Conference / Report Card To-Do List
The air is crisp, the leaves are falling, and your gearing up for lovely family traditions. Fall is also a common time when we get report cards and have parent teacher conferences.
So what if your teacher is sharing that your child isn’t thriving at school? Perhaps they are struggling with the classroom rules, grasping content, or interacting with peers and the teacher is concerned.
Here is your conference/report card to-do list
Before your conference even begins, take a moment to jot down your initial thoughts of the schoolyear, your child’s performance, growth, needs, and concerns. It’s great to organize your thoughts or concerns prior to the conference.
Ask the teacher if they are ok with you taking notes or recording the audio of the meeting. These meetings can be quick, so you might want to avoid phsycial note-taking and instead be fully present, while recording the meeting for later. Please be sure to always respect the teacher’s boundaries and preferences as well.
At the conference, listen with open ears. Consider what the teacher is saying. Know that many children have been given similar feedback and have been able to grow and thrive with the right help. If you are feeling shocked or overwhelmed, let the teacher know you might need some time to process what they are saying and you’d like to schedule a follow up phone call or meeting if needed.
Take a moment to consider your own feelings and thoughts. Does this track with what you’ve seen at home? Does this seem scary, but understandable, or simply out of left field? If needed, look for a second oppinion from another informed professional in your child’s circle.
Consider getting an evaluation or consulting with a more specialized service. You may choose to get an evaluation through the school, or you can schedule with an outside party to get an objective view of your child if you have the means to do so. Depending on the issue, you may choose to seek psychologists, occupational therapists, or speech therapists. At Top Sail Therapy, we offer free phone consultations to discuss your concerns and offer guidance for the next steps. We offer speech therapy evaluations and treatment, and we are happy to recommend other services if needed as well.