Learning conferences

Last night, we had the first round of Learning Conferences and the first opportunity for parents to give us some feedback on the new Learning Reports. The feedback so far is very positive and includes some great ideas and constructive suggestions. This is very much an ongoing and developmental process but it seems that we are on the right track.

One really postive outcome so far is that teachers are starting to see a real benefit of the new reports in the classroom, and that they are becoming part of the learning journey rather than just a description of it. As the system develops and becomes embedded in what we do, the benefits to the children will increase. The links to the new curriculum are becoming more clear, however the next stage is to represent our Key Competencies more in the Learning Reports. The Key Competencies sit at the centre of our curriculum and they need to be more visible in the Learning Reports. If the old adage is true, what you measure is what you value, then we need to do a better job of showing what we value.

One disappointment from the Learning Conferences was the lack of children attending with their parents. The children are the learners in this journey and they need to be part of the conversations about their learning. How else can they take responsibility for their learning? Involving children in the process is a key element of the Learning Reports, and so involving them in the conversations around the reports is essential. I worry that children will see that learning is something that their teachers or parents control, or something which is done to them. I hope that we might see more children joining their parents on Thursday night. However, it might be that the after-school model is not conducive to including children and bed-time is dictating whether the children can come or not.

If you have not yet given us your feedback on the Learning Reports, please do so by clicking on this link. Thank you!