In what ways will your child be asked to demonstrate his or her growing knowledge? Will there be any long-term projects, like a science fair, research papers, or lengthy writing assignments with bigger timelines that would benefit from being broken down into more manageable parts? Knowing about these ahead of time is helpful so you can support your middle schooler at home. Ask the teacher how your child will be assessed and given percentages or letter grades. Middle school assessments can feel more serious (and they often are!) compared to elementary school projects and tests. Especially when your child is transitioning to middle school (with up to seven teachers a day versus just one or two!), having this conversation can help you and your child implement and organize specific study strategies for each subject. You might also ask if there are any opportunities to make up tests or extend due dates - if your child is absent, for instance - as well as what the major components are of your child’s overall grade in the class. Discuss this teacher’s classroom policies, as well as classroom norms. Class policiesĮvery teacher has a different way to run his or her classroom, with some overlaps with other instructors in the school. Simply use them as a guideline and pay attention to all factors. Similarly, does your child need additional support to reach grade-level goals, like summer school or after-school help? Talking with the teacher about grade-level expectations can be very useful in seeing where your child can direct his or her attention academically, but remember that grade-level goals aren’t necessarily the end-all be-all. This is extremely helpful if your child is thinking about taking accelerated classes, like honors, and potentially AP and IB courses later on in high school. Grade-level expectationsĪsk the teacher how your child fares according to grade-level expectations. What are specific concepts, units, or learning styles has your child has taken to? In which areas does your child struggle? The teacher can articulate academic accomplishments and challenges in a different way than your child might. You’ve made your own observations at home - and from what your child has told you - but the teacher’s perspective can help round out your own. One of the most important topics you’ll cover is your child’s academic progress, including both strengths and weaknesses. We’ve already gone over what to ask at high school parent-teacher conferences, but here are some topics to go over when you meet with your child’s teachers for middle school parent-teacher conferences: 1. Middle school can feel like an entirely different beast from elementary school, with teachers for every subject, a larger school, and often more extracurricular opportunities - not to mention the major personal growth your child is going through!
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