Every teacher prefers a different method of communication, so make sure you know theirs.
The first parent conference of the year is always part getting-to-know-you session, part business meeting. Here are the things on which you should concentrate the discussion. If there was a specific reason for the conference, that obviously takes precedence.
“Have you seen anything that could keep [your child] from being successful in class?”
Everyone is there to help your child be successful in school, so there’s no reason to beat around the bush. The teacher’s response could be anything from the odd misbehavior to serious skill deficits that might require remediation. You might think you already know the answer, but parents of children of a certain age (middle school) might be very surprised with their child’s personality at school.
“What does this year’s curriculum look like?”
This should have been covered briefly at Back to School night, but now’s the time to go in depth. Curricula have changed a lot since you were in school, so don’t expect you know what is learned in your child’s grade. You can also discuss your child’s experience with learning certain topics and where the teacher might expect him or her to struggle.
“How can we help [your child] outside of class?”
Even with kids that are superstars, teachers will always have suggestions for how parents can help maintain that trajectory at home. Even if they don’t think your child needs help, they will make suggestions, viewing your willingness to help as a bonding activity.
“How can we help you?”
There is always something for parents to do inside and outside of class to help out the teacher. It might be volunteering to chaperone a field trip, serving as a guest reader, or donating supplies. If the teacher doesn’t offer anything, suggest something simple. A big help these days is offering to update the class’s social media regularly. That saves the teacher a lot of time.
“What’s the best way to stay in contact with you?”
This should have been covered during Back to School Night, but just in case. Every teacher prefers a different method of communication, so make sure you know theirs. And also nail the teacher down on how they will be reaching out to you. Communication is a two-way street.