Questions to Ask in Parent/Teacher Conferences

It is time for parent/teacher conferences, and it is important to to ask helpful questions to make these sessions productive and identify potential learning struggles. 

Below are questions to ask in parent/teacher conferences to help you gain insights into your child’s performance:

• How is my child performing academically compared to grade-level expectations?  This question will help you gauge if there are any specific areas where your child might be falling behind.  For example, if your child is falling behind in reading or reading comprehension, the sooner you identify and address the root cause of these issues the less likely your child will fall further behind. 
• Can you provide examples of your child’s strengths and weaknesses in different subjects?  This will help you understand both their strong areas and those needing improvement.
• Are there any specific skills or concepts my child is struggling with?  This is critical as it identifies precise areas where additional support may be needed.  For example, your child may be pretty strong in math but struggle with problem solving.  Or be a fluent reader but has difficulty with spelling.  Drilling down to specifics will help you better understand where your child needs assistance.
• Does my child seem to grasp the concepts taught in class, or do they often need further explanation?  This provides insight into how well your child understand and retains information.  Does your child catch on the first time or do they need extra instruction.  Understanding this early can help you avoid potential issues as your child advances to more difficult grade levels and subject matter.
• How does my child handle assignments and homework?  Are they completing their work on time and to a satisfactory level?  It is important to understand your child’s organizational skills and time-management skills.  These skills relate to executive function which are critical skills in academics and as an adult.
• Does my child show signs of frustration and anxiety about their homework?  This can identify if there are emotional factors that might be impacting their learning.  It can also provide a clue that your child is struggling to complete the work. Often when students avoid homework, have poor motivation and demonstrate high levels of frustration, it’s an indication that the tasks are too difficult and that there is a deeper root cause issue other than simply not liking school. 

If you often dread going to your child’s teacher conference because you consistently receive difficult feedback or if your child is getting into the tougher grade levels and dtarting to struggle, don’t wait to get help.  LearningRx training can identify the root cause of your child’s difficulty and create an individualized training plan to help them succeed.  Your parent conferences can go from something you dread to a time to look forward to. 

The first step is to contact the LearningRx center in Savage/Prior Lake to schedule an initial assessment. This step is critical to understanding why your child is struggling and it is currently $100 off the standard price of $199.  Our director, Rich, will then meet with you to answer any questions you may have and provide a better understanding as to why your child is experiencing these difficulties and how LearningRx can help.  For only a few hours and $99, you can get on the path toward improving your child’s performance, and more positive parent/teacher conferences.