Do you have a parent teacher conference coming up soon?

This is an opportunity to check in with your child’s teacher about how the school year is going for your child so far. You can use this as a chance to see if your child is off to a strong start or in need a bit more support. Because math builds on itself, a private visit with your child’s teacher is the best way to ensure that improvement begins earlier in the year rather than waiting until your child is even further behind in the Spring.

Parent teacher conferences can bring more clarity than the feedback you might get from your child. Also, representative standards of expectations and student work samples are more readily available during these meetings so you can support your child’s progress from home. 

Tips for getting the most out of your conference:

Before the meeting

• Talk to your child about their current school performance - do they participate in class, raise their hand, feel confident, ask questions when needed?
• Note any changes in your child’s work habits or attitudes to share with teacher - avoidance of specific concepts, seeming lack of challenge, confusion, frustration, or lack of perseverance in problem solving
• Make a list of topics that you and your child you would like clarification on so you can support their learning from home

During the conference

• Ask to see work samples from your child
• Ask to see representative examples of classwork so you can help your student rise to the challenge
• Remember the teacher is your partner and you both are invested in your student's success; ask for tips to foster strong communication
• Thank the teacher! They work very hard this week to update all their students’ families on their progress!

After the conference

• Your student will be eager to hear about the parent teacher conference - set aside a time to review what was discussed so any changes can be implemented immediately
• Begin by sharing highlights and positive feedback from the teacher so far this year with your child
• Inform your child of any possible upcoming changes to help them be more successful in the classroom - new seating, additional enrichment for extra challenge, before or after school support
• Continue communicating with the teacher to make sure the current plan is in motion and effective, assess progress, and update the plan as necessary (Are more changes needed?  Are some changes no longer needed?)

We would love to hear any feedback that your child’s math teacher shares! Provide us with a class syllabus, sample classwork, or other materials from the teacher and we would be happy to support your child’s classwork during their Mathnasium session. Your child’s teacher is also more than welcome to contact us directly at [email protected].

If your child isn't currently enrolled at Mathnasium and they are in need of math enrichment, visit our NW DC Learning Center! Or Schedule an Assessment to see what areas we could focus on to make them feel confident and secure in their math education.

You may also be interested in:  My child is struggling with multiplication! or Is Mathnasium of Cathedral Heights the right fit for your family?