Monitoring performance at secondary

[silverysea]

Actually we had this for parent evening for the first time but it was on a special link direct from the usual website. Maybe they are moving towards it slowly?

Oh well I will have to pester the form tutor, darn.

[mystery]

Whatever happened in schools? When I taught a thousand years ago in a comprehensive everything was open. The children had exercise books that they did their homework and classwork in and I marked the work. The parents could read this at home any day of the week that they liked as the children kept all their work at home.

I kept a record of any extra tests etc in my mark book. If a parent had wanted to know anything extra at any time of the year it would have been a delight that someone was interested in their child's education and progress.

Ever since my children started school I have felt that it is considered sinful now by a lot of teachers to be interested, care or want to know more than next to nothing about one's children's education. What happened?

[pheasantchick]

At the same time, we have all become obsessed as parents which results, predicted grades etc. When I was at school, we only had one report per year. Now, I we get termly reports with attainment and effort grades, plus an end of year, more detailed report. So in many ways, we have more information than before.

[Amber]

At the same time, we have all become obsessed as parents which results, predicted grades etc. When I was at school, we only had one report per year. Now, I we get termly reports with attainment and effort grades, plus an end of year, more detailed report. So in many ways, we have more information than before.

Yes, I recall the annual report with comments in and totally arbitrary grades (B+, A-, or the dreaded C) and either acid, bland or frankly irrelevant comments from teachers. I remember one describing me as 'effervescent and ebullient' which caused my father to snort cynically, coinciding as it did with a particularly dark and moody phase at home. You are right Pheasantchick, parents now want to be 'equal partners' to use the jargon, in their children's education, and demand more and more information which they feel they are entitled to. I can imagine as a teacher it can feel sometimes as if your professionalism is being constantly challenged or called into question, and that maybe explains why some teachers feel reluctant to give out a constant stream of updated marks and targets.

So much depends on the relationship one has or aspires to have with one's child, too - if I were looking on school websites trying to find out if my children had been handing in their homework on time I would personally feel as if I had transgressed a line I don't want to transgress, but I know not everyone shares that view. One of my children's schools sends out half termly reports and for me this is more than adequate - in fact literally more than adequate as I often feel they have hardly gone back after the last holiday and they are getting ready to have their targets reviewed again. I am glad no one reviews my performance quite that often - my 'traffic lights' might not look all that pretty.

[mystery]

I am not really sure if the average parent really expects any more than before. I don't really remember ever feeling that a parent who wanted information was questioning one's professionalism. I find it terribly irritating to meet professionals in any profession who feel like this - it is impossible to have a sensible conversation with them about anything as one feels as if one is treading on eggshells and has to go round the houses for nothing.