Ask your child what they want you to mention or ask about. This gives them voice and ensures you're not blindsiding them.
Write down 3–4 genuine questions. Avoid: "Is she behaving?" or "How's he doing?" These are too vague. Go specific.
Good questions:
Arrive on time. Teachers run on tight schedules. Respect that.
Let the teacher speak first. They often have something prepared, and you'll get more useful info from their opening than from jumping in with questions.
Listen for the real issues hidden in polite language. "He's working hard but struggling to focus" might mean ADHD screening is needed. "She's socially isolated" is a red flag, not just a comment.
If something worries you, ask for clarity: "When you say [thing], do you mean [specific concern]?" Make sure you both mean the same thing.
If your child is struggling, ask:
Vague encouragement isn't a plan. You want concrete steps and timelines.
If the teacher says "He'll grow out of it," ask what evidence that's based on. Sometimes kids do. Sometimes they need intervention now.
Good interviews aren't 10 minutes of problems. Ask about what your child excels at. "What does she get right?" or "What are his strengths as a learner?"
This isn't false positivity. Every child has strengths. A good teacher knows them. And your child needs to hear them—not just the deficit stuff.
Mention a strength from home too: "He loves building things" or "She reads constantly." Teachers appreciate knowing the whole kid, not just the classroom version.
Before you leave, summarise what you heard: "So the focus is [thing], and I'll [action] at home while you [action] at school. We'll check in [date/term]?"
Take notes. Teachers expect you to. Refer back to those notes next interview—it shows you took the conversation seriously.
If something feels off—like your concerns aren't being heard—you have options: ask to involve a counsellor, request an additional meeting, or escalate to the principal. You know your child best.
