Supporting your child’s education is key to ensuring your child’s future success, and this means that parents need to develop strong relationships with their children’s teachers. Attending parent teacher conferences can be an important way to build relationships, yet parents are not always sure what they should ask busy teachers during the conferences. This is how the Parent Teacher Conference Checklist can help you. The checklist is a starting point for knowing what questions to ask, and is customizable so that you can make each conference personal as well as efficient.
How to Use the Parent Teacher Conference Checklist
This Parent Teacher Conference Checklist is free, downloadable right from this page, and can be customized to suit your particular needs.
- First, download the checklist.
- Second, review the sample questions provided in the Parent Teacher Conference Checklist.
- Third, revise the sample questions to personalize them to your child and your child’s teacher(s).
- Finally, add an additional question or two about issues that you want to particularly address during the next conference. It’s a good idea to think of at least one specific question prior to each conference.
Tips for Making the Most out of the Parent Teacher Conference Checklist
- Teachers have many students, which means many conferences. Use the checklist to make sure you get your questions answered, but also respect teachers’ time and keep conferences brief.
- Consider questions that prompt teachers to suggest specific ways you can support your child at home.
- Phrase your questions to convey that you and the teacher are on the same team. Most teachers want their students to do well, and appreciate parents who are cooperative, rather than critical. You may find that teachers will go out of their way to help your child, if you’ve got their back.
Your child’s education can be greatly enhanced if you develop strong relationships with your child’s teachers. Use the Parent Teacher Conference Checklist to help you ask all the right questions and make the most of teachers’ limited time.
Download: Parent Teacher Conference Checklist