Kids set to teach parents a thing or two

Principal Mark Johnson watches as Reuben Davies shows his mother Jane Lee some of his scholastic achievements. Photo / Paul Taylor

Students at Greenmeadows primary school will be running the show on Monday as they lead their own parent-teacher conferences.

Divided into small groups, all 400 students will be given the reins to show their caregivers what they have learnt and achieved this year.

Principal Mark Johnson thinks the conferences are "something we're all really looking forward to, and I know they're going to work really well".

The new method aims to make students more aware of their progress, while increasing their ownership and involvement in their learning.

"We want to engage the child more in the learning process, we want them more involved in working out where they're at and where to go next", Mr Johnson said.

"As the year goes through and they're more involved in that process, they are going to learn more, rather than sitting and waiting to be told things by their teacher, which is kind of how a lot of traditional learning has taken place. "

With some classes preparing a week in advance, students have also been taught how to reflect on their work and articulate what they have learnt.

Greenmeadows hopes this break from tradition will also improve communication between students, their caregivers and the school.

Parent-teacher conferences have traditionally been dominated by the teachers talking but on Monday they will become more of a facilitator.

"If the child is able to share the things they know, it gives the parents a broader picture of the learning that the child is currently going through, and where they want to go to next," Mr Johnson said.

"We've really tried to strengthen the relationships between our children and their families in the school, and this is one way where we feel it's gone very, very successfully."

One classroom has already completed the student-led conferences, in which all children were said to be very involved,

Teacher Nicole Johnson was said to feel "redundant" at her students' conference, with a number of them going over time, and caregivers leaving pleased with the opportunity to see their child's progress.

Mr Johnson hopes this will become a long-term feature of the school.

Taradale Intermediate also let its students take charge this week, with principal Rex Wilson being "absolutely delighted" in its success.

The school has received tremendous feedback from parents, which Mr Wilson said was very validating for the students and teachers involved.

"It was wonderful to see the students taking charge and thinking deeply about their learning."

These Napier schools are joining the ranks of many other schools nationwide trialling this new form of communication between student, parent and teacher.