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Back to School Tips: How to Handle Parent-Teacher Meetings

By Meaghan Montrose

Now that the school year is in full swing, the first set of reports cards are right around the corner. Many school districts have parent-teacher meetings around this time so parents can talk to their child’s teachers and get an update on their child’s performance in class so far.

Since most classes are just starting to get into the content of a course at this time, a student’s performance in the first month or so of school does not completely reflect how they will fare with the subject for the rest of the year. It does, however, give you a good sense of the direction they are heading based on habits and patterns that have developed. For instance, if your child has missed several homework assignments already by this point in the year, it is likely that this trend will continue throughout the year if it is not addressed. Also, if your child has performed poorly on quizzes or tests it may be a sign that they are not studying properly or that they have been misplaced. Since content in a course tends to get more difficult as the year goes on, it is important to address these issues as soon as possible.

If your child’s school has parent-teacher meetings, be sure to attend . If they don’t, contact the school to set one up on your own. Even if your child’s report card was satisfactory, there may be other issues that are social or emotional or bad study habits that are just starting to develop. The best thing to do is to be proactive and find any problems before they are beyond repair.

Here are some tips to consider before you attend a meeting with your child’s teacher:

1. Be prepared.
Before going to the meeting, talk to child. Find out how they feel they are doing in class, what (if anything) they are struggling with, and what their current grades are.

2. Bring pen and paper.
There will most likely be things that you will want to remember and you don’t want to rely solely on your memory. You may want to write down grades, study suggestions, and contact information.

3. Listen to teacher.
Although you may be going into the meeting upset about a grade or concerned about an incident in class that you heard of, remember that in speaking with your child you are only hearing one side of the story and you can be certain that your child can’t be totally objective. Be sure to hear the teacher out before you make any accusations or assumptions. You will often find that your child has conveniently omitted certain details when relaying the information to you. The teacher should be an ally. You both want what is best for the education of the child. Don’t go in with your “guns blazing”.

4. Ask questions.
If you have any questions or concerns don’t be afraid to express them and ask for clarification when necessary. It is probably a good idea to prepare some questions ahead of time. You may want to ask questions such as “Has he/she missed any homework assignments?”, “Does he/she participate in class discussions?”, “Does he/she interact well with others in the class?”.

5. Ask for suggestions.
Don’t be afraid to ask for advice from the teacher. The teacher has experience working with many different types of learners and has excess to information and resources that can help your child learn. The teacher may be able to suggest peer tutoring, additional practice problems, internet resources, or something else specific for your child’s needs.

6. Get contact information before you leave.
This tip is self-explanatory. You will want to follow up on any issues, so it is a good idea to have the contact information handy.

7. Follow up.
Set up a follow-up meeting or phone call for a few weeks later to check on your child’s progress and establish new goals or strategies if needed.

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