Let the children talk! How to approach the 3WC Parent-teacher meet
This week you will have received details from Crystal about how to make appointments to discuss the progress of your child(ren) in this first term of the academic year 2023/24. You will be able to access the first current grade report (CGR) today, and this will enable you to get a snapshot of the performance levels in two areas: academic achievement and approaches to learning. Please make sure that you download them through the Engage parent portal and discuss them with your child in advance of the 3 way conference. Students will be provided with acces to an electronic workbook from Ms Marshall (years 7 – 9) and Mrs Hall (years 10 – 13) to help guide them in their reflections and ideas on how to improve their performance levels in term 2.
The ability to self reflect is a powerful tool in driving motivation and purpose in our lives, and the above process goes part of the way to helping your child pick up this valuable life skill. In John Hattie’s Visible Learning meta analysis of effective learning strategies, student evaluation and reflection has a very high (.75) impact on learning. As such we would like you to bear in mind that your child must be the first one to talk in your conference with the teacher. They should verbalise what they think went well for them in term 1, and then identify their weknesses alongside ways in which they can successfully overcome them. Then the teacher will add his/her thoughts, before you provide your own feedback or clarifying question(s) afterwards. Encouraging and supporting your son/daughter to find their own voice will help them understand that they must take responsibility for their own learning.
I hope you enjoy the experience, and that by continuing online we are able to reach as many parents as possible both in the home, workplace and even abroad in different time zones.
