School & Teens

Four minutes with the class teacher at our first PTM. How do you make that time useful?

amber_sandal_5061

Our son's school held its first PTM of the year on Saturday. The class teacher had a queue of about thirty families and gave each roughly four minutes. I came away knowing he is 'doing well' and 'could participate more', both of which I could have guessed. This is not a complaint about the teacher; the arithmetic simply doesn't allow more. But I would like to use the next one better. Do you go in with specific questions? Ask to see subject teachers separately? Write beforehand?

6 comments

  • fern_piano_3814

    From the teacher's side of that table: come with one question, not five. 'What is one thing he should work on before the next test' gets you a real answer in four minutes. 'How is he doing' gets you 'doing well'. And most of us are happy to get a message before, it lets us look at the work instead of remembering it on the spot.

  • olive_diary_1554

    Bringing one specific question worked for me as well. I also ask to see one notebook while I'm there. It tells me more than any summary.

  • citrus_quilt_3751

    'could participate more' is on every report card in the country. my daughter's says it too and she never stops talking at home

  • fern_window_8339

    Does your school allow appointments outside PTM days? Ours does, through the office, and the fifteen minutes we got that way were far more useful than any PTM slot. I wouldn't assume every school offers it, but it is worth asking.

  • peach_quilt_5694

    subject teachers separately, every time. class teacher knows the overall picture but not why the maths test went wrong

    • amber_badminton_210

      Do the subject teachers sit at separate tables at your school? Ours had only the class teacher this time, the rest were 'available on request', which nobody in that queue had time for. Wondering if that's normal from class 6 on

  • indigo_drum_7316

    I send three questions by email two days before. Last time the teacher had answers ready and we spent the four minutes on the one that mattered most. Much better than walking in cold.

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