Discuss students’ learning and wellbeing, plan effective support
Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Establishing reciprocal relationships with parents and families to support learning’
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Go to top of current page: Discuss students' learning and wellbeing
Go to top of current page: Discuss students' learning and wellbeing
Review home-school partnerships
Review home-school partnerships
Use these questions to review how effective your home-school connection is.
- What do you know about the language, culture and identify of your Pacific learners and their families?
- What do you know about the presence, engagement, progress and achievement of your Pacific learners and do you share this information with families?
- How do you involve Pacific families in planning, monitoring progress and achievement.
- How do you review your practices and challenge your own assumptions about partnerships with Pacific learners and their families?
Source: Improving education outcome for Pacific learners (opens in a new tab/window)
Use technologies
Use technologies
- Leave computers on at the end of the day and invite parents to view students’ digital work.
- Find out the types of technology that parents use and offer to share in those mediums.
- Consider using multiple channels, such as mobile devices, email, instant messaging services, social media, and the school website, to connect with families.
- Provide deliberate support or training to show parents how they can engage with students’ work – both face-to-face and through technology.
- Create and promote online spaces such as blogs that invite parents’ participation and feedback.
- Establish a site or portal for parents to access and contribute to student learning.
- Design e-portfolios to inform future steps in learning.
Consider digital portfolios
Consider digital portfolios
Digital portfolios, created and maintained by the students, are a vehicle for communicating learning to families.
Share meaningful student data
Share meaningful student data
Our parents are really busy and you know they are working, they've got families, they've got all sorts of other commitments. So when we want to talk to them we've got to talk to them about the grunty stuff, the stuff that makes a difference. And we know that the stuff that makes a difference is their children's data, the real information. We know it's rich information, that's often been the domain of the school and now it's time to share it in all its glory.
Barbara Alaalatoa
Engage with outside agencies
Engage with outside agencies
Before engaging support for students from outside services and agencies:
- Find out from family/whānau whether they are already connected with outside agencies or programmes or have been in the past, and what their experience of these agencies/programmes was.
- Check with colleagues, especially the learning support team, to find out which services and agencies the school already has a relationship with and get some feedback on the effectiveness of the partnerships.
- Research possible options for support, so that you can make an informed contribution to discussions.
- Outline other possible options for support when you are discussing the specific needs of a student with their whānau.
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Establish reciprocal relationships with families”:
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Current page Discuss students' learning and wellbeing
Return to the guide “Supporting Pacific learners”
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How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: Supporting Pacific learners
Strategies for action:
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Develop cultural capabilityShow suggestions for Develop cultural capability
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Explore Pacific perspectives on inclusionShow suggestions for Explore Pacific perspectives on inclusion
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Know your Pacific learnersShow suggestions for Know your Pacific learners
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Establish reciprocal relationships with familiesShow suggestions for Establish reciprocal relationships with families
- Partner with parents and whānau
- Create a welcoming environment
- Discuss students' learning and wellbeing
- Support families to help children learn at home
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Build community networksShow suggestions for Build community networks
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Build a culturally responsive environmentShow suggestions for Build a culturally responsive environment
