ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS/STEVE DEBENPORT
issues at school such as bullying or
being left off of a party invitation list?
Communicating this to teachers will
help them be on the lookout for your
child and ease some of the tensions
they’ re facing. Teachers can be your
best advocates.

R It’s important
to be involved in your children’s work.

This does not mean doing their math
homework or writing their English
essay. But do spend a few minutes
daily talking about their school day.

Avoid yes/no questions. Ask instead,
Which problem was the most diffi cult
on the math test? or What sport are
you playing in PE this week? Once a
week, go through their backpack and
review returned graded work, look
over their note-taking skills and read a
chapter of a textbook together. You can
discuss with your child’ s teacher other
ways to be more involved at home.

Most public school systems address
parent-teacher conferences on their
websites, off ering tips for parents to
have more successful communications
with the faculty.

ontgomery County
Public Schools (MCPS), the largest
public school district in Maryland,
has a two-page yer on its website
about preparing for parent-teacher
conferences, along with a list of
questions to ask teachers. MCPS
advises, When parents and teachers
talk with each other, each person can
share important information about the
child’s academic progress, talents and
needs. Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS),
the largest public school district in
Virginia, also devotes a page of its
website to outlining various levels and
methods of communication between
parents and teachers. FCPS states, The
purpose of a parent-teacher conference
is to develop a mutual understanding
of various aspects of the student’s
progress and to encourage cooperative
planning toward eff ective solutions of
problems that may exist.

washingtonFAMILY.com October 2018
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