Preparing for Parent-Teacher Conference

My son's parent-teacher conference is coming up soon.Please advise on how I can prepare for this conference and what I should take away from it. - Want to Prepare
Answer: The parent-teacher conference is very important. It is your chance to talk to your child's teacher face to face in order to receive a straightforward appraisal of your child's strengths, weaknesses, special abilities and behavior at school. These conferences are far superior to report cards because they give you a much clearer picture of how your child is doing and foster a spirit of cooperation between parents and teachers.
The conference is also an opportunity for you to become better acquainted with your child's teacher. It lets you see for yourself how committed the teacher is to your child's education and to discover what the teacher expects from your child. It will also give you insight into the teacher's professional skills.
Good teachers spend a lot of time preparing for parent-teacher conferences. They gather records, test results and samples of work. They talk to other teachers and counselors. They think about how your child is doing at school. It is equally important for you to be prepared and to write down any questions that you have.
Conference Do's for Parents
--Arrive promptly or a few minutes early.
--Be open to suggestions from the teacher.
--Keep your emotions under control.
--Let the teacher know you want to help.
--Express appreciation for the conference.
Conference Don'ts for Parents
--Do not stay longer than your allotted time.
--Avoid lengthy discussions of subjects that are not related to the purpose of the conference.
--Do not just mention your child's weaknesses, point out his or her strengths.
--Do not criticize the teacher, other teachers or classmates of your child.
Before the conference ends, review with the teacher what has been said and what has been agreed upon at the conference so that you can share the information with your child and spouse. Do leave promptly when the teacher indicates that the conference is over.