How to Get the Best Out Of Parent-Teacher Meetings
June 9, 2009
For a child to be completely happy and excel in school, it is vital that his parents and teachers have a healthy relationship. Parents are the child’s first role models, guides and teachers.
After a certain age, teachers take over that role. They educate the child and also mould his personality and social behavior. Both the teachers and the parents need to have a good rapport and communicate well with one another to bring the best out of the child.
An ideal parent-teacher conference would be open, and allow ideas and information to be shared freely. They should not be a litany of complaints and full of angst.
Communicate with the child. Find out if he is facing some problem or if he wants something to be brought to teacher’s attention. The child may be reticent and unable to discuss certain topics with his teacher, so you may have to do it for him.
Prepare for this meeting as you do for any other. Make a list of topics you need to discuss, so that you do not forget something important.
Be punctual. If you are late, the teacher might judge you as an irresponsible parent.
Be positive. Smile often and listen carefully to what the teacher has to say. This is about your child, and it is not about you. So do not waste time discussing things that are irrelevant to the child’s performance and behavior.
Teachers will point out areas where your child is performing poorly. This is not intended as criticism and it does not imply that you lack parenting skills.
These comments are meant to help your child improve. Accept them. Be rational and open to the criticism of your child. Do not get angry or emotional.
Note the points and input raised by the teacher. This will help your child a lot. Thank the teacher for his/her efforts and leave on a friendly note.
Tips for Teachers
Communicate the date of the meeting well in advance and give the parent a briefing of the points you want to discuss with them. This may be the child’s homework, behavior, attitude towards fellow students or the school, or his likes and dislikes.
Be positive and thank the parents for coming and showing interest in the child’s schooling. Say something nice about their child. This will be greatly appreciated.
Inform the parents about the school, its aim, its culture and what it expects out of its students. Talk about the rules of the school, the consequences of rule breaking and also about the homework policies.
Once rapport is established, you can then discuss areas where the child is lacking and can improve. It could be language skills, playground behavior or a subject he is weak in.
Do not be overly critical or offensive. The child may have been naughty; just bring the matter to their notice and offer possible solutions to the child’s problems. Thank them for being pro-active and coming to the meeting. Show appreciation and close the meeting on a positive note.
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