Parent-Teacher Conference Time

For many ATYP students it's the time of year when you have parent-teacher conferences at your regular school - and you're probably wondering why we're talking about that on the ATYP blog. First of all, this is a great time to double check and make sure that everything is going well at school, at least as it pertains to ATYP. Is the check-out/carpool process working okay? Does your student have a quiet place to work during their study hall? Are they focused on homework during that time? Talk to the school counselor/dean/principal to confirm that things are going smoothly.

Second, even though your student is being challenged in ATYP, he or she may still  have classes at school where they are not being challenged. The parent-teacher conference is the best opportunity you have to ask for what your child needs. More feedback on English papers? Projects that allow him/her to go deeper into material? Independent study opportunities if pre-tests show the curriculum is already mastered? Or at this point in the year is it becoming apparent that this year's material is already known? Do you need to think about accelerating a year in a particular subject? In other words, what can you do to make sure your student is learning something new every day?

Sometimes it is helpful to take your student with you. If the child can say "there's nothing that challenges me in this class," the teacher should take that statement seriously. Don't let your child use the dreaded "b" word...no teacher likes to hear that a child is bored in class! This suggests that it's the teacher's responsibility to entertain the student. But a child who says "I already know this, I'd like to be challenged, I'd like to learn more" should find a partner in his or her teacher. Remember, it's important that your student take on some self-advocacy. Learning to speak up for him or herself a valuable lesson, too!