Parents: Do your homework!

As a parent, you're concerned about your child's progress in school. Does your daughter get along well with her peers and teachers? Is your son struggling with math? What exactly do grades measure?

One way to find out is a conference with your child's teacher.

Typically held two or three times a year, parent/teacher conferences allow both parties to share their observation about a student's school work.

Like anything else, the more effort you put into the conference, the more you'll get out of it.

Here are some suggestions from Association members:

Before the conference . . .

• Ask your child for his/her opinion on how school is going. Compare his/her views with the teacher's evaluation during the conferences. Any misperceptions your child has could lead to significant surprises when report cards arrive.
• Write down your questions in advance to keep the conference on track and professional.
• If possible, both parents should attend. Having both present builds a stronger partnership, and better communication between home and school. If one parent can't attend, be sure the other one writes down any concerns to raise during the conference.
• Communicate any goals and expectations you have for your child with the teacher.
• If the teacher says something you don't understand, ask. Don't be embarrassed if you don't understand education terminology.
• Ask questions about your child's academic work and social skills. These areas are important. From there, ask about specifics on curriculum, grading, discipline policies and procedures, homework expectations and special projects.
• Find out what you as a parent can do at home to help your child do well at school. Before you leave, summarize the plans you and the teacher made to help your child. This eliminates the chance of misunderstanding.
• Be prepared to talk about your child as a whole person, including his or her interests, activities and strengths outside school. You might also bring up significant family situations that could affect your child's school performance.
• Remember to be on time, and recognize the time limitations at conferences. If you need more time, arrange for it at a later date.
• Be positive. Approach the conference with a cooperative attitude.
• If you have questions and concerns after the conference, contact the teacher. Make sure you discuss the conference with your child so he or she knows what to expect.
• Stay informed regarding your child's school work, and talk with your child about it. Remember, keep in touch with the teacher. If you need to meet with the teacher before the next scheduled conference, set up an appointment.