Middle School Parent/Teacher Conferences

In middle school, the homeroom teacher will handle my daughter's parent/teacher conference, so I won't have the opportunity to talk to her other teachers. I'm wondering if I'll get a very good picture of how she's really doing. -- Uncertain
Answer: Obviously, you aren't going to get a detailed picture of what is happening in every class. Nevertheless, all the teachers will have given the homeroom teacher helpful information to pass on to you. You will definitely learn if your daughter has major problems in any class requiring consultation with that teacher. You'll also learn if she is a "star" student in a class.
If this conference leaves you hungry for more information about exactly how your daughter is doing in one or more classes, phone or e-mail those teachers, or schedule a conference if it seems necessary. You are right to be concerned about how your child is doing, as many children find the transition to middle school to be quite difficult.
Hopefully, you have regularly talked to your child about school and looked at some of her schoolwork so you won't be surprised by what you hear at the conference. Before the conference, be sure to ask your daughter if she has any concerns that you need to talk about with the homeroom teacher.