Making the Most of Parent Teacher Conferences

Asking the right questions during an elementary parent-teacher conference is crucial for understanding your child's progress and how you can support their education. Here are some beneficial questions you might consider asking so that you gather as much information as possible:

How is my child performing in comparison to the class standards?

This question helps you understand where your child stands academically compared to the expected grade-level standards.

Can you show me examples of my child's work?

Asking for specific examples provides a clearer picture of your child's strengths and areas that need improvement.

What are my child's strengths and weaknesses?

Understanding both strengths and weaknesses helps you support your child's learning more effectively.

How does my child interact with classmates and participate in class?

Social interaction and class participation are as important as academic performance in most situations.

Does my child seem engaged and enthusiastic about learning?

A child’s attitude towards learning can impact their academic success.

Are there areas where you think my child could improve?

This question helps identify specific areas for potential growth and development. What are some goals that the teacher has for the student?

How can I support my child's learning at home?

Suggestions from the teacher can guide you in reinforcing learning at home.

Is there anything happening at school that I should be aware of?

Staying informed about school events and any issues can help you provide better support.

How does my child handle stress or challenges in the classroom?

Understanding how your child copes with challenges can help you provide appropriate support at home.

The Liddane team supports students from elementary school to adulthood. If your are concerned about your student’s individual progress, please reach out.

How Young is Too Young for a Tutor?

Parents often wonder if their young children in first or second grade need a tutor. Teachers and child development experts suggest that young children continue reading, writing, or practicing math outside of school hours and while on break. However, in busy families, making time for this can be difficult. A tutor can help provide lively, learning-based enrichment and reinforce lifelong skills such as patience, self-advocacy, and goal setting. 

Tutoring is flexible and can focus on the specific needs of each child and family. Whether it is best to start tutoring right away or wait to see how a student does on their own will depend on the individual student. Reach out to us to see how we can help your elementary student lay a strong foundation, easing stress for your whole family.

TUTOR MENTOR PROGRAM

Part of what makes Liddane Tutoring & Learning Services stand out as a tutoring service is our Tutor Mentor program. Even before tutors begin working with students, they are paired with a peer mentor. Mentors are tutors with extensive tutoring experience as well as comprehensive knowledge of LTLS’s mission, protocols, and values. At minimum, all tutors meet monthly with their Tutor Mentors one-on-one to discuss student progress, solicit advice for lesson plans or pedagogical approaches, or to brainstorm methods to help students build executive functioning skills. In addition to the monthly meetings, tutors frequently reach out to their mentors to share accomplishments or to get another pair of eyes on an academic challenge a student might be facing.

 One crucial component of the Tutor Mentor program is the concern level system. During monthly meetings, mentors work with tutors to label every student with a low, moderate, or high concern level. Reasons for a moderate or high label include social/emotional challenges, academic struggles, or specific communication needs. When tutors and their mentors label a student as a moderate or high concern, Andrea Liddane is automatically notified by email, and the student is monitored more closely. Students often share things with tutors about their academic or social lives that they may not share with parents or teachers. The Tutor Mentor program and the concern level system ensure that a tutor is never solely responsible for helping students through challenges and that elevated concerns are proactively noted and addressed when necessary.

Tutors have frequently expressed how much they value this peer mentor program. One tutor recently had a student who struggled in AP US History. The student did all the reading and homework questions, but when it came to weekly quizzes, she struggled with recalling and articulating the necessary information. The tutor reached out to her Tutor Mentor, and the two brainstormed a studying system that combined both a cumulative list of course concepts in a Google Doc, as well as physical flashcards. The tutor then worked with the student to create a schedule for adding to and reviewing the list and flashcards throughout the semester. The dual system of information, as well as a schedule for frequent content review, helped boost the student’s test scores significantly. This is one small illustration of the ways in which tutors collaborate with Tutor Mentors to help students succeed.

In contrast to many tutoring organizations, which train new tutors and then pair them with students with little opportunity for peer feedback or oversight, LTLS has intentionally designed a robust behind-the-scenes support system. Although this system is largely invisible to students and parents, it’s a crucial part of the service we provide when your child signs up for tutoring. Student progress is never the responsibility of one person alone. We believe that collaboration and peer support are crucial to our mission of engaging and empowering all types of learners.