Making the Most of Back to School Night

Related: Education, School, More TagsChildren with Learning Disabilities, Parents, Fewer Tags

by Eileen Bailey
Friday, August 13, 2010

Back-to-School night is one of the most important events of the entire school year. It is when you get to meet those people who will be spending long hours with your child every day. You find out what will be taught, the philosophy of the teacher, your child's schedule and the requirements of the class.  If your child has a classroom aide, one-on-one aide or other support staff, you will get a chance to meet them as well.

This night gives you an overall feel for the school, classroom, school personnel and your child's teachers. All of this helps in developing better communication; it is much easier to write a note to a teacher you have met and can picture.

You want to make the most of this important night. Below are some guidelines to help you.

Be prepared with questions. Remember the focus of back-to-school night is not your child. Your questions should revolve around general themes, such as curriculum, classroom policies, homework policies, or school procedures. This is a good time, however, to think about some of the areas your child has had difficulty in the past. For example, he might spend hours doing homework each night. Does the teacher have a homework policy that includes a maximum amount of time. Some teachers will tell parents a child should not spend more than X amount of time completing homework and if your child is spending more than that amount of time, to stop the homework and send a note to the teacher.

Find out how the school makes accommodations for different math and reading levels. Math and reading levels of students often vary greatly within a classroom. What accommodations are made within the school? If your child is advanced in reading, will she be provided reading material to strengthen this skill or will she be required to read on the level of the lesser readers in the class? If your child struggles in math, will he receive extra attention? As a reminder, your questions during back-to-school night should be general in nature about the school's policies, not specific to your child.

What extra classes are offered in the school? Every school provides core curriculum classes, as required by law. Some schools offer additional classes, such as drama or foreign language. Find out what extra classes your child will be taking, how much homework will be expected in these classes and how much emphasis is placed on these subjects.

What extra-curricular activities does the school offer? Each school is different in after-school activities that are offered. Ask for a list of extra-curricular activities you can go over with your child to see what he might be interested in. Extra-curricular activities offer children an opportunity to socialize with classmates outside of the regular classroom and provide opportunities for them to excel.

What major projects will be required? Depending on your child's grade level, there may be research papers or projects due throughout the year. Teachers may not have exact due dates scheduled at the start of the year but usually know what projects will be required throughout the school year. Learning about the project early can help you be prepared and help you prepare your child.