Classroom Resources

Questions to Ask at Your Parent-Teacher Conference

It’s parent-teacher conference season, and we know you want to make the most of your limited one-on-one time with your child’s teacher. The more prepared you are going in, the more beneficial the meeting will be for you, the teacher, and your kid! You may have a million things on your mind, or you may have no idea where to start and what to ask at all. Don’t worry! There is no need to be nervous about this meeting.

Here are some tips for a productive conference, and a list of good common questions for teachers:

• Sign up early – If you are among the first parents to schedule your appointment you will be more likely to get a time that works for your busy schedule. This way you know you won’t feel rushed during the time you have with your student’s teacher.
• Write down your questions – You don’t want to walk out after the meeting and remember something you wanted to ask! Plus, if you have a notepad with you, you can use it to write down any information you learn that you may want to remember.
• Talk to your child BEFORE the conference – It’s a good idea to find out from your child how he or she thinks school is going so far this year. This may very well influence what questions you want to ask as well as bring up any unknown concerns. Also, be sure to follow up with your student after the meeting to let them know how it went.
• Establish a relationship with the teacher – The parent-teacher conference is a great way to get to know the teacher on a better level. If you make a connection, it will be easier for you to communicate with the teacher throughout the year, and vice versa. In this case, it’s a good thing to be a “teacher’s pet!”

Suggested questions:

• What do you see as my child’s strengths?
• What do you think are the challenges for my child?
• How is my child doing socially?
• What would you do if my child was struggling either academically or otherwise?
• What can I do at home to support what you are doing in the classroom?
• Is there anything I haven’t asked that you think we should talk about?

Best of luck to everyone during parent-teacher conference season! Want your student to experience something amazing outside of the classroom? Check out our educational travel programs.