The questions you should ask your child's teacher before summer starts
It’s hard to believe the end of the school year is around the corner! With some in-person celebrations returning, our kids get a much-needed opportunity to shine alongside their friends (and feel a sense of normalcy)! I recently felt emotional seeing my daughter on stage at school for the first time since the pandemic. But even more than the performance, I was struck by witnessing her jump in to help a classmate who was feeling overwhelmed before they went on stage. After the show, I let her know that watching her show such kindness was the highlight of the night for me and asked her to reflect on why it mattered. Guided by her, we had a beautiful conversation about empathy. For me, it was a reminder that it’s often the behind-the-scenes moments that are the real showstoppers because they give us a peek into our child’s development.
The same holds true for academics. While classroom grades are one measure, it is the sum of the parts–teacher observations as well as our own, classwork, presentations, and end-of-year assessments– that together give us the full picture of our child’s progress. According to national research, parents say they want a clear and truthful picture about how their child is progressing. And, teachers say the #1 way to know how your child is progressing is to be in regular contact with the teacher.
This parent-teacher communication is especially important during key transition points–like the end of the school year–so that we have a shared understanding of where our child is doing well and where they need more support. By having these concrete insights, we know what to focus on during the summer and can share them with tutors, camp, and program leaders so they can best support our child. Summer learning is critical for success next school year and it’s never mattered more given all the disruption to learning our kids have experienced over the past three years.
So before the year ends, reach out to your child’s teacher and ask which academic and life skills to focus on over the summer and what else you should share with tutors and program leaders. Below are some questions to get you started but you can change them depending on what you’ve observed and what you want to know about your child. You can use this short Summer Parent-Teacher Planning Tool to help you get ready for the conversation and enter your notes as you talk (or afterwards). You can then choose “print” or “email plan” at the bottom of the page to use it over the summer.
Ask about Academic Progress
Example questions for the teacher:
- Where has my child done well and where do they need more support getting ready for next year?
- Which math skills are most important for success next year?
Reflect on Social/Emotional Skills
Example questions for the teacher:
- I’ve noticed (add your observations) about my child’s social/emotional skills and relationships with friends. What have you noticed and what do you think we need to work on this summer?
- What motivated or made my child happy in your class this year?
Team up on a Plan
Example questions for the teacher:
- How can we support key math and reading skills this summer (online and offline)?
- What do you think is most important for me to share with summer tutors or program leaders?
Like many schools, ours doesn’t have an end of year parent-teacher conference and I know our teacher is busy, so I plan on reaching out soon with several of these questions. I’m especially interested in math since that’s an area where my daughter has experienced both growth and challenge this year. By knowing where your child is doing well and where they need help, you are your child’s learning hero!