Questions to ask during a parent teacher conference
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EmailIt’s good to be prepared with questions to ask so you can gain insight into how your child is doing. Read more to find out what types of questions are good to ask.
It can be difficult to know what types of questions to ask a teacher during parent teacher conferences if you don’t have any problems, issues or concerns that you need to address. However, Michigan State University Extension recommends preparing questions to ask so you can gain insight into how your child is doing.
The National Education Association suggests that parents ask important questions during conferences. Furthermore, they encourage parents to have frank and honest conversations with your child’s teacher. After all, whether your child is struggling in school or not, the goal should be for your child to be successful. In an article written on Tips for Parents on Parent-Teacher Conferences, they suggest the following as good questions to ask the teacher:
- What are my child’s strengths and weaknesses?
- How does my child get along with classmates?
- Is my child working up to his/her ability? Where could he/she improve?
- What can we do at home to support what you are doing in the classroom?
Furthermore, Huntington provides parents with a tip sheet called Questions Every Parent Should Ask At Parent-Teacher Conferences. This tip sheet breaks the questions down according to the child’s progress, grading and expectations, your involvement, and good communication. For instance:
Your child’s progress
- Is my child performing to grade level standards?
- Is he or she keeping up with homework assignments and participating in class?
- What are my child’s strengths? In what areas could they improve?
Grading and expectations
- What standardized exams will my child take this year, and how will you help prepare your students for such tests in the classroom?
- How do you determine my child’s report card grades and marks? What are the various components of these grades?
- How much time should my child spend on homework each night?
Your involvement
- How can I help my child improve his or her areas of weakness?
- What can I do to support you in your classroom objectives?
- What suggestions do you have on how to approach homework time? What is an appropriate level of parental involvement and support?
Good Communication
- What is the best way to communicate with you moving forward?
- What should I strive to accomplish with my child before our next parent teacher conference and how would you like me to inform you of my progress?
For more information on having a successful parent teacher conference, see the article titled Having a Successful Parent Teacher Conference.
