Domain of teaching: Professional Engagement
Standard 7 - Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community
Establishing and maintaining respectful and collaborative relationships with parents/carers regarding their student’s learning and well-being is a fundamental role of the teacher, and requires the development of social skills within the school context. Willingness to adopt and share ideas with school support staff, external professionals, and community representatives enhances the learning opportunities and development of all students, facilitating inclusive education.
7.3 Engage with the parents/carers
Understand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers.
I identified Standard 7.3 as one of my focus goals prior to my placement, intending to have face to face communications with three sets of parents/carers by the conclusion of Week 4. I achieved this goal through proactive engagement with parents at school events, including the Cross Country Carnival, Easter Hat Parade, Anzac Day ceremony, Mother's Day Breakfast, weekly school assemblies, regular before school and after school playground duties, and in the classroom when coordinating the volunteer parent readers.
Respectful collaborative relationships were established through the use of appropriate language, tone, humour, and body language. I used strategies for working effectively with parents/carers building on previous successes in my various roles of employment and in collaboration with my Supervising teacher. Appropriate language, sensitive to the backgrounds and needs of students and parents/carers was considered, when communicating with the families of the two students with a disability (Link to focus area 7.4), and the family with English as a second language (Link to focus area 1.6). I was also made aware of written communications between one parent and my Supervising teacher with regards to providing extension activities across key learning areas to maximise engagement.
Written communications included a request to parents to support their child with discussions on their family history and bringing family and personal objects in for weekly news. Messages updating parents on learning activities were communicated through ClassDojo on a regular basis.
7.3 Engage with the parents/carers
Understand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers.
I identified Standard 7.3 as one of my focus goals prior to my placement, intending to have face to face communications with three sets of parents/carers by the conclusion of Week 4. I achieved this goal through proactive engagement with parents at school events, including the Cross Country Carnival, Easter Hat Parade, Anzac Day ceremony, Mother's Day Breakfast, weekly school assemblies, regular before school and after school playground duties, and in the classroom when coordinating the volunteer parent readers.
Respectful collaborative relationships were established through the use of appropriate language, tone, humour, and body language. I used strategies for working effectively with parents/carers building on previous successes in my various roles of employment and in collaboration with my Supervising teacher. Appropriate language, sensitive to the backgrounds and needs of students and parents/carers was considered, when communicating with the families of the two students with a disability (Link to focus area 7.4), and the family with English as a second language (Link to focus area 1.6). I was also made aware of written communications between one parent and my Supervising teacher with regards to providing extension activities across key learning areas to maximise engagement.
Written communications included a request to parents to support their child with discussions on their family history and bringing family and personal objects in for weekly news. Messages updating parents on learning activities were communicated through ClassDojo on a regular basis.
Link to 3.7: Describe parents/carers in the educative process
Describe a broad range of strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process
Communicating regularly with parents about their child's learning promotes discussion beyond the classroom, connecting school learning to the home context, making learning more meaningful to students' lives. Interacting in a friendly, professional manner encourage parents to visit the classroom and to be actively involved in classroom and school activities. Resources from within the community can enhance lesson content.