Parent Teacher Conferences
Introduction
Parent-teacher conferences are an opportunity to establish better communication between parents and teachers. Since children are different at home and in school, both the parent and the teacher gain in understanding the child and can, therefore, be more effective in helping him or her. We believe students whose families are involved with learning do better in school.
The evidence is now beyond dispute. The most accurate predictor of a student's achievement in school is not income or social status, but the extent to which that student's family is able to:
- Create a home environment that encourages learning
- Express high (but not unrealistic) expectations for their children's achievement and future careers
- Become involved in their children's education at school and in the community.
The PVNC Catholic District Board want to encourage families to become more involved in learning and believe the following questions can promote successful conferences by improving two-way communication.
Fall Conferences
- What strengths does my child bring to this class?
- Does my child consistently meet classroom standards for completing assignments?
- How does my child interact with others and contribute to classroom activities?
- This is a specific concern about my child's work in this class ______.
- What additional resources could benefit my child?
- What can the teacher do to help my student be more successful in this class?
- What can our family do at home to help my child be more successful in school?
- Do we need additional time to continue this discussion?
Spring Conferences
- What developmental progress has my child made in this class?
- In what areas does my child need to focus during the next nine weeks?
- What additional resources could benefit my child?
- What kind of planning needs to be done to promote academic and social growth for my child?
- Are there any summer activities that the family can pursue to help my child prepare for next year?
Review these questions and write down any others you may have. Be sure to include any concerns your child would like you to discuss with the teacher.