There are ample benefits to holding a parent teacher conference. At every grade level it
is important to hold regular conferences so that everyone is on the same page. Every quarter is
an ideal time frame to hold regular conferences. However, it might become necessary to hold
additional conferences at certain points throughout the year. See below for some of the
greatest reasons to hold a parent teacher conference.
1. Keep everyone involved: It is important that everyone be on the same page when it
comes to a child’s education. This involves all parent figures involved as well as teachers
and specialty teachers that might be involved. If everyone is on the same page, it is
more likely that each child has an equal opportunity to succeed.
2. Discuss issues at home: It is common to have concerns at home that spill over into
school life. If there are ongoing concerns at home such as a divorce or a big move that
the school should be aware of a parent teacher conference is an excellent time to
discuss these things.
3. Discuss setbacks: There are often instances where a child might be struggling in a
certain area. These can be hard messages to relay via a letter or an email. In person at a
conference is a great time to discuss these setbacks and to formulate a strategy on how
to help the child move forward.
4. Discuss achievements: Achievements are just as important to discuss as setbacks.
Perhaps the child is extremely gifted. In this case the parents and teachers should
discuss a plan on how to continue to challenge the student so that they do not get
bored.