The Parent Teacher Conference

If you search YouTube for “Parent Teacher Conferences,” you’ll find several animated and often quite humorous videos (Like this one: http://tinyurl.com/funnyconference) depicting scenarios from parent teacher conferences. They include outrageous and exaggerated examples of things like parents accusing teachers of picking on their children, to teachers accusing parents of not ensuring homework gets done, and everything in between.

While these videos are clearly made up and designed to be funny, we all know that the best humor is almost always based on a kernel of truth.

So what’s the truth here?

That parents and teachers often feel like they aren’t on the same team.

The parent teacher conference provides the perfect opportunity to convey to your child’s teacher that you are on his team.

During the conference, you can do this by:

1. Actively listening to your child’s teacher. Do more than hear what your child’s teacher has to say. Acknowledge you are listening by shaking your head in affirmation, by repeating back a summary of what you believe she said and by asking clarifying questions.

2. Communicating to your child’s teacher anything that could help her teach your child better. Has your family experienced a major life shift like a move or the birth of a new baby? Do you sense your child learns better when material is delivered in a certain way? Does your child complain he doesn’t understand what he’s being taught at school? Now is the time to let his teacher know.

3. Ask what skills and knowledge your child is expected to master and how he will be evaluated. Learning about the goals your child’s teacher has for her students and her evaluation methods can help you better understand the teacher’s expectations and demonstrates that you are invested in helping your child meet them.

4. Find out what you can do at home to support the learning process. Asking for ways you can support classroom learning will go far in communicating that you value your child’s education and consider yourself a partner in it.

5. Ask for help when needed. You know your child best. If you feel that your child could benefit from additional educational opportunities, ask your teacher how you can secure them. If you think your child may have a different way of learning, bring it up.

The parent teacher conference not only provides a great opportunity for you to learn more about how your child performs in the classroom, but provides an outstanding opportunity for you to become a true partner in your child’s formal education.

What was the best thing you learned at your most recent parent teacher conference? What advice do you have to parents attending their first? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Dr. Goode is the founder of the Academy for Coaching Parents International, a global online school for training successful, parenting coaches in home-based businesses. She is the author of fifteen books, including the international best seller, Kids Who See Ghosts, the national award-winner Raising Intuitive Children. See and review all of Dr. Goode’s books here.  Dr. Goode is also the founder of HeartWise Parent, learning center for parents and Live-Spirit.com, which provides tools for spiritual living.

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