Kathleen H. Ryerson Elementary School 982 Durham Road - Madison, CT 06443 203-245-6440 Dr. Paul J. Sinicrope, Principal

Parent-Teacher Conferences   Recently I read that a parent-teacher conference can be like a blind date: the gnawing anxiety as you wait for the door to open. And that’s just from the teacher’s point of view! It doesn’t have to feel that way.  Parent-teacher conferences are designed to help you and the teacher join forces for the sake of your child's education. They present an excellent opportunity to find out how your child is adjusting to the new school year and to get to know her teachers.   Because conferences can feel overwhelming for both you and the classroom teacher, it helps to come to the conference with some questions at hand. The following list of questions covers most of the basics you may want to know about your child's development. Is my child performing at grade level? What part of the curriculum does my child like most? The least? Does my child participate in class discussions? Does she attend to task? ("Attend to task" means to work on class assignments steadily without getting distracted or giving up.) How does my child get along with the other children in class? Is there anything I can do to help my child do better? It also might help to talk with your child before the conference. Children should understand why the conference is taking place (is it due to questions that you or your child’s teacher has or is it a routine meeting held for all parents). It’s also a good time to let children know that their teachers and parents are meeting in order to seek ways to not only help them, but also learn about what they are doing in school. Find out if your child has any specific concerns about schoolwork or relationships with classmates. That information should be brought to the teacher’s attention.   If you do not understand something or feel your concerns are not being addressed, then ask the teacher. We sometimes slip into jargon and forget that many parents are not familiar with the terms they use every day. Don’t be afraid to ask about test scores and what the results mean for your child as well as an explanation of unfamiliar terms or programs.