A message from the Principal

Parent Teacher Interviews with a difference

One of the stated aims of our current School Strategic Plan is "To strengthen the partnership with the school community to achieve expected learning growth for all students".

When we wrote this goal we were keen to explore ways that we could more effectively bring families 'into' their child's learning and allow them to better understand their learning challenges, successes, progress and goals on a regular and ongoing basis.

To achieve this we envisaged using Seesaw as a platform for students and teachers to share the school-based learning taking place, the classroom conversations and feedback in an easy to access way for parents and carers. 

What we could never predict was a time when children would be completing all of their learning at home in the presence of their parents and using Seesaw (and Google Classroom) as a way to share this with their teachers. 

In amongst the carnage to our normal lives caused by COVID-19, it is good to look for silver linings. One of these is undoubtedly an inadvertent strengthening of the home-school partnership caused by our remote and flexible learning program. Whether they like it or not, all parents are a far greater part of their child's schooling than they were before.

This reconfiguring of the traditional partnership between students, teachers and parents means that our Parent Teacher interviews taking place next week will also need to look very different.

Normally, these meetings would be an opportunity for teachers to share their assessment of your child's learning and outline the next steps.

The experience of Remote and Flexible Learning since April means that, although there is a lot we have gathered about students during this time, we have not being able to observe the children as they learn, asking them questions about their thinking and building new understandings face to face. Missing these vitally important professional practices mean that it is difficult for teachers to give their usual accurate assessment of student achievement and learning goals. 

For this reason we are seeking your support to work together and build a clearer shared picture of what your child can do and, from there, how we can better support their specific needs.

During the 10-minute meetings, we look for teachers and parents to share what we have gathered from throughout our time in Remote Learning. Rather than teachers solely providing feedback to parents, it will be an opportunity for you to also share valuable insights from the other side of the screen.

To help us get the most from these Parent Teacher Interviews, we ask that you reflect upon these questions prior to meeting with your child's teacher and bring any notes to the meeting with you;

1. What have you discovered about your child as a learner?
2. How does your child approach challenges?
3. What has your child gained from working remotely?
4. What have you observed about their mental and emotional wellbeing throughout this time?
5. What support will your child need when they return to school?

Whilst the focus of the meetings will be slightly different, we see them as more important than ever as a way to set up the remaining part of this most disrupted of school years.

We ask that all families schedule an interview time. If you have not yet made a booking, you will need to login and do this in Compass School Manager.

We look forward to these discussions.

Neil Scott, Principal