Do’s and Don'ts for PTMs

Parent-Teacher meetings are essential for fostering a strong partnership between educators and parents. These meetings serve as a platform for discussing the child's progress, addressing concerns and further planning for their academic and personal growth. Now, while some parents look forward to the parent teacher meetings and find it an active way to boost their child's growth, others find them quite monotonous, stating that all teachers have the same statements to make about the child. Thus, to make these meetings more effective and meaningful, it's important to consider some do's and don'ts.

In a traditional parent-teacher meeting environment, the focus is primarily on how good the child is performing academically. However, parents should go for a more personalized approach that addresses their child's unique needs, strengths and weaknesses. Begin by asking the teacher if they have noticed any interests or hobbies in the child apart from the academics or any recent developments they have noticed.
It is important to understand that while academic performance is crucial, it's equally important to discuss the child's overall development. Avoid the sole focus on grades and test scores. Take time to talk about the child's emotional and social growth, extracurricular activities and any behavioral changes. This makes a well-rounded approach that can help analyze the child’s comprehensive growth.

Establishing clear goals and expectations for the meeting is a crucial step in ensuring its effectiveness. Both teachers and parents should have a shared understanding of what they aim to achieve during the meeting. Suppose there is a question you want to ask about your child's marks in a particular practical assessment, make sure to ask it right away. You feel like something at school or the classroom environment is hampering their communication, ask the teacher about that as well. Remember that questions only can lead you to answers and solutions that help your child’s growth.

While a lot of working parents can find it difficult to balance between the long PTM hours and their professional commitments, it is important to remember that your kid’s well-being comes first. Thus, avoid rushing through the meeting without addressing all the goals and expectations set beforehand. Make sure you take ample time to ask questions to the teacher, discuss important things right away with your child and work together towards solving a problem. Rushing through the meeting can leave important matters unaddressed and lead to dissatisfaction on both sides.

A successful parent-teacher meeting is a dialogue, not a monologue. Make sure that you ask questions yourself, both to the teacher and your child during the meeting. Share with them your insights, concerns and suggestions. Try to create an open and non-judgmental environment where your child too feels comfortable expressing themselves.
But also, try to not dominate the conversation by bombarding the teacher with a plethora of questions and putting all blame on them about performance or grades. Make sure the child too feels comfortable in sharing something that happened in the classroom that the teacher can solve or look at for future improvement.

One of the most effective ways to engage parents during PTMs is to provide them with data related to their child's academic performance. Share progress reports, test scores and any relevant assessments beforehand. Encourage parents to review them prior to the meeting with you and by doing so, you can facilitate a more informed and productive discussion during the meeting.
Present key data points, trends in marks of particular subjects and areas of improvement. But remember not to overwhelm them with data. Make a simple graph about the highs and the lows highlighting where improvement is necessary. The goal here is to help parents understand their child's progress, not to confuse or intimidate them with data.

Majority parents avoid PTMs because they feel all teachers say the same thing. The standard statement of “She’s a good kid but can do better” is keeping parents away from discussions, Thus, avoid offering generic advice without considering the child's specific needs. Each student is unique and one-size-fits-all solutions may not be effective. Instead, tailor your advice to the child's strengths, weaknesses and learning style. Be it a concern or an appreciation over a topic, make sure the parents get a holistic understanding of their child’s time in the classroom.