Student conferences are an opportunity to understand how your child is doing academically, socially and emotionally. It is also an opportunity to strengthen your partnership with your child’s teacher. The questions below can help guide the conversation and help you gain a clear picture of your child’s school experience. You don’t need to ask all of them. Choose the ones that feel most meaningful for your family.
10 Questions to Ask at Student Conferences
1. May I tell you about my child’s strengths and what helps them learn?
You know your child best. Share information with your child’s teacher to help them better support your child at school. This may include their likes and dislikes, strengths and needs, and information about home life.
2. When is my child happiest during the day?
It’s important to ask questions about a child’s emotional and social well-being while at school. How a student interacts with peers can have an impact on academic success. Conferences are a great place to have this conversation.
3. What kinds of work is my child doing, and how is it helping them grow as a reader, writer and thinker?
This invites the teacher to show learning across subjects, explain expectations, and share how your child is developing new skills.
4. Where have you seen progress so far this fall?
Focus on growth. This helps highlight your child’s achievements without comparing them to others.
5. When does my child stay focused and engaged? When is it harder?
This helps you and the teacher plan together and understand what supports your child’s learning.
6. How can I support learning at home in ways that work for our family?
Ask for specific, simple ways to help. This could be reading together, talking about schoolwork or supporting study routines. You can also ask about any school resources that may help.
7. What’s the best way for us to stay connected as the year goes on?
Partnership doesn’t end with conferences. Ask how your teacher prefers to communicate and share what works for you.
8. How is my child learning alongside and from their peers?
Understanding how your child participates in group learning helps you see how they work with others, build confidence and feel included in class. It also shows how the school supports students learning together, no matter their needs.
9. What opportunities does my child have to explore interests, try new challenges or plan for their future?
This helps you understand what sparks your child’s curiosity, how they stretch their learning, and how the school supports them in discovering new strengths and exploring college or career goals.
10. What information or classroom data are we using to understand my child’s progress?
Asking this helps you see how the teacher tracks growth and identifies the next steps. It also opens a simple conversation about how decisions are made to support your child’s learning throughout the year. You can also ask to look at the data together. Reviewing it side by side can make it easier to talk about progress and plan for what comes next.