Parent-teacher conferences start today, but not all parents know what questions they should ask.

As president of the Parent Teacher Association at Gregorio Luperón High School in Washington Heights, Aracelis Abad de Soriano assists parents and provides them with valuable advice on how to prepare for parent-teacher conferences.

 "The first thing I tell parents is to ask about their children's behavior in school," said Soriano. "Parents should know how their children are behaving in the classroom."

The PTA and the parent coordinator at Gregorio Luperón High School work in close collaboration to ensure that parents receive advance notice of parent-teacher conferences. Soriano also created a "List of Paper and Pencil Friends," a directory of parents' telephone numbers so that they can exchange and disseminate information on school events.

Parents shouldn't hesitate to ask questions or to request to speak with teachers privately if necessary. Teachers usually meet with parents for between five to ten minutes. However, a teacher should allow for more time if needed.

One particular issue that has come up for some parents is the language barrier. According to Kim Sweet, the Executive Director at Advocates for Children of New York, parents have the right to ask their child's school to provide an interpreter.

 "A child shouldn't have to act as an interpreter for his or her parents," said Sweet.

Education activists have various suggestions for parents on how to get the most out of parent-teacher conferences, while maintaining a focus on how they can benefit students.

What a parent should ask the teacher:

Is my child working to his full potential?

How much time should my child spend on homework?

Do you grade homework?

What are my child's strengths? What are his weaknesses?

What can we do to help her overcome her weaknesses?

What are my child's academic talents?

Does my child participate in school activities?

How does my child behave in class?