Dreamstime
Q: How can I make the most of parent/teacher conferences and what should I learn at them?
— Wondering
- You should expect answers to most of the following questions. Be sure to take notes to help you remember what has been discussed.
- What achievement or competency tests has my child taken in the past year? What do his or her scores on these tests mean?
- What is my child’s ability level?
- Is my child working at above or below grade-level in such subjects as reading, mathematics, and language arts?
- What group or groups is my child in? Why?
- What are my child’s special strengths and weaknesses in his or her major subjects?
- How would you describe my child’s work habits? Does he or she regularly complete classwork and homework?
- Can we look over some of my child’s work together?
- Are there discipline problems? How can they be improved or eliminated?
- How well does my child get along with classmates and with the teacher?
- Does my child need any special help with schoolwork or social adjustment? Who can provide this help?
- What are the teacher’s recommendations for specific ways in which my child can improve his or her performance at school?
- How can I help my child with any problem areas?
Parents should send questions and comments to dearteacher@dearteacher. com or to the Dear Teacher website. Compass Syndicate Corporation, 2018. Distributed by King Features Syndicate