Parent-Teacher Conference Tips for Elementary School Students
Parent-teacher conferences can help you and your child jumpstart a new season of math success. Your child’s teacher is an integral member of your academic team and the parent-teacher conference is where you can huddle to strategize the most successful plays for your child. Your attendance will signal to your child’s teacher this meeting is a priority and show your desire to be committed to being a part of your child’s education. To help you have a productive conference, here are six tips to put into practice at your upcoming meeting.
1. Share Information
We all have fond memories of show-and-tell at school when we brought in our most prized possessions and shared with the class why it was so special. Take a similar approach with your child. Think about your child’s personality, their likes or dislikes and what your child enjoys or (doesn’t) about math class. Share this information with the teacher during your conference. The teacher doesn’t need parental input on how to teach, of course, but if you have a suggestion or insight about how to best interact with your child, it’s valuable information your child’s teacher can use.
2. Review Teacher Observations
Your child is likely receiving frequent progress reports about their classroom behavior and academic achievement. Go back over any previous reports and pay careful attention to any notes or impressions your child’s teacher may have indicated. Does the teacher note your child is easily distracted, or has difficulty seeing the chalkboard? Does your child consistently get a note on their report for failing to turn in class assignments? Compile a list of these details to take with you to the conference and make sure that any issues or concerns the teacher presented are being addressed.
3. Ask About Intervention Options
If your child is experiencing learning difficulties with math, don’t be afraid to ask about intervention options for your child. The teacher and your child’s school can provide you with various resources to meet their needs. If the teacher recommends math tutoring for your child, our Mathnasium center is the best choice. Offering one-on-one tutoring beginning with grade 2, our center can improve your child’s academic performance and fill in any learning loss your child may have experienced due to the switch to exclusively remote learning. Outside intervention doesn’t only apply to children who are having trouble in math. It can also be valuable for children who may be bored with their current math coursework and need more enrichment to keep them engaged. Mathnasium can provide that too!
4.Look for Skill Gaps
For elementary age children, watch for changing attitudes towards math. If you notice your child begins to make negative statements about their math abilities or demonstrates a sudden lack of enthusiasm or confidence, try to identify what is causing the change. Have they started a new topic in class? Did they recently struggle with a homework assignment or test? Are they still struggling with learning remotely from home? At the meeting, discuss classroom and home methods that can help improve your child's confidence before negative math attitudes become ingrained and thus harder to reverse.
5. Involve Your Child in Conference Planning
Although your child is young, they naturally have their own ideas and perspective about their math instruction and how and what they prefer to learn. Let your child know you will be talking with their teacher and pay careful attention to their responses. If you will be in the classroom, ask them what they enjoy or dislike about the classroom setting and take note of it during your visit. Their feedback can further inform the areas of discussion you have with their teacher during the conference.
6. Have Realistic Goals
Going into the conference, have realistic expectations about what the teacher may share about your child’s progress. You know your child and the areas in which they typically excel and where they may experience challenges. Keep in mind this is still not your average school year and your child may still be adjusting to all the instructional changes. Remember to give yourself and your child a little grace.
The purpose of the parent-teacher conference is to ensure you and your child’s teacher are on the same page with how to best help your child succeed. Be sure to share the teacher’s feedback with your child as well. If your child’s teacher doesn’t know already, inform them that you see this conference as an opportunity to foster on-going communication with them and that you will be an active and engaged parent.
Our Mathnasium center is here to meet your math instruction needs. Specializing in providing individualized instruction for students in grades 2 – 12, we offer in-person and online learning. Give us a call today or contact us online to sign up for your child’s no-risk assessment.
