How Parents Can Make the Most of Parent-Teacher Meetings

Parent-teacher meetings are a perfect opportunity for parents to gauge their child’s academic progress and status. However, many parents either consider it a formality or are intimidated, thinking they will definitely hear negative things about the child. This stops them from viewing this as a chance to communicate better with the school for improving the child’s prospects and nurturing their potential. Nevertheless, learning how to make the most out of parent-teacher meetings to improve the learning experience of the child and address concerns effectively can make all the difference. Here we discuss how that can be done.

Goals Of A Parent-Teacher Meeting

Parent-Teacher meetings or PTMs can have a lot of benefits for a child. Before stepping into a meeting, it is essential to understand the primary goals, and relating them with your specific needs. Some of the key goals or points of discussion with the school can include the following:

• Academic progress and performance of the child: Has the child been improving, what are the weak points which they need to work on better, and which areas they could use more help with.
• Behavior of the child: A school is not just a place of gaining academic education. It is a place where the child learns everything, including behavior regulation, socializing, and more. Discussing the child’s behavior, inside and out of the class, with their peers, and more is essential to help them regulate their emotions and direct them away from troublesome behaviors.
• Discussing any concerns: A child experiences a lot of stuff in school, and for many, it can be a challenging environment for many reasons. Apart from academic stress, some children also find it difficult to fit in, or participate in extracurriculars even if they want to. These issues can cause significant challenges for the child. PTMs are a wonderful opportunity for parents to discuss such issues with teachers and find helpful strategies to overcome these issues.
• Building A Nurturing Atmosphere: PTMs provide a chance for parents and teachers to interact meaningfully and understand the nuances which may otherwise get missed. Consequently, it provides a chance for them to work together to create a nurturing environment for the child.

Making The Most Out Of A PTM

In order to reap the maximum advantages of a parent-teacher meeting, it is essential for parents to go in prepared. This will allow you to have a better idea about your child, and approach every aspect of their educational experience with greater knowledge and confidence. Some of the steps to take in this regard include the following:

• Be updated with their academic performance: Make sure you go over the child’s transcripts, assignments, and projects before the PTM to get an idea of their performance over the year. This will help you pinpoint weak areas, understand where their strengths lie, and thus, better discuss the same with the teacher.
• Communicate with the child: It is also essential for parents to talk to their children before the PTM in order to understand if they are having difficulty with any teacher, subject, or students. This will allow you to effectively communicate concerns with the relevant teachers and work for an improved experience for the child.
• Note down important discussion points: A PTM can be an overwhelming experience with you and the teachers both trying to communicate specific points. In order to ensure nothing of importance gets overlooked, it is essential to note down the pertinent discussion points. Make questions if needed.
• Be on time: It is essential to ensure you reach the school on time. Some schools give time slots for students to meet the parents to ensure all of them get ample time. If that is the case, ensure that you reach well within time. Even if there are no dedicated slots, make sure you reach well in time to have ample opportunity to discuss all required points of concern.

Communicating Impactfully

Apart from being prepared, it is essential to master how to effectively communicate with the school in order to improve the child’s educational experience. Discussing concerns and addressing performance questions does not mean one sided speaking or adopting a defensive demeanor. Instead, try the following:

• Present issues to seek solutions: If your child is facing any challenges, it is essential to present them to the teachers in a non-defensive or confrontational manner. Word your sentences carefully and aim to seek solutions instead of placing blame or accountability on one person. Go beyond discussing the problems and try to work towards finding solutions that would help.
• Listen to feedback: Often, teachers and schools try their best to work with a student, without any significant results. This also means in many cases that the parents need to work with the child as well in order to help them improve. Listen to the feedback and information being shared by the school objectively, and try to work with that when you work with your child.
• Clear Miscommunication: In the event of a misunderstanding, it is best to seek clarification. Whether it is some feedback or an instruction which is unclear, try to get clarification from the teacher. Extend this into the child’s curriculum, and try to clarify any doubts about the syllabus, the teaching methodologies, the grading system, and other details in order to help the child better mould their performance. This will also help the child get clarity about how they can change their approach to the subject or practice their skills to achieve better results.

Conclusion

A parent-teacher meeting is the ideal occasion for parents to discuss their child’s academic performance and overall growth in detail. It is essential for parents to go in prepared for potential feedback and insights into the child’s performance, social and behavioral patterns and more. Simultaneously, it is essential for them to go in with their own concerns and address all issues which the child may be struggling with. This opportunity helps both the parents and the school to improve their approach towards a child, resulting in a more constructive environment for their growth.