12 questions to ask during a parent-teacher conference
- May I tell you about my child?
No one knows your child better than you do, so it’s your job to help your child’s… - May I tell you about what’s going on at home?
Situations like illness, divorce or a new baby may affect your child’s… - How is my child doing socially?
According to Davis, the way the child…
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Questions About Communication
- What is the best way to contact you? …
- Can I tell you more about my student?
- Can I tell you more about what’s going on at home?
- How can I stay informed of school programs and my student’s success?
How to have a successful parent teacher conference?
Tips for a Successful Parent-Teacher Conference
- Come Prepared. Teachers should have examples of student work available for reference at every parent-teacher conference.
- Be Prepared for Upset Parents. Every teacher will face an angry parent at some point. …
- Think About the Room Setup. …
- Begin and End on a Positive Note. …
- Be Attentive. …
- Avoid Eduspeak. …
What do you expect from parent/teacher conferences?
A parent-teacher conference is a great opportunity to:
- share academic progress and growth based on classroom observations, testing data, assessments, portfolios, and assignments
- learn from parents or guardians so you can be better informed about students’ strengths, needs, behaviors, and learning styles
- discuss enrichment or intervention strategies to support students’ learning
How will you approach Parent Teacher Conferences?
Try This New Approach
- Praise the Teacher. Everyone responds well to positive feedback, especially when what they often hear is criticism. …
- Prevent Surprises at the Parent-Teacher Conference. Finding a connection with your child’s teacher through the use of authentic praise will help you feel more confident when bringing up concerns to …
- Plan Ahead for the Conference. …
How to plan a productive parent teacher conference?
Tips for a Successful Parent-Teacher Conference
- Think About the Room Setup. Teachers should position themselves close to parents for comfort and engagement during conferences. …
- Begin and End on a Positive Note. Teachers should begin and end every conference with a compliment or (true) anecdote about a student’s strength.
- Be Attentive. …
- Avoid Eduspeak. …
Why is it important to have a parent-teacher conference?
Why is sharing an opportunity for learning?
Can a student’s success be determined by one parent?
About this website
What do you talk about at a parent-teacher conference?
Make a list of topics that you want to discuss with the teacher and that you think the teacher should know, such as your concerns about the school, the child’s home life, any major changes in your family, habits, hobbies, part-time jobs, religious holidays, or anything that is worrying your child.
What should I say at parent teacher conferences examples?
When planning what to say at parent teacher conferences, prepare a way to end on a positive note. You could tell why you love having the child in your class, highlight an overall strength, or a special connection you have with the child. Here’s what it might sound like: It’s so fun having Toby in my class!
What questions should I ask my child’s teacher?
19 Questions Your Child’s Teacher Would (Probably) Love to Answer. What academic standards do you use, and what do I need to know about them? How will you respond if or when my child struggles in class? What are the most important and complex (content-related) ideas my child needs to understand by the end of the year?
What do parents want to hear parent teacher conferences?
Be sure to explain any terms, curriculum titles, or even words on progress reports that aren’t commonly used outside the school setting. Ask questions and listen. Ask parents or guardians for their input about students’ strengths, needs, and learning styles, as well as their hopes and dreams for their children.
What do you say at the end of a parent-teacher conference?
Most parents are willing to share any suggestions or feedback. This ends the parent-teacher conference on a positive note, because you took the time to address their concerns. This is a great way to let parents know that you are an open door, and willing to work with them for the success of their child.
What are some good questions to ask teachers?
About Life Outside of SchoolWhat is one of your hidden talents?What would the students be surprised to find out about you?What’s a typical Saturday night like for you?How often do you accidently start speaking Spanish at home? … What are some pets you’ve had or would like to own?What is your dream vacation?More items…
What are some smart questions to ask?
Break the ice and get to know people better by selecting several of these get-to-know-you questions.Who is your hero?If you could live anywhere, where would it be?What is your biggest fear?What is your favorite family vacation?What would you change about yourself if you could?What really makes you angry?More items…
How do you have a successful parent-teacher conference?
Mastering the Parent-Teacher Meeting: Eight Powerful TipsBe Proactive. … Be Welcoming. … Explain Objectives and Expectations. … Be Prepared. … Create an Action Plan. … Use the Good-Bad-Good Sandwich. … Don’t Tolerate Abuse. … Keep Lines of Communication Open.
What parents wish teachers knew?
10 Things School Teachers Wish Parents KnewIt’s cool to be kind. … They ask for specific school supplies for a reason. … Your kid can be a fashionista—as long as their clothes are functional, too. … They need you to be prompt. … If you want to meet with them, make an appointment. … Lingering doesn’t do you or your child any favors.More items…•
What do parents want from teachers?
Parents want their kids to enjoy school. And parents want more communication and transparency. They want to hear from teachers and administrators, as well as board members and district employees.
What should I ask my kindergarten parent-teacher conference?
6 Productive Questions To Ask at Parent-Teacher ConferencesWhat do you see as an area of strength for my child? … If you could pick one area to focus on improving for my child, what would it be? … How does my child contribute to the class atmosphere? … Who does my child work well with?More items…•
50 Questions to Ask at Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent teacher conferences are a brief but valuable window into the world of your child. While you will realistically only have time for a few questions, this list of 50 is a great resource to help you build understanding and communication with your child’s teacher.
Questions to Solidify Your Partnership with the Teacher
What is your preferred method of asking a question about my student: email, phone or a note in the planner?
Questions for the Beginning of the Year
Name the top five skills you hope children will walk away with this year. How can I help them be developed at home?
If Your Child is Struggling Academically
What are some modifications you might make if you saw a child struggling with your area of expertise?
If Behavior is a Concern
Genius Tip: It might be good to take notes and hold off on responding/defending your child immediately so that it doesn’t get tense in the few minutes you have together. A follow-up conference might be beneficial.
If You Have a Student with Special Needs
What are some ways that my student’s 504 or IEP is being fleshed out in your classroom?
If Your Student is in a Gifted Program
Does this school have a resource teacher for gifted students? How is that teacher utilized by you and your team of teachers?
Why is it important to have a parent-teacher conference?
Knowing the purpose of a scheduled parent-teacher conference is essential to asking questions that will lead to student support and progress in school. 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.
Why is sharing an opportunity for learning?
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. Parents, meanwhile, might make their own decision whether to have the student attend with them.
Can a student’s success be determined by one parent?
A student’s success cannot be determined by the singular efforts of just one parent or one teacher working alone. Considering the influence of others in each student’s success is essential, whether it’s a coach, a friend, another teacher, etc. 5.
Why is it important to have a parent-teacher conference?
The parent-teacher conference is an important part of raising teenagers, especially if your child is experiencing stress or not realising their full potential. A meeting with the teacher is the first step to a collaborative partnership focused on the best interests of your child.
What to do before leaving an interview?
Before you leave the interview, make sure to establish next steps, especially if there are areas of weakness in your child’s performance that need to be addressed. Get agreement on action items, with deadlines and ways to contact each other in future.
Why is it important to ask open ended questions?
It allows the teacher to tell you what they think is most important and keeps the focus on areas needing attention.
How to talk to a parent teacher?
Just be prepared to discuss the following with the teacher: An overview of your child’s work and his coping skills. Your child’s conduct in class and with their social skills with peers.
Why do schools have parent teacher meetings?
These meetings are valuable opportunities to understand your child’s world. You will understand and communicate with your child better and also help the teacher work with your child for a better educational and social outcome.
Why is it important to study your child’s report cards?
Studying your child’s report cards will help you get a clear understanding of their progress and areas of struggle. This understanding will help you discuss what the next course of action can be, and how your child will benefit from attention to overcome the problem areas.
Why is it important to communicate with your child?
It is important to communicate with your child to be able to help them out. It’s necessary to be involved and concerned about your child’s school life , and the best way to do that is to have a great rapport with their teacher.
Why is it important to know what your child thinks about school?
It’s important to know what your child thinks about their school. It helps gauge how they perform in school, their likes and dislikes and subjects that may need more attention, as they might find difficulties. It also helps you identify points that you can discuss with the teacher to help your child in their class. 3.
Question 1: How is my child doing in the main subject areas (Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies)?
This is the question most parents are prepared to ask, and the easiest for teachers to show their data on. Remember to ask the teacher to explain any assessment tools used to gather this data besides just the weekly tests/quizzes.
Question 3: How do you prefer to communicate? (Email, phone, text, planner)
With so many forms of communication, be sure to ask which mode is preferred. This helps to ensure a timely response. Need another way to communicate? Check here to see why I love this easy to use parent communication app!
Question 4: What can I do at home to support what is being done in the classroom?
Besides completing the required homework, asking this question gives the teacher a chance to give you ideas that are tailored specifically to your child’s needs.
Question 5: How is my child doing socially? (have friends, includes others, being left out, etc.)
Often, we think academics is the only thing that matters when it comes to school, but school is so much more than just academics. Finding out the teacher’s perspective of how your child is doing on a social level can give important feedback.
Question 6: How does my child compare to others on a behavioral, social, and academic level?
Finding out where they stand compared to their peers can help influence which areas you can focus extra attention on.
Question 8: How does my child contribute to the class community?
This gives the teacher a chance to mention all the ways your child contributes to the class, besides just focusing on their grades. You may find out that your child is a great leader, helper, friend, raises their hand for discussions, and feedback on their work habits.
Question 9: Do you have any concerns about my child?
This is probably the hardest one to ask… and for good reason. Who wants to hear anything negative about their child. As a mama of two little angels myself, I dread having to ask this question. But, asking this simple question opens the door for your child’s teacher to mention any issues that might be uncomfortable to bring to a parent’s attention.
What to say at parent teacher conferences?
To help prepare for what to say at parent teacher conferences, you might fill out a little sheet for each child, highlighting their growth in literacy, math, and social/emotional learning. Think about each “content area” and ways the child has grown (or strengths) in each area. Then think of one or two next steps based on the child’s current performance. (These comments may be similar for a number of students – but tailoring them to individuals a bit is another way to show parents you know their child.)
How did Leo improve in kindergarten?
Leo has improved SO much in his writing. When kindergarten started he was able to write his name on the paper, draw a picture and write the word “I,” to start his sentence about what he did. But just look at this story! After he finished drawing, he wrote “I WT to BsBLGM.” (I went to the baseball game.)
Can you show progress with a sheet of paper?
Reading progress can be harder to show with just a sheet of paper. If you are working with kids who have started reading, you can show a book that they could read at the beginning of the year and a book they can read now. Then note changes in reading behaviors that you’ve noticed.
Why is it important to have a parent-teacher conference?
Knowing the purpose of a scheduled parent-teacher conference is essential to asking questions that will lead to student support and progress in school. 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.
Why is sharing an opportunity for learning?
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. Parents, meanwhile, might make their own decision whether to have the student attend with them.
Can a student’s success be determined by one parent?
A student’s success cannot be determined by the singular efforts of just one parent or one teacher working alone. Considering the influence of others in each student’s success is essential, whether it’s a coach, a friend, another teacher, etc. 5.
