Reporting to parents, whānau and community

National Standards workshop phase 2

Term 2, 2010

All material presented at this workshop are available to access online at:

www.teamsolutions.ac.nz

Click here

Purpose of this workshop

• To explore the principles of effective reporting

• To review current practice when reporting against the requirements of NAG 2a and the intent of reporting in relation to the National Standards

• To explore ways to engage with our communities

• To explore possible models that align with the National Standards

• To develop a way forward and a possible timeline of action

Reporting Principles

Reporting Requirements

Content of a Report

Planning for reporting at your

school

Timing of Reports

Plain Language

Reporting requirementsNZC NAG 2a NS

The principles embody beliefs about what is desirable in the school curriculum which should underpin school decision making keeping the student at the centre

School assessment data can be used as the basis for reporting to the board of trustees, parents and the Ministry of Education

The board of trustees, with the principal and teaching staff, is required to use National Standards to:report to students and their parents on the student’s progress and achievement in relation to National Standards. Reporting to parents in plain language in writing must be at least twice a year

When used in conjunction with effective assessmentpractices, the National Standards will be a powerfulmeans of informing students, parents, families,whānau, teachers, schools, and the educationsystems about how well things are going and what could be done better to improve learning for allstudents. Reading and Writing Standards (p.4)Mathematics Standards (p.5)

Reporting Requirements

Self Review Tool - reporting

Questions from the Self Review Tool

Reporting Requirements

• How do we ensure our reporting clearly describes

students’ progress and achievement?

• How do we ensure our students are able to contribute to

reporting?

• How do we develop effective partnerships with parents,

families/whanau?

Using the Self Review Tool

1. In groups look at the self - review tool and NAG

2a.

2. Identify and highlight the links between the two

documents.

*

Reporting Requirements

Why Report

• To provide a description of a student’s progress and

achievement within the NZC using expectations from

the curriculum and the National standards as reference

points

• To develop further the partnership involving the

teacher, the student, the school and the student’s

parents …….» Reporting Self Review Tool

Reporting principles:

What do you see as the principles of effective reporting?

Reporting Principles

Reporting Principles1. Should be consistent with the characteristics of effective

assessment in the NZC2. The processes should promote student ownership of their

learning3. Students should feel ownership of the information that is

reported4. Must meet the needs of parents, family and whanau5. What is reported is the responsibility of the teacher and the

school and is based on defensible evidence6. The quality of reporting must be monitored

tki.org.nz

Reporting Principles

Involves Students

Benefits Students

Supports teaching and learning goals

Is valid and fair

Is planned and communicated

Is suited to the purpose

1. Reporting principle - effective assessment NZC p40

2. Reporting principle - student ownership of learning

• Assessment capability• Self-efficacy• Motivation to learn “When we had the parent–teacher interviews, I wouldn’t talk

about my achievements at home. Now I’ve become more confident about talking about the stage I’m at and they understand it. Parents understand a lot more because of the information you’ve given them.’ Year 8 student Greta Valley School (TKI)

Eg, Student voice might involve reflection:-Where am I going in my learning?-Where am I now?-Where does my learning need to go next?

Reporting Principles

3. Reporting principle - student ownership of reporting

• What role do students currently play in your reporting processes?

• What opportunities can we provide for greater student involvement and ownership of reporting?

Reporting Principles

4. Reporting principle - needs of whanau, parents and family

• When we develop effective partnerships, the level of engagement is increased.

‘If effective connections are to be developed, teachers need to value the educational cultures of their students, families, communities; and parents need to learn and value the educational culture of the school’.

School Leadership and Student Outcomes BES, p169

Reporting Principles

Communication

Effective communication that will lead to positive engagement when reporting is open, honest, clear and two way and is based on trust.

We build trust through displaying mutual and a genuine regard for others , and displaying competence and integrity as teachers.

High trust environments in turn lead to effective communication practices.

‘Parents have increased respect for teachers when they have genuine opportunities to influence their work’ BES p 184

Reporting Principles

Finding out what parents and whānau think• Reporting practices

• Time-line• Format• Content - do they want more or less information

• Plain language• What does this mean for your community

• Means of communication• Written• Does it need to be translated• Supported by communication like phone calls

• Parent-teachers-student meetings• How often• When• Length of meetings

Reporting Principles

What are some of the ways your school develops effective partnerships?

How do you as leaders help teachers develop these partnerships?

How might you extend these activities to ensure greater sense of partnership between parents, care givers, students and teachers

Reporting Principles

5. Reporting principle - school’s role

• What do you gather, analyse and interpret and use to report progress and achievement?

• Evidence from multiple sources across the curriculum

• Collation, OTJ, moderation

Reporting Principles

6. Reporting principle - monitoring

• How do we use our reporting process to inform the on-going development of the partnership with students, parents and whanau?

– Do you have a review process?– Do we know if it meets people’s needs?– Have we sought feedback and feed-forward from each of

our partners

• How does your reporting help you?

Reporting Principles

Reporting Principles

1. Should be consistent with the characteristics of effective assessment in the NZC

2. The processes should promote student ownership of their learning

3. Students should feel ownership of the information that is reported

4. Must meet the needs of parents, family and whanau5. What is reported is the responsibility of the teacher and

the school and is based on dependable evidence6. The quality of reporting must be monitored

tki.org.nz

Reporting Principles

Content of a report • What has been learnt

– What the student has learnt and can do– The rate of progress– The extent to which the relevant standards for that student

have been reached• Next learning steps• Ways to support learning

Other possibilities• Extra support • Learning Areas and Key Competencies• Engagement

tki.org.nz

Critiquing/developing

• Using your own or the samples of reports provided, critique against the principles and the suggested content and annotate or modify

Resource on table

When to report

• In writing at least twice a year

Complicated by:The standards for Year 1-3 are for the anniversary of the student’s school entry (for example after one year at school).When to report this is up to the school - remember to consult the parents.It could for example be:– staggered throughout the year around the anniversary

date– at the end of each term– As part of regular reporting with parents for the rest of the

school.

Timing of Reports

Plain language reporting

Should:– Be concise– Clearly outline a child’s progress and achievement– Be free of complex and unnecessary educational

jargon - free of ambiguity – Use language that parents,families,whanau and

students can easily understand.

What steps will we need to develop a sharedunderstanding of what this looks like in our school?

Plain Language

Other ways we currently report

• Three way conferences• E-portfolios• Open evenings

School Stories (TKI) Te Kopuru

Key considerations:

• Finding out what your parents want in terms of reporting

• Review your current reports - modify or develop new reports

• Develop or modify your reporting cycle - decide when you will make your overall teacher judgements and when you will report

• Review your assessment cycle/overview

• Plan to involve your students more in the reporting cycle

• Plan to inform your community about National Standards and your reporting

Action planning

• As a conclusion to this session consider the important messages and ideas you have developed in relation to reporting to parents.

• What do we want as a result of reporting to students and parents?

• Write an action plan/time-line to detail the next steps you are considering for your school.

All material presented at this workshop are available to access online at:

www.teamsolutions.ac.nz

Click here