How to prepare for a parent-teacher meeting

The average parent-teacher meeting rarely lasts longer than 15 minutes. Here’s what you can do to get the most out of it.

Prepare your questions ahead of time
The best way to get a clear picture of how your child is doing in school is to prepare a set of questions to ask the teacher. How do they behave in class? Are they making progress? What can you do to help them? Write down questions as they arise over the course of the semester to make sure you don’t forget anything.

Share information about your child
Describe how you perceive your child’s strengths, weaknesses and character traits. Additionally, you should inform the teacher about any important developments that may affect your child’s behavior such as a divorce, death or medical diagnosis. The more information they have, the better they’ll be able to respond to your child’s needs.

Keep an open mind
Listen to what the teacher has to say before forming an opinion and be prepared to hear both the good and the bad. Don’t dismiss the possibility that your child may benefit from tutoring, counseling or some other type of intervention.