At Celebree School, Family-Teacher Conferences (referred to in this article as Parent-Teacher Conferences) are an integral part of your child’s success in school, as they help maintain an open line of communication between you and your child’s educator. Here, the early childhood education specialists at Celebree School detail best practices for a successful Parent-Teacher Conference.
Be Prepared and Be Punctual
It can sometimes be difficult to find time in a busy schedule to discuss your child’s progress with their educator. However, it is a critical step to keeping up-to-date on your child’s successes and struggles in school. Being well-informed about your child’s education helps minimize problems, create strategies and keep a flow of information moving between home and school. Educators are usually more than happy to cater to the needs of your schedule, and phone conferences can be a viable solution for parents who are always on the go.
Once a date and time is set, stick to it, and come ready to take notes and ask questions. Before the conference, try to review any past reports you have received so that you have specific notes and questions to guide the discussion.
Balance Time Between Listening and Asking Questions
In a Parent-Teacher Conference, each party can provide valuable insight, ask questions, and benefit from learning more about the child in question. Parents have an intimate knowledge of their child’s home life, as teachers have an intimate knowledge of their student’s school life. An understanding of both is the key to helping your child grow and develop. While asking good questions and providing feedback is a vital part of the parent-teacher conference, listening is just as critical. It is okay that the teacher is an expert on your child’s school life—that is their job! Parents need not feel frustrated or neglectful if their child’s teacher identifies a behavior or concern that the parents have not. Ultimately, learning from each other’s observations will help create drive actions that are beneficial for all parties involved, but most importantly will benefit your child.
Follow Through with the Your Collaborative Action Plan
If you and your child’s educator have discussed a plan to deal with certain issues going on in school, see the plan through at home. Helping to resolve behavioral issues in school, for example, requires reinforcement from parents in the home setting. Follow-up with your child’s teacher regularly, and find ways to track your child’s progress. In working as a team, parents and teachers can make positive differences in the lives of children.
How Celebree School Can Help
At Celebree Learning Centers, our dedicated educators are excited to create partnerships with the parents of the children we serve. We believe that a teamwork-oriented approach is the best way to create lasting and impactful solutions, and help shape children for the better. Our programs are an enriching, educational and fun environment for children of all ages. If you are interested in learning more about your local Celebree School, contact us today or schedule a tour!