Many teachers today rely on formal parent-teacher conferences to convey information about a child's progress; but, as important as these face-to-face meetings are, they're often limited to 15-minute or 20-minute intervals. So it pays to plan ahead and do your homework. You can make the most of the time you'll have with the teacher by following these five strategies:
Before you go, jot down questions you
would like to ask about how your child is doing and what you can do to
help.
Start the session by describing a positive
classroom experience your child has had ("Sam really enjoyed the
lesson you gave on rockets.") This tells the teacher what she or he is
doing right and sets a positive tone for the meeting.
Share any information from home that may
be affecting your child's performance in school ("Nicole has been very
quiet and sad since her grandmother became ill.")
Instead of telling the teacher what she or he
is doing wrong, try describing specific ways you've found to meet
your child's needs ("My son gets discouraged easily, especially with
reading. I've discovered that he does better when someone notices any
little progress he makes.")
Follow up with a note to the teacher. This finishing touch will help confirm that you've discussed and established that you're both working towards the common goal of helping your youngster succeed in school.
Source: Sesame Street Parents, November 1999
