O’Brien – Tips on Successful Parent/Teacher Conferences

We’re nearing the halfway point of the school year and as a parent that means facing the inevitable – the parent/teacher conference.  I thought I might provide a few tips for those that dread this excursion on a semi-annual basis.  I like to keep up with how my kids are doing not only academically but socially as well.  I’ve taken their temperature in other places, why not their education?  

I have four kids now but I still remember our first meeting with my oldest child’s teacher.  I had a lot of questions.  What if she doesn’t have any friends?  What if she has too many friends and talks too much?  What if she struggles with math, science, history, shop, health, etc.  Of course this was Pre-K so I may have been overreaching a bit.  Here are a few tips for those parents that may find these meetings a wee bit stressful.

Talk to your child beforehand about anything that might come up, be prepared with questions, be on time, start off positive, stay on track, be open to the teacher’s suggestions, stay calm, say thank you, don’t go over your allotted time and talk to your child about the meeting afterward. 

Do you have any suggestions on ways to make the most of parent/teacher conferences?  Leave a comment on facebook.