Primary Principal Update – Sharing Learning Experiences
Dear Parents,
As you know, the primary school has been experimenting with different ways to share your children’s learning experiences. It is important for us to continue to reflect on how we can improve what we do. On Thursday, we invited you to complete an online survey for this purpose. We look forward to hearing back from you soon. Here is a reminder of what this survey is about.
Primary Shares: These events have taken many forms over the past few years. Our aim is to create a venue for students to share some of their current learning experiences with each other and their families. During the course of the year, all students are given the opportunity to perform to a live audience and to respond as a respectful one.
Recently, we trialed the idea of an open primary share where parents moved from room to room, but it was not as successful as we had hoped. We are moving towards a structure that will provide our community with 4 opportunities to share and celebrate quality learning (one per term). Earlier this month we also experimented with the idea of highlighting and celebrating what we do during our after school programme.
Conferences: All parents and teachers are encouraged to communicate positively throughout the year and to schedule conferences as needed in order to keep each other informed of all matters, particularly those related to student learning. In order to assist this process, conferences are formally calendared twice per year.
In September, we set a time to recognize and celebrate the achievements of our students and to identify & communicate areas that may need improvement. During semester two we organize student led conferences, which provide our students with an authentic opportunity to share, celebrate and reflect on their learning experiences across the curriculum. Many students share their portfolios and other work samples during these conferences.
Primary Classroom Blogs: This year we took the time to develop and trial primary classroom blogs. Our intention is to have all primary parents subscribed to a safe, digital window into their children’s classrooms. This platform should not only provide regular, relevant updates of what is going on, but also illustrate the kind of weekly learning experiences students are engaging in.
In addition to the fact that such learning can be easily shared with extended family members, this communication tool is intended to serve as a simple accessible bank of all grade level classroom communication.
As always, thank you for your ongoing, positive support.
Warm regards,
Alan Lorenzini
