Keeping up with your kids’ progress in school
November 21, 2011
It's that time of year for school-aged kids and their parents everywhere - parent-teacher conference time.
While you no doubt want to touch base with your children's teachers to make sure they are doing well or to raise any concerns, adding conferences to your already busy schedule can feel overwhelming for student parents, and especially single mothers who cannot share the conference-attending duties with a spouse. However, you can make it work. Just like scholarships for mothers can provide you with financial support for college, you can find a way to create a schedule that works for you.
If you haven't met or spoken with your children's teachers, sending an email or making a phone call is a great way to introduce yourself. You can also send a note to the teachers explaining that you aren't available on the designated conference day to speak but would like to set up another time to talk over the phone, if possible. Most teachers can be flexible with their conferences and will work around your schedule if you ask them to.
If you're especially crunched for time, make a list of the questions or concerns you have and use it to stay on track while you're speaking with the teachers. This will ensure you stay on task and come away feeling that you know how your children are performing.
Like your own professors, keeping the lines of communication open with your children's educators is important.
Parent-teacher conference time isn't anything to be stressed out about. Just remember that your children's education is as important as yours.
