Parent evenings are an ideal opportunity to talk to teachers about your child’s academic progress as well as any social issues that may be particularly relevant.
It is important to be prepared because the amount of time you have with each of your child’s teachers is often very limited. Try and get a feeling for how well your child is doing by looking at their school report as well as school work that has been marked by teachers.
Make notes of any important points you want to bring up with your child’s teacher. Talk to your child before the parents evening as they may have something they wish to bring up.
Some good points to discuss with your child’s teachers are listed below:
- Your child’s strengths and weaknesses
- Your child’s progress since their last report
- Things that would aid your child’s progress (i.e. how you can help)
- Your child’s attitude towards school work
- Whether your child fits in well with other students
Be as honest and open as possible with the teacher and they will be honest and open with you. You both want what is best for your child therefore any criticism they may have regarding your child’s behaviour or work should be something that you can acknowledge and try to work on with your child.
It is important that you do nott miss the appointments you have made with the teachers so be careful not to be late. This may be difficult though, especially if you are working throughout the day. If you cannot see some of your child’s teachers for some reason it will most likely be possible to contact the teachers in question and make a private appointment at a more convenient time for you. They should be more than happy to do this!
As well as talking to your child before the parents evening, talk to your child after you have spoken to their teachers. Try to discuss any problems that became apparent after talking to the teachers as soon as possible. This way, they will be fresh in your mind and you will be able to take effective action quickly.
Positively though, commend your child for any praise received from their teachers. There will always be something positive to take away from talking to your child’s teachers!