Parent Teacher interviews - 2013

This year I am lucky enough to be trying out a new interview style. Based on the goal of collaborating and communicating with parents, community and the wider world the interviews for Room 8 this year will be done as a collective where both parents and students come along. This style, we are hoping will provide a positive and safe environment where parents can talk and discuss their child's academic needs in a collaborative setting. I believe strongly in strength in numbers and this may provide the shy parents with a vehicle to get on board, get involved and see how they can help at home with their child's learning needs. I believe strongly in sharing knowledge, successes and failures and hopefully this will also allow for a more open discussion between parents and myself about opportunities to help students learn more, about helping in particular areas and also as a way for parents to talk with one another about things that they have found work or don't work when it comes to learning at home.

Class Programme - iPads, email, twitter (netiquette) teaching how to respond to and comment appropriately with social media.

Blogging - A way to showcase to the world. Share their work with a global audience.

National Standards - Where is my child heading ? What do they need to be doing ? What should they know ? What can I do to help ?

This is the link to the ministry website for all year levels in the core curriculum areas -

http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/YourChild/ProgressAndAchievement/NationalStandards/Introduction/SupportingYourChildsLearning/After3YearsAtSchool.aspx

After 4 years at school - http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/YourChild/ProgressAndAchievement/NationalStandards/Introduction/SupportingYourChildsLearning/ByTheEndOfYear4.aspx

After 3 years at school -
http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/YourChild/ProgressAndAchievement/NationalStandards/Introduction/SupportingYourChildsLearning/After3YearsAtSchool.aspx

These documents are so helpful for both teachers and parents. They let you know where exactly they should be. Remember of course that children are all different and we allow for differentiation and individuality. Some children mature faster and pick things up quickly others need a bit more time. The term National standard just shows you a place where it is expected your child should be.
I recommend you use them to help you judge where your son/daughter is at for their year level. As well as looking into the how to help at home or homework section.

Homework -
Is always emailed to students in the afternoon. Every night without exception will be spelling words to learn a maths app or problems to solve and students will either take home the reader that their group in currently working or they can take home a book at their level of their choice.

Sometimes the homework will be other topic based activities i.e. art, a survey to complete or just an App to play around with.

This is the TKI or ministry website for writing standards. It will give you a good indication too as to where your child is at. Lots of helpful ideas, tips and examples of writing at their year level.

http://literacyonline.tki.org.nz/Literacy-Online/Student-needs/National-Standards-Reading-and-Writing/National-Standards-illustrations

GOALS - Setting goals is about students and parents understanding where a student may need help, where they need to be pushed but also about creating a target to work towards. Without goals some children don't have a reason for doing work or se little purpose in work. A goal can focus both learning and behaviour. We encourage all goals to be specific and to explain what they want to achieve in a particular area.