It is crucial that you be involved with your child’s education. Having the support of a loving parent can make all the difference in whether a child succeeds or not during the school year. One of the best ways you can do this is to be prepared for parent-teacher conferences. This is the best opportunity for you and your child’s teacher to get on same page about your education goals and how best to create a learning environment both at home and in the classroom that benefits your child. The following are some basic tips when going into parent-teacher conferences.

Do your Homework

Go through recent assignments, tests, and quizzes. Look at not only the grades but any comments the teacher might have added. Put aside anything that concerns you. This will give you a good idea of how your child is performing and what improvements could be made.

Talk to your Child

Ask how they feel about their performance, their likes and dislikes, or any concerns they have. Do they have an area that they are struggling in? Also, ask if there is anything they would like you to talk to the teacher about. This may help you to better understand the ways your child learns best. It also let you know that he or she doesn’t really like a certain subject and so you and the teacher may have to work a little harder to engage them.

Note Topics to Discuss

As you have gathered information about your child’s performance and feelings about class, it is wise to write down certain things that the teacher may find helpful to know or that you would like to discuss further. Any assignments that you had concerns about or areas where it seems your child struggles would be good topics of discussion.

Come Up with Questions

You should also come up with a short list of questions to ask the teacher. The answers to these will give you an even better idea of how your child is doing in school and if there is anything you can do to help your student along. The following are a few good ones:

• Does my child participate in class?
• Is my child having any challenges?
• What is my child excelling at?
• What are their weaknesses or areas of improvement?
• What can we do at home to support your efforts in the classroom?

These and the tips above should help you and your child’s teacher come up with a game plan together. Working together and being on the same page throughout the school year enables your child to succeed in the greatest ways and with the best support. Make the most of your child’s education by being prepared and involved in their parent-teacher conferences.

For more tips and strategies for a successful education click here.