MORE THAN A MEETING: MAKING THE MOST OF PARENT- TEACHER CONFERENCES BY SANDRA STEIGER, EDUCATION ADVISOR, TUTORSPLUS
Parent-teacher conferences can feel like a lot to fit into ten or fifteen minutes. But they’re one of the few chances each semester for you and your child’s teacher to meet face to face to build a fuller picture of how things are going. They not only help you as a parent understand your child’s progress academically, socially and emotionally, they also give teachers useful insight into what is going on at home. When working at an international school, I looked forward to the opportunity to put faces to names and catch a glimpse of who my students were outside the classroom. As an important part of regular parent- teacher communication, getting the most from a parent-teacher conference takes a little preparation. Here are some suggestions on how to prepare, which questions to ask, what to focus on, and what to do afterwards to follow up.
different settings, so each brings a different and valuable perspective. Teachers can explain how your child approaches learning, participates in class and interacts with their peers, while you can share more detail on their interests, motivations and habits around the home. When children see their parents actively curious about and engaged in their school experience, it positively affects motivation and commitment. Research on parental engagement in education links positive communication between home and school with areas such as academic progress, attendance and children’s attitudes towards learning. At a parent-teacher conference, these perspectives are brought together, helping you recognise what’s going well and where your child may need support. They are the face-to-face element of regular interaction and correspondence that strengthen your relationship with your child’s teacher, making it easier to share information and maintain consistent expectations throughout the school year.
BEFORE THE CONFERENCE: A LITTLE PREP GOES A LONG WAY Most conferences run short, so it helps to walk in knowing exactly what you want to cover. Talk to your child first Before the meeting, ask your child how they’re feeling about school. Are they getting on well with their teacher? Is anything bothering them, such as a friendship or a subject they’re finding tricky? Ask what they’d like their teacher to know about them too. Frame the conference positively as a conversation between people who want to support them. Stay calm if any big emotions come up for your child, encourage them to speak openly, and aim to involve them as much as possible in defining a goal for the parent-teacher conference.
WHY PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES MATTER Parents and teachers see children in
“It’s easy to forget what you meant to ask once you’re sitting across from the teacher, so jot your questions down beforehand.”
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARENT AUTUMN 2026 | 62
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