YOUHILL’S MUSTANG ROUNDUP
Parent Teacher Conference Tips
This coming month, our teachers will be scheduling the Parent/Teacher
conferences and handing out the first report cards of the
2007-2008 school year. Conferences will take place the week of November 13th
–16th. Information regarding your conference time will be coming home soon.
Below are some helpful tips on making the most of the time you have meeting
with your student’s teacher:
How To Make Parent-Teacher Conferences Work for Your Child:
All children learn in different ways. They have their own individual
personalities, and their own listening and work habits. To help their students
learn new knowledge and skills, teachers must know as much as they can about
each child's likes and dislikes. No one knows more about these things than
you, the parents. And no one has more influence over your children than you.
That’s why teachers need your help to do a first-class job. Working together,
you and the teacher can help your child have a successful school year.
• Start the conference right: be there on time, and plan not to run over the
amount of time that has been set aside, usually about 30 minutes.
• The best conferences are those in which both teachers and parents stay calm
and try hard to work together for one purpose and one purpose only: to help
your child do well. Arguing, or blaming each other for problems your child is
having, helps no one.
Getting Ready
Each teacher will probably come prepared with samples of your children's work
and with ideas to help them do even better in school. You should get ready for
each conference, too. Talk to your children before the conference. Find out
what they think are their best subjects, and what subjects they like the
least. Find out why. Also, ask your children if there is anything they would
like you to talk about with their teachers. Make sure your children don't
worry about the meeting. Help them understand that you and their teacher(s)
are meeting together in order to help them.
The Conference
It's a good idea to ask your most important questions first, just in case time
runs out before you and the teacher have a chance to discuss them all. Be sure
to ask the teacher for specific suggestions on ways to help your child do
better. This is the most important part of the meeting. It will become your
action plan. If the teacher says something you don't quite understand, don't
be shy about asking for an explanation. It's a good idea to end the conference
by summing up decisions you've made together. If needed, ask to meet again.
After the Conference
Start immediately on the action plan you and the teacher worked out together.
Discuss the plan with your child. Make sure he or she knows that you and the
teacher care. To see if the action plan is working, watch your child's
behavior and check your child's class work and homework. Stay in regular
touch with the teacher to discuss the progress your child is making. Meeting
with your child's teachers should help build strong parent-teacher
partnerships—partnerships that are needed if you and your child's teachers are
to reach your common goal of helping your child get the best education
possible. If you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment, please call
our office at 771-1810 so the teacher can rearrange the schedule.
Vickie Youhill, Principal
