Those headed to parents' evening to hear about their child's performance at school will no doubt be keen to hear good news about their little one.
And while they will certainly receive useful feedback, a pro has suggested that some don't approach the big night in the most effective way. To get the most out of the meetings and the answers you are after, there are a few things you might want to keep in mind when speaking to your child's teachers, according to expert Richard Evans.
Richard, who is an education expert at The Profs, spoke to the Mirror to share the things that you should look out for on a parent's evening, including one 'code word' mistake.
Speaking to The publication, he explained: "Parents' evenings are often looked at with trepidation by parents, students, and teachers. It is a meeting of two worlds normally only interlinked by one common element, the child.
"Educators often fear misguided parental interference or scrutiny of their teaching methods, pupils fear a 'telling off', and parents are concerned about being seen as wanting in their parental duties. It should not be the case, though! There are no mistakes; everyone is striving for the same thing."
He went on to say how the meeting should be a "golden opportunity" for everyone involved and parents shouldn't look out for 'code words' that teachers are using to complain.
"These termly meetings are a golden opportunity for everyone to communicate, rather than through written messages from school to home, such as report cards, informational letters, or detention slips," the expert continued. "Especially after the days of Zoom calls during the pandemic, meeting face-to-face and making a personal connection with your child's teacher is of fundamental importance"
"It should be a group discussion that is beneficial to all. Education does not begin and end at the school gates, so it is essential that everyone works together and knows their roles in supporting ongoing learning."
He also warned parents not to treat the meeting like an "interview" and reminded them that "no one is in the hot seat".
"It is a group discussion about what has been achieved over the last term, and the direction of learning over the next. Your child is letting you into their day-to-day world, so let them give you the tour and introduce you to their teachers.
"Relax and be the guest, but most importantly, listen before you start to ask questions or take action. Let your child explain their performance in class and respond to their teacher's feedback first.
"Teachers will give you useful information about your child that should be digestible to you and them."
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