Do you know your child teacher's name? Do you know what she or he is like? Does your child talk about his or her teacher? Why is this important?
Family engagement is a shared responsibility of families and staff at all levels that requires mutual respect for the roles and strengths each has to offer. Our program recognizes parent’s role as children’s lifelong educators and that parent involvement habits begin early.
Particularly in our preschool classrooms, it is imperative for our teachers to build positive and goal-oriented relationships with our parents to ensure children achieve success at school and home. One of the many ways our teachers do this is by holding monthly parent-teacher conferences.
Although teachers regularly communicate with parents about their child’s routine, activities and behavior, parent-teacher conferences serve to enhance the knowledge and understanding for both parents and staff of the child’s educational and developmental progress.
During the one-on-one meetings, teachers inform parents about the purpose of screening and assessment results, talk about the child’s progress, and provide parents with ways they can support their child’s learning at home. At the same time, it gives parents and teachers the opportunity to relate and understand each other’s views.
Here are some tips that might help parents prepare for their next parent-teacher conference:
- What activities and centers does my child enjoy the most?
- Do you feel my child is meeting developmental milestones for his/her age?
- In what ways can I support my child’s learning at home?
- What goal do you have for my child?
- What reading activities do you recommend?