Parent-Teacher Conferences: How to Voice Your Concerns

We all have concerns and observations that we’d like to share with our kids’ teachers, but stepping up and actually saying them is sometimes easier said than done. Today’s tip on Parent-Teacher Conferences will help you express your concerns comfortably and constructively:

Don’t be afraid to share your observations and concerns with your child’s teacher.

• Remember that good teachers are interested in your child’s education, which means they want to know when your child is struggling with something outside of the classroom.
• You see your child in a different setting than the teacher does. Your observations and concerns may resonate with other behavior that the teacher has observed, or they may be different. Either way, sharing what you see about your child’s learning at home as your teacher shares what he or she sees at school will help you both create a more complete picture of your child’s needs.
• Your child’s teacher may have some very constructive suggestions on what you can do to help your child succeed. Ask directly for recommendations on what you can do outside of the classroom to help.
• When sharing your concerns, be mindful of your phrasing. Be careful to explain your concerns in a way that doesn’t point a finger of blame at the teacher or school. Remember that your goal is to understand how your concerns and observations align (or don’t align) with what the teacher sees at school and get suggestions for what you can do to help at home.

What concerns or observations do you want to discuss with your child’s teacher? What are you dying to know or say but not sure how to ask?