Parents - Questions Parents Ask and Possible Responses

Portfolio process as well as much of what is advocated by Quebec's curriculum reform is very different from what parents experienced as students when they attended school. Parents are often uninformed as to new pedagogical approaches and look to the teacher for reassurance that their child is receiving quality schooling. When a teacher uses portfolios in her class, parents may need to ask questions in order to understand what is happening in class and why.

Here are some questions that parents ask and possible responses that teachers and administrators can give to these questions:

Can you tell me what this Reform is about?

Is it true that the kids are going to have to learn on their own? Aren't you going to teach anymore?

Teachers Respond.... Reform

• The educational reform is not totally new. A lot of what has been placed into the current curriculum is based upon successful teaching and learning practices that have been going on for years.
• The biggest change is that with the Reform, there is an increased focus on the individual student and learning competencies that will be built upon throughout school, from cycle 1 to secondary cycle 2.
• The other shift is that we are trying to prepare students for the ever changing society that we live in. You child may well have up to three careers before s/he retires!
• It is about teaching and learning competencies that are useful across the subject areas and in real life settings.

I don't understand all this 'project work' that Sarah and James are having to do at school. Why can't they bring it home and we can do it there?

Teachers Respond... Project Work

• Basically there are many types of project work. The type you and I did was usually done alone, at home and on a specific topic chosen by the teacher. The goal of those projects was to learn the content of what we were researching.
• Content is still important, but there is so much of it out there! It is important that with pedagogy of project work, students learn to work with others, learn how to gather information, how to communicate what they have found and learn about what they are researching.
• Each student has a role to play in project work. The end product is often the result of each team member contributing a section or part to the project research, communication and presentation

Why do children need to work in groups? My Jimmy hates to work in groups, he always ends up doing all the work. Anyway, how will you know how to mark the work if the children are all doing it together?

Teachers Respond...Group work

• Children need opportunities to work in small and large groups, and independently.
• In order to meet everyone's needs, not all the work we do will be in groups.
• The skills students learn in group work are useful across the curriculum and for lifelong learning: cooperating, learning to communicate, learning to plan out steps of a project.
• Learning itself is very social in nature. Image a work place where people never consulted with one another, weren't allowed to speak, and no one shared information--quite the disaster in the making!

What's a portfolio? How come they all look different, how are you going to know which are the best and worst students?

Teachers Respond....Portfolio

• Selection of student work that reflects how they are learning.
• We select samples each term to compare where the child started in their learning development and to see where they are at a given point in time.
• Portfolios look at both the process and product of your child's work. This is important in order to see what thinking steps the child is making.
• The portfolio has extensive feedback from the teacher, this will give you specific, clear ideas on how your child is developing, learning and understanding.
• Your feedback is also important and there will be opportunities for you to add to the portfolio with your comments.

How come children are permitted to write using 'inventive spelling'? How will they ever learn to spell correctly if we don't correct their mistakes?

Teachers Respond.... Inventive Spelling

• In order for children to become writers they need to take risks in their writing which builds their confidence.
• When students use inventive spelling, they are doing the thinking, not the adults, about what they know about writing and letter sounds, and they are becoming independent writers.
• Parents and teachers should provide writing materials, occasions to write and real reasons to write.
• Once students develop into competent writers, they can be taught to spell commonly used words found within their own writing and in the print rich environment around them.

How can I help Melissa with her reading? She seems to be having some trouble.

Teachers Respond.... Reading

• Read to her every day.
• Make books and other reading materials available.
• Have her write, reading and writing are closely related.
• Go to the library or bookstore so that she can select her own books.
• Read yourself, research has shown that parents who read with in front of their children help their children to become lifelong readers.
• When you are out, read signs, advertisements...

How come there's no report card? How am I supposed to know if Christopher is doing well in school?

Teachers Respond.... No Report Card

• I understand your frustration, change sometimes takes time to get used to.
• I think that if you give the portfolio and Student Learning Profile a chance, you will appreciate that these two evaluation tools give you and me far more information than a letter or number grade ever could.
• I think you will also find the section on Strategies for Home helpful. This way we can work together towards success for your child.
• Competency development takes time to master. It is not something that you can put a grade on. However, it is something that you will get clear feedback on from all of your child's teachers through the Portfolio and the Student Learning Profile, which will summarize what you are seeing in the portfolio.
• Please call me if at any time you are unsure or concerned about your child?s progress in school. And I will do the same.

Are you going to teach phonics?

Teachers Respond....Phonics

• Phonics is the study of letter sounds, blends...
• These sounds are very important in the reading process. Through reading each day, discussing stories, hearing stories and writing, student develop awareness of letter-sound relations.
• When they struggle with this, it is important to focus on the meaning of the story, so the child can make connections with what is being communicated--this is often enough to cue the child to a new or familiar word.
• For this reason, phonics workbooks and programs do not having lasting effects because they are taught out of context of how real, or whole language is used.
• In our class, we will examine patters of words as they arise in our project work, stories and writing. It is important to build on words the students know, and add new sounds from there.