Making most of parent-teacher conferences - Your Life - Brief Article

Parent-teacher conferences are a good time to find out how children are doing in school, and being prepared can make the meeting even more beneficial. Ann Knackendoffel, assistant professor of special education, Kansas State University, Manhattan, has several tips that can help parents accomplish more in parent-teacher conferences. "Time is usually limited to about 20 minutes per child, so the first thing parents may want to do is make a list of questions and concerns to make sure they don't forget anything." Some possible questions include:

* Is my child attentive during lessons?

* How well does my child get along with classmates?

* How much homework is normal and what can I do to assist my child with homework?

* What books should my child be reading?

* Are there any disciplinary concerns with which I could help?

"Parents may not have a good idea of what is normal or what they should expect of their children. Parent-teacher conferences give parents a chance to find out what the teacher's expectations are and what they can do to assist." Knackendoffel maintains that parents should ask about educational terms that are unfamiliar to them, particularly those associated with assessment results. Such conferences are also a good time to inquire about any school procedures they may be uncertain of. These may include discipline procedures, make-up work, tardiness, excused absences, and/ or the school's policy on sending a child home sick. If parents would like an opportunity to meet with a counselor, speech clinician, or other school personnel, they may want to call ahead and make arrangements prior to the conference so that individual may be present.

Knackendoffel points out that parents can do several things at home as well to benefit their child's education, such as reserve a time for homework and make a quiet space in the home just for doing it; read books or other educational materials and discuss them with the youngster; use time in the car to catch up on what is happening with the child; and do not over-schedule, since kids also need free time to relax.

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