5 essential parents’ evening questions to ask your child’s teacher: 2023 guide

parents' evening questions
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Parents’ evening is important because it is an opportunity to find out and discuss how your child is getting on in class, with their teachers, with the wider school, and also with their peers. It is one of the most valuable windows of opportunity during the academic year to focus on your child’s progress and achievements, discuss any issues you may have spotted yourself that you want to discuss, and secure any additional support your child may need for their academic achievement. The parents’ evening questions you will ask during the session form the foundation of a successful parent-teacher consultation.

Although every child’s parents’ evening will be different, depending on what you and your child’s teacher want to cover there are some questions that are likely to crop up every time, no matter what your relationship with your child’s teacher or their school. To get the most from your parents’ evening – it’s much like an interview so it’s important to lead with some well-considered questions.

With that said and our own parents’ evening happening this evening, I wanted to share five essential parents’ evening questions to ask your child’s teacher to ensure you’re doing everything you can to make sure they have the best education possible and grow into the person they want to be.

5 essential parents’ evening questions to ask your child’s teacher

1) How is my child doing academically?

It is important for parents, teachers and students alike, to be on the same page when it comes to academic progress. Teachers can offer insight into how your child is doing in the classroom and how they are progressing academically. You should ask them about your child’s strengths and weaknesses, what he or she needs more support with, if they are engaged in class etc. If you have any concerns about your child’s grades or academic performance, this would be a good time for you to voice them as well.

2) What can I do to support my child at home?

It’s never too soon to start planning ahead for parents’ evening. It can be a stressful time for both parents and children, so it’s important that you come prepared with questions in order to help your child have the best possible experience. The last thing you want is for them to be anxious about going into school, or not understand something that’s been said. You should also ask yourself what you can do at home on a daily basis to help support your child in the classroom.

3) Is there anything my child is struggling with?

You may or may not know the answer to this already but it’s good to hear it from the horse’s mouth and also get some guidance on the roadmap to help your child improve in said area. There may be aspects of your child’s education that they are struggling with that you will be surprised to hear about also. Either way, it is important for you to know whether your child is struggling with anything at school.

If this is something you are already aware of, it’s important that you use this opportunity to provide some information about what they are struggling with and how long they have been having these difficulties. This will help the teacher better diagnose the problem, and determine whether or not they need extra support in their classroom environment. For example, if your child has been having trouble completing homework due to dyslexia, then it may be time for them to receive specialized attention outside of the regular classroom setting.

4) What are my child’s strengths?

Parents’ evening is the perfect opportunity to ask your child’s teacher how they are doing in the classroom. They will be able to provide you with information on how your child is performing and what kind of challenges they might be facing. The first question you should ask is about your child’s strengths. If your child has a special talent or if they are excelling in a particular subject, then this would be an important area for you and the school to focus on moving forward. You should also find out how often your child feels like they don’t understand what their teacher is saying or asking them to do in class.

5) What sort of things does my child enjoy?

What sort of things does my child enjoy doing in class? How do they get on with their classmates? Is there anything you would like me to know about my child which might be helpful for me to know when they go back into the classroom next term? These wider questions can often throw up some interesting nuggets of information, and give you a broader idea of how your child is getting on in their class and at school.

Parents’ evening doesn’t come around often and is one of the most important calendar dates of the academic year. In order to make the most of the finite amount of time you will have with your child’s teacher, it’s important to come armed with some parent’s evening questions to help you extract and make the most of your child’s teacher’s input. It’s also a great way of getting to know your child’s teachers better and building on the vital teacher-parent partnership which is necessary to help your child succeed at school.

We hope you found these essential parents’ evening questions which we always go armed with ourselves useful and that they will help make the most of your time with the teachers. Remember, it’s better to be specific in your questions, rather than asking simply “how is my child getting on”. Asking the right questions like those above can help you get a more useful and specific answer.

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