5 Questions to Ask During Teacher Conferences

Make the most of your next face-to-face meeting

Words by Rebecca Hastings

iStock | Sturti

The school year is just kicking off, but fall parent/ teacher conferences are around the corner. As a parent, I get excited about those 15 minutes I have one-on-one with my child’s teacher — it’s a chance to hear about my child's progress, struggles and strengths through more than just a homework worksheet. Starting the conference with specific questions in mind helps you and the teacher focus on your individual child. While areas of study covered or assessment scores can be discussed quickly, you should be prepared to ask about and discuss other areas of your child’s progress. Addressing the following questions will give both you and the teacher a better understanding of your child throughout the year.

1. What’s an area of strength for my child?

This question focuses on your child specifically while still allowing the teacher to evaluate all subjects. Sometimes parents find this answer surprising as kids can show different abilities in the classroom than at home. If you hear something new from the teacher, then you’ll know to give your child opportunities at home to hone this strength.

2. If you could pick one area to focus on improving for my child, what would it be?

Sometimes it is difficult to think about all areas of learning at once. Focusing on improving one area at a time helps define the priorities within the classroom. It also gives something concrete to work on at home. This is an inquiry that you can follow up on throughout the year, and if progress is made, you can shift the focus to another area that’s a work in progress.

3. How does my child contribute to the class atmosphere?

This may seem like an unusual question, but it can provide a lot of information. Different personalities shine in different ways independently, but as you blend 20 of those unique personalities together, new things can be revealed. The answer to this will give you an idea of how much your child contributes to class discussions or tell you what a great helper they are. Maybe you’ll discover that your child follows directions well, models good behavior for other students or even that they provide funny ideas to give everyone a laugh. This is especially useful to understand as kids approach middle school, and issues like popularity can impact their learning experience.

4. Who does my child work well with?

Giving the teacher the opportunity to look at the social element of learning is just as important as the academics. This can be a good barometer of how a child is doing socially. Understanding who your child is able to work well with at school will help create a more successful learning environment.

5. Do you have any concerns about my child?

This question can never be asked too often. Sometimes we are so busy getting through the list of assessments, reading levels and academic achievement that we can miss the bigger picture. Giving both teachers and parents the pause to consider any areas of concern emotionally, socially or developmentally addresses the whole child in their learning environment and allows you to support them in whatever means necessary.