Parent-Teacher Conferences: 4 Ways to Make the Most of Your Meeting With the Teacher by Pepi Silverman

As families prepare for Thanksgiving, many schools plan for parent-teacher conferences. Relationships have been established, report card grades have been sent home, and the routines of a new school year are firmly in place, so planning for meaningful conferences will help to build common understandings between parents are teachers.

• Tell your child’s story. Help teachers to know your child’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Equip your child’s teacher with information about your child’s interests, worries and aspirations.
• Inform your child’s teacher about any peer interactions impacting your child at school.
• Ask the teacher what can strengthen the home-school partnership on behalf of your child.

The parent-teacher conference can set the stage for a school year of effective home-school communication. Help your child to benefit from the shared understanding that an effective conference can achieve.