Laying the Foundations
One teacher's journey
I had a meeting with my 5yo’s teachers this week. It was wonderful to be talking to other Prep teachers and have the chance to collaborate (i.e. steal a great Anzac Day activity). Any anxieties I may have had about putting my 5yo’s education in their hands were alleviated. It also made me reflect on the importance of communication between parents and teachers. When I started teaching I was anxious about parent-teacher interviews and other contact. This wasn’t helped by one particular family who threatened to sue me! I blundered along for a few years until I moved to the Northern Territory. Living and working in a remote community, the need for communicating with families about their child’s learning was clear. I had a phenomenal principal who suggested that we need to make contact when things are going well, not just on the occasions when things aren’t. This positive approach was transformative and has stuck with me ever since. When I moved to my current school I faced the daunting task of again building relationships with a new set of students- and their families. I wanted to let families know what was going on each week. started to write and draw on a whiteboard. At the end of the week I would take a photo of the board and send it home. I got a number of appreciative comments from parents who felt much more in touch with their child’s learning. With COVID-19 and remote learning I sent a daily email to my Grade 1/2 class’ parents. I (and all teachers at my school) would also call each week to see how we could assist them. Remote learning was a tough time as Victoria had a strict lockdown for an extended period. I think families felt supported by the school. This year, I’ve moved to creating a page that goes home each Friday. I let parents know what their child has learnt during the week. I use Powerpoint and generally include something about reading, maths, and our humanities/science unit. I try to keep it brief and find Powerpoint a good format for that.
8 Comments
Nat Campbell
4/24/2021 04:37:00 pm
Great blog James. I wanted you to know that your weekly snapshot is great. I have been doing similar for my class - inspired by yours! The parents love it! My amazing DOTT teacher adds her science info to it and we have shared it with our Pre-service teachers as a great example of keeping our parents informed and involved in their child’s learning.
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James
4/24/2021 07:48:45 pm
Thanks Nat. I'm glad that you are finding it useful. Hopefully, you have also found it quick & easy to do!
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10/14/2022 10:13:26 pm
This positive approach was transformative and has stuck with me ever since. Thank you, amazing post!
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1/20/2023 07:09:34 am
Living and working in a remote community, the need for communicating with families about their child’s learning was clear. Thank you, amazing post!
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I'm JamesI am a father of two (8 & 5), married to a future Early Childhood Educator. Archives
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