By Dr Ben Zunica and Dr Bronwyn Reid O'Connor

It’s the time of year when schools and parents typically meet for parent-teacher interviews.

These meetings are often short: in high school, usually only five to ten minutes per subject. In primary school, they might go for around 15 minutes with the classroom teacher.

With limited time, it’s worth thinking about how to make the most of it. What should parents ask, and what should they focus on to get the most of these sessions? Is there anything you should try to avoid?

It’s easy and common to start with “So, how are they going?”. But this can simply lead to a quick summary of grades or recent results.

While that’s useful to start off the conversation, it is important the discussion doesn’t end there.

You will likely get more useful information if you also ask about how your child learns, not just what they’ve achieved. For example:

• How do they go when the work gets a bit tricky?

• Do they seem confident in class, or a bit unsure?

• Do they ask for help when they need it?

• What do they usually do if they get stuck?

These kinds of questions give insight into your child’s attitude, confidence and learning habits, which often matter more for long-term progress than a single result. Research shows these learning behaviours are strong predictors of long-term academic progress.

These interviews are also one of the few chances for parents to contribute their perspective.

You see things at home that teachers don’t, whether that’s your child’s frustration, avoidance, or growing confidence. Sharing this helps the teacher build a fuller picture and makes it easier to support your child effectively.

When both perspectives come together, the conversation becomes much more useful than simply reporting results. Research shows children progress better when parents and teachers work together.

Parent-teacher interviews can sometimes become overly focused on reporting past results and explaining how those results came about. This can make interviews become about assessment results and class rankings.

Analysing results is only useful if it gives a clear idea of what to do going forward.

So, one of the most helpful things to get out of an interview is a clear answer to: “what’s the best way to help them achieve the next step?”.

This mindset helps parents concentrate on what they can influence, instead of what has already happened.

When looking at what comes next, keep the plans simple and easy to implement. Both parents and teachers are time-poor. Complex plans will fall apart as quickly as they are made.

Aim to leave the interview with a clear plan of what to do at home, not a long list.

Ask for one or two practical strategies you can act on. This might be something like reading for ten minutes each night or practising a specific type of maths problem a few times each week.

It can be helpful to come prepared with some suggestions yourself about what you think your child should work on to see if the teacher agrees and how they would adjust it.

Finally, agree on how progress will be checked and when to revisit the plan if needed.

These conversations may be brief, but they don’t have to be superficial. With the right focus, even a five-minute interview can lead to meaningful progress in a child’s learning.

Hero Image: AdobeStock used under license.