Your task today, first of all, is I'd like you to log on to Edmodo.
I would like you to go to our Brighton 4/5 class,
and last night, when I was at home, I have posted a note, OK?
Here is the address for our classroom wiki...
I've been teaching for 30 years now, mainly in suburban schools,
but I have taught in the country.
So it's actually specific.
I'm currently teaching at Brighton Primary School,
and that incorporates the hearing-impaired unit.
In my classroom, I have five students that are ESL students,
and often they're not speaking English at home,
so we have access to a BSSO, which is a bilingual school service officer,
and our ESL coordinator will organise that for us.
OK. Next week, we have swimming.
And most of the forms have been brought in, but there's a few...
I work really hard to develop a positive relationship with the kids,
and I try and pass that on to the parents,
because I think if parents trust you
and feel comfortable coming to talk to you,
then a lot of issues are actually broken down.
Judith, have you got a minute?
I would like to talk to you about a picnic idea.
Remember I flagged you about the idea yesterday?
And so, like, you're thinking of having this after-hours?
Yeah, 6:00, on the oval. And I ummed and ahhed about a barbecue.
But the kids thought a picnic might be better.
-And is it just your class? -Just my class.
Yeah, I think in the future,
I wouldn't mind doing it with my buddy class,
but just for the first time, I'd really like to just get the cohesion
with my parent group first.
And what did... Like, you said the children had thought up the idea.
Is part of the purpose that your parents also get to know each other,
so the actual parent group will start to make some connections?
Absolutely, and for the two families who actually don't know anyone else,
it's a fantastic opportunity to meet the class.
WOMAN: Hello. How you going?
Just need to have a quick chat about the swimming forms, the forms...
We're swimming on Monday.
Our school has high-level communication with the parents.
And I think it's really important for the parents to see
that you're available.
-So he needs his EpiPen? -So he needs his EpiPen.
-So we can bring that in. -OK. OK. That'd be good.
And I often encourage the parents
to bring their children along to meetings.
Sometimes parents would like to have a private meeting,
but I actually think it's really good to have the child there
to actually see that the communication
between their parent and the teacher is very positive.
I think that's a great thing.
Obviously, some parents can't come in,
and so I think it's important to say that you can email me or text me
if you need to.
Now, I've got some good news about your son.
I just wanted to tell you about how he took a massive risk today.
I do have some parents who like to have a really tight communication.
You couldn't keep the smile off his face. He was really excited.
So I thought I'd just let you know because...
So, what I do is I tend to ring in the night-time
and fill in the gaps, so the parent actually gets the whole picture.
See you. 'Bye.
Can you have a look at the note that my mum's written?
OK. Ah! OK.
Some parents write in the diary.
-Oh, your grandma's going to come. -Yeah.
Wow! That's fantastic.
So any parent that has a particular private issue will write in the diary
or write me a letter.
Alright, that'd be great. How exciting!
Yeah.
One of the most effective communication tools
we have at our school is the classroom wikis.
It works both ways.
It's great for the students, to support their learning,
but it's also an information tool for the parents.
Parents, particularly of young children,
like to be able to support their children at home,
so it's a fantastic way
of understanding the structure of the class.
What I tend to do is put most of my information on the classroom wiki,
but for those parents that don't have access to a computer,
I will give them a hard copy, so we send newsletters home.
A lot of our hearing-impaired students,
their parents are hearing-impaired as well,
so our assistant principal communicates with the parents
usually through text messages and phone calls.
Yeah, OK. Can you make sure that on Monday, he's got it in his bag?
'Cause we actually have to give it to the swimming instructor.
I actually have to take the medication out of their bag
and give it to the instructor.
I try and be really proactive in my communication with the parents.
Information is power,
and often parents, once they get the full picture,
actually feel a lot easier about certain situations.