Hey, BBDad, I think EVERYONE here was once a first time parent! Good questions you ask.
I would suggest that you just initiate contact with the teacher in whatever way seems most natural - either face to face when picking up/dropping off a child, email or note, phonecall or whatever. Simply state that you are very curious to know more about curriculum and what the day is like for your son and would like to have a chance to chat. Is there any sort of "back to school night" or PTO night where parents go from class to class? Our school does this and it's when the teachers present an informal review of classroom rules, curriculum, etc. You get to look through your kids desk and see the room.
If the school doesn't do that prior to conference time then maybe you'd like to set up a 15 to 30 minute meeting to have the teacher do that for you and share a little about how she sees your son progressing.
There's no reason to wait for conference time, in my opinion. Most all teachers expect parents to initiate the contact if they have concerns or questions. They may be taken by surprise simply because most parents don't do that! Just be respectful of the teacher's time demands and keep the meetings brief with a specific purpose. It's always good to get to know the teacher!
