Conferences give you the chance to gather important information to help your child succeed in school. Below are tips from Education Minnesota to make your parent-teacher conferences effective:

Be prepared
Parent-teacher conferences are most efficient when you prepare for them just as teachers do.

• Spend time with your child before the conference and talk about any concerns he or she would like you to discuss with the teacher.
• Monitor your child’s activities and progress with all school subjects. Ask your child about the subjects he or she feels good about and those where your child thinks there might be a need for help.
• Prepare a list of questions to ask the teacher – using questions that will get to the heart of how well your child is doing in school.

Use time effectively
Conferences typically last only about 20 minutes so make the most of your time.

• Keep an open mind. Do not get defensive or angry when teachers discuss trouble spots – by addressing issues calmly, you can gain a better understanding of what is affecting your child’s development.
• Ask what is being done in the classroom to deal with any development or behavior issues.
• Remember that teachers are committed to addressing all aspects of a student’s development, both positive and those where help is needed.
• Stay focused. Use your time to talk about your child. If you go off on an unrelated tangent, you've lost vital time that could benefit your child.

Keep in touch
Stay connected with your child’s education after your parent-teacher conference.

• Talk with your child immediately after the conference. Stress the positive items and be direct, but thoughtful, about any problems that were identified.
• Stay in contact with your child’s teacher in person or by e-mail. Ask follow-up questions to monitor any changes in how your child is performing.
• Work with the teacher to create an action plan to deal with any problematic issues, and stick with the action plan.
• Make homework a top priority at home.