask my child more about this.”Īlways remember, a successful parent-teacher conference is not a one-time meeting but part of ongoing communication. Too many times, parent-teacher conferences feature rushed exchanges in which the teacher does most of the talking. Or, if you’ve just had a conference in the past few weeks, you might already be thinking about the questions you wished you had asked. Whether you are a parent or a teacher, you are probably wondering how you can make the next conference a successful one. ’Tis the season for parent-teacher conferences. What to Ask at a Parent-Teacher Conference: Before, During and After
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