Assess: to Sit Beside

This is the first of two postings inspired by a couple of wonderful days I've had working with the staff and students at Douglas Park Primary School in Masterton, New Zealand.

Once per term, every child at Douglas Park is encouraged to invite their parents into school for a Learning Conference, during which he or she explains what they've been learning, how much progress they've made and where they intent to go next. (See Learning Conference guide).

Their rationale behind these conferences are twofold; the first is straight from John Hattie's book on Visible Learning:

"Parents should be educated in the language of schooling so that home and school can share in the expectations and the child does not have to live in two worlds - with little understanding between home and school. Some parents know how to speak the language of schooling and thus provide an advantage for their children during the school years, while others do not know this language, which can be a major barrier to the home contributing to achievement."

Second of all, as they explain: "Assess comes from Latin, to sit beside, so our learning conferences give parents the perfect opportunity to "sit beside" their child; to encourage our students to take personal responsibility for their learning; to develop their communication and organisational skills; to clarify for themselves and their parents their sense of progress and to further enhance the school-home communication and relationships.

For more information about this, take a look at the Learning Conference Guide on the Sustained Success website or email the school.