All students want to do well at school. All parents want their child to do well at school as do all teachers. This common purpose provides the foundation for a very effective and unique learning partnership. If students, parents and teachers all work together and communicate effectively, success and progress are very likely.
An effective learning partnership is characterised by:
- Parents monitor their child’s attendance (e.g. Compass; SMS; authorising non-attendance).
- Parents and teachers communicate regularly through telephone, email etc. They do not rely upon scheduled parent evenings.
- Parents support the college’s ethos and core values and role model behaviours.
- Parents talk to their child about their learning and college experiences. If they sense there is something concerning their child, raise it with teachers and SWAE (Student Wellbeing and Engagement) sooner rather than later.
- Teachers inform parents when students are doing well and when they might be struggling. They seek to engage parent partnership and support.
- Students are resilient, but actively seek help from teachers and SWAE when they experience difficulty, or they talk to their parents.
Every student will at some point encounter challenges at school. They might perform poorly in an assessment, make a poor decision that requires a consequence, experience bullying or experience disappointment. All of those things are a normal part of adolescent life and growth. It is at those times a positive and unified partnership which can make a real and lasting difference.
Parents should be aware of their child’s progress during the semester, rather than waiting for parent evenings or end of semester reports. The Compass portal provides parents and students with up to date information on student assessment and progress, while teacher email contact is also encouraged.
