Effective communication between parents and teachers is essential to maximise the learning potential of students. There are a number of structures in place to facilitate regular communication between home and school.
At SBB we encourage parents to contact school whenever there are concerns
At Sekolah Buin Batu, assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning that provides feedback to guide students through the processes of:
- acquiring knowledge,
- developing the understanding of concepts,
- mastering skills,
- developing attitudes and
- provoking the decision to take action.
Assessment is ongoing and takes many forms. It is used to inform students, their families and teachers about student’s progress (summative assessment, or assessment of learning) and it is also used to inform students, their families and teachers where to go next in the learning journey (formative assessment, or assessment for learning).
Feedback is crucial in the learning process. We all can develop and improve because of feedback.
Constructive feedback provides opportunities about where things are going well, areas that can be improved and possible ways to further refine and develop learning. Feedback may be used informally, such as a brief spoken message, or it may be more formal and in depth, for example through a written report.
At SBB, we provide many opportunities for formal feedback to parents and students. Three significant ways are through:
- Contacting Your Child’s Teacher Directly
- Please contact your child’s teacher directly. Next, if you feel your concerns have not been addressed, please talk to the campus principals.
- Parent Teacher Conferences (PTC)
PTCs are when parents come for a meeting with the teachers to learn about how each class is structured, upcoming events, and curriculum outcomes for that year level.
Student Portfolios
Student work samples are collected throughout the year and show the work each student is completing. Over a period of time, these portfolios will demonstrate growth and development students make.
- Student Portfolios are sent home at the end of each term.
- Work samples collected will focus mainly on process rather than end product.
- It will be shared with parents during Three Way Conferences.
Three Way Conferences
Three way conferences are an important way all key stakeholders in students learning – the students, their parents and the teachers can meet and share about each student’s progress.
Three way conferences will focus on goals that students, teachers and parents set for learning, and discuss the progress towards achieving these goals. The students work portfolio will be evidence of what is being achieved and is an important element in three way conferences. These are also times where individual concerns can be shared and discussed.
- Three way conferences are conducted in Terms 1 and 3 usually towards the end of the term. It is the responsibility of the class teacher to arrange the interviews with parents at a time of mutual convenience.
Reporting to parents
Reporting formally to parents is the most traditional method of providing feedback. At SBB, we do this in two ways:
- Parent teacher conferences (PTC) are conducted around week 3, term 1 and 3. These are opportunities for teachers to share general information about their programs for the class.
- Formal written reports are sent home on the last day of Terms 2 and 4.