Maya

Tips for a Successful Parent-Teacher Conference
General Hints
Parent-teacher conferences are an excellent opportunity to find out how your child is
adjusting to the new school year and to get toknow her teachers. Here are some
general hints on how to have a successful conference:
• Ask your child if there is anything that he would like you to discuss with the
teacher.
• Jot downeverything that you want to talk about at the conference. (See Helpful
Questions, below.)
• Arrive promptly or a few minutes early.
• Begin with positive comments about the teacher or classroom.
• Avoidlengthy discussions of topics that are not related to the purpose of the
conference.
• Be open to suggestions from the teacher.
• Keep your emotions under control.
• Take notes about what has beendiscussed and share them with your child.
• Express appreciation for the conference.
• Do not stay beyond your allotted time.
Helpful Questions
In order to help your kids have a successful schoolyear, you need to know
what will be expected of them academically from now until June. You can find out by
asking some questions. Take this list with you to your next parent-teacher conference.
Anddon't forget to take notes.
1. What skills and knowledge will my child be expected to master this year?
• What will my child learn this year in key subjects like math, science, history, andEnglish?
• Are there challenging academic standards in place at this school? How do they
compare with those at other school districts? May I see them?
• How do you inform students about the academicstandards they're expected to
meet? What kind of projects and assignments have you planned that will help
my child meet higher academic standards?
2. How will my child be evaluated?
• What kind ofinformation do you use to evaluate students?
• How do you know if a child is academically ready to move on to the next grade?
• How are grades determined in your classroom?
3. What can I do to stay...