Parent-teacher conferences are similar to checkups: they offer you an opportunity to measure how your child is doing at school, both academically and socially. This even helps you understand what the areas of improvement are.

However, most of the time, parents fail to make the most out of such conferences. And they end up just making the conversation one-sided with monosyllables from their end. If you want to utilize this opportunity in the best possible way, do read on the question you should ask your child’s teachers other than his grades.

1. How social is my child?
Along with study, it is even important for your child to learn some social skills. And there can be no other platform better than school for building your child’s social skills. Here he gets to interact with students coming from different backgrounds and culture. If he learns to maintain harmony with them, this will help in staying at peace with people around who don’t share similar thoughts as him.

2. What are my child's strengths … and weaknesses?
Every parent wants to hear only positive things about his child. But avoiding your child’s weakness can never help him overcome the same. For this you need to address the root cause of the problem and find needed solutions. Teachers are the best person to help you know what your child’s weakness or strength happens to be. If your child is not good at reading, do understand what all things you can do from your end to make him improve his reading. Teachers will surely be happy to help you out with the same.

3. How can I support what’s taught in the class at home?
Whatever your child learns in those six hours of school does need effective monitoring and evaluation at home. If you fail to do so, he may not excel in the things so taught. Always ask the teachers what step you as parents can take to help child stay in pace with things taught in the classroom. Once you start implementing similar techniques at home, your child will be able to retain things taught to him in class.

4. Do you think my child is self-disciplined?
Don’t just assume that your child is self-disciplined; always seek the opinion from his teacher as well. She will be able to explain it you in a better way how self-disciplined your child is. If you are told certain things to make him a self-disciplined child, do implement them in a positive and constructive manner.

5. Is there anything you want to ask me?
It’s not that teachers never have anything to ask from you. They too have their share of concern about your child’s progress and if you can lend your ears, they will be more than glad. It might be possible that your child is very active at home but appears to be rather quiet in class. If the teacher raises any concern like this, do understand the problem in deep.

6. What mode and time of communication would you prefer?
Teachers also have a lot of work to handle and concerns to discuss with parents. It would always be great if you can know how they would best prefer to communicate with you. When you give them the assurance about your availability, they make all possible efforts of keeping you updated with every development of your child.

7. Do you have any advice or suggestion?
Like parents, teachers also think of kids’ well-being and if at all they have any positive advice that can help in your child’s development; do take it. Their valuable suggestions always play crucial role in your child’s physical, emotional and mental development.

Next time you head for a parents’-teacher meet, don’t forget to add these questions to your list. These will surely be of great help!