5 Questions to Ask at Your Next Parent-Teacher Conference

5 Questions to Ask at Your Next Parent-Teacher Conference

Parent-teacher conferences are a school staple and with the many changes the COVID pandemic has brought to school instruction these meetings are more important than ever.  They are an excellent opportunity to increase communication, review your child’s progress and receive valuable feedback and insight about your child’s academic and social behavior.

Preparing for the conference with a list of your most important questions will allow you to make the most of the limited time you will have with your child’s teacher. You’ll want to ask questions that will get straight to the point and answer if your child is doing well academically or falling behind and address their study habits and classroom behaviors. With this in mind, here are five questions to ask at your next parent-teacher conference.

1)     How is my child performing in your class?  

This is a great question to ask first because it’s most likely the most important answer you will need regarding your child's progress. Your child’s teacher can tell you the areas where your child is doing well and let you know where your child needs improvement. The teacher may be observing some deficiencies that you were not aware of and he or she can provide you with additional resources to help you develop an action plan to turn those areas of struggle into strength.

2)     Is my child turning in daily tasks and assigned homework?

You want to be sure your child is completing and turning in assignments on time. If you discover work is not being completed, this will provide an opportunity to gather information to determine the cause of the problem, such as  a lack of time management skills or understanding of the subject matter. You can then talk with your child to discover why they are not turning in work and help them address the problem, whether it is learning techniques to avoid procrastination and make better use of their time or needing additional tutoring to better understand assignments. 

3)     How can I work with my child at home to reinforce what is being taught during instructional time?

]With the continued adjustments transitioning to fully remote and now hybrid learning, it is becoming increasingly important to supplement your child’s learning outside of the classroom. As parents, you need to ensure that your child isn’t experiencing too much learning loss. There may be additional worksheets or online videos and activities that your child can utilize to stay engaged. Your child’s teacher most likely has numerous suggestions and ideas to share with you to keep your child interested outside of class.

4)     Is the school providing test preparation resources for standardized testing?

As most state assessment testing is scheduled to resume this spring, it’s important to be aware of the steps your child’s school and teacher will be taking to make sure your child is prepared.  Ask for the scheduled test dates, as well as any make up testing options. Inquire about any test preparation resources or classes scheduled that your child can sign up to participate in. The teacher should also be able to explain how the current curriculum for the remainder of the school year will further prepare your child for the upcoming assessments. If you have a high school student planning to take the SAT or ACT college entrance exams, be sure to inquire about any test preparation resources that are available as well.

5)     How is my child’s behavior during classroom and/or online instruction?

Ask your child's teacher about your child's behavior while instruction is being given to stay informed about any behavioral issues. The teacher can let you know if your child pays attention and is an active participant or is easily distracted and has problems staying on task.  If your child's teacher notices any behavior problems that need to be addressed, you can work with them in the event your child may need to be evaluated or given special accommodations or interventions in the classroom.

Before ending the parent-teacher conference, make sure you have updated contact information for your child's teachers to continue to follow up with them regularly about your child's progress. Ask for copies of the class syllabus and any applicable assignment calendars so you can be aware of the expectations for the school year and help your child stay on task. 

Parent-teacher engagement is key. Students with engaged parents perform better and have greater academic success. As your child gets older, it becomes even more important to establish a strong relationship with your child’s teachers and model how this partnership can benefit your child.

Our Mathnasium centers are here to help you by providing specialized in-person and online instruction for students in grades 2 to 12. Give us a call or send us an email today to for more information.