Parents as Partner Episode #34 March 1, 2010

Post-Show description: 

Show hosts Matt Montagne, Lorna Costantini and Cindy Seibel welcomed Mike Herrity, Assistant Head master at Twynham School In Christ Church in the UK. Mike gave an overview of the way that Twynham School works with parents. They engage parents around their student's school work through the use of a portal which is accessed by students, mentors, parents and teachers. Mike talks about the success stories that they are enjoying with increase student achievement with the support of parents. Through out the show you will hear Mike share advice such as "Listen first and then design";" parent engagement is beyond the data", "its more about the pedagogy than it is technology". Twynham School uses a Sharepoint portal to support students, teachers and parents. Of particular note is the mentorship program put in place for year 11 students. The program uses a biweekly session with mentor and student to review the student progress and develop strategies to improve their work. Parents have access to the discussions which have taken parent/student conversations beyond the "did nothing today". Parents of 15 and 16 year olds have something concrete to discuss.

 

Chat log

 

20:44:47 Lorna Costantini -> Room 1: Hi Mike
20:44:55 Lorna Costantini -> Room 1: Happy to see that you are awake
20:57:03 PeggyG -> Room 1: Hi everyone! Great to see you and hear your laughter :-)
20:57:31 PeggyG -> Room 1: oops! the stream just stopped
20:58:05 cindyseibel -> Room 1: Hi Peggy - yes we'll start the stream again
20:58:07 PeggyG -> Room 1: now it's back
20:58:08 PeggyG -> Room 1: thanks
20:58:24 PeggyG -> Room 1: was that censored conversation??? :-)
20:58:37 PeggyG -> Room 1: it is beautiful right now for the Phoenix Open :-)
20:58:37 mikeherrity -> Room 1: Hello everyone
20:58:54 PeggyG -> Room 1: not as much delay with ustream though
20:59:25 cindyseibel -> Room 1: Peggy - just got back from Phoenix, sorry we didn't get a chance to connect this year
20:59:27 PeggyG -> Room 1: is it the middle of the night for Mike??
20:59:45 PeggyG -> Room 1: oh Cindy!!! I'm so sorry we couldn't connect in Phoenix!
21:00:11 cindyseibel -> Room 1: Peggy - don't worry, I'll be back!
21:00:18 PeggyG -> Room 1: good!!
21:00:27 PeggyG -> Room 1: is Mike in the UK?
21:00:42 PeggyG -> Room 1: wow!!! that's dedication!!!! Welcome Mike!
21:00:45 Scott Shelhart -> Room 1: Just in time
21:01:06 PeggyG -> Room 1: Hi Scott-just starting :-)
21:01:59 kcaise -> Room 1: hi everyone!
21:02:02 PeggyG -> Room 1: I think I saw a Twynham School on the BECTA site--is that possible?
21:02:26 matt montagne -> Room 1: darnit...I knew she was going to say that...I should've had a quip in there about USA Hockey.
21:02:27 Scott Shelhart -> Room 1: Was there a hockey game yesterday?  :-)
21:02:40 PeggyG -> Room 1: yes I'm sure that's where I saw the video!! Terry Freedman wrote about BECTA and the videos and talked about them in our Classroom 2.0 LIVE show
21:02:46 matt montagne -> Room 1: Missed opportunity...can't make those kinda mistakes w/Cindy ;)
21:03:02 PeggyG -> Room 1: just let her talk! love it!!!
21:03:24 PeggyG -> Room 1: can Mike see the chat or is he just on Skype?
21:03:38 mikeherrity -> Room 1: I am on the chat also
21:03:42 mikeherrity -> Room 1: hi
21:03:44 PeggyG -> Room 1: great Mike!!
21:03:48 PeggyG -> Room 1: Hello!!
21:04:02 PeggyG -> Room 1: I'm joining you from Phoenix AZ where it's 7:00pm now
21:04:04 mikeherrity -> Room 1: but I am male so typing and talking may not be an option!
21:04:21 PeggyG -> Room 1: I am female and typing and talking isn't an option for me :-)
21:05:34 matt montagne -> Room 1: mike, what is your twitter??
21:05:41 PeggyG -> Room 1: Great blog post Lorna about tonight's show!! http://www.ourschool.ca/mike-herrity-from-twynham-school-using-sharepoin...
21:06:08 cindyseibel -> Room 1: http://www.twynhamschool.com
21:06:38 matt montagne -> Room 1: Mike's school: http://www.twynhamschool.com
21:08:39 PeggyG -> Room 1: I love that description!! pedagogy over technology!!
21:10:35 PeggyG -> Room 1: Congratulations on the ICT Excellence Awards for Beyond the Classroom, Mike!! Loved the video!!
21:10:36 matt montagne -> Room 1: me too, Peggy...
21:10:49 matt montagne -> Room 1: the infrastructure of technology supports the pedagogy...
21:11:00 PeggyG -> Room 1: http://awards.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=38727 Award announcement and video :-)
21:11:24 matt montagne -> Room 1: I think it naturally supports a constructivist, student centered pedagogy however
21:11:47 matt montagne -> Room 1: great questioin, Mike.
21:11:47 PeggyG -> Room 1: I love the UK focus of Every Child Matters--very different from "No Child Left Behind"
21:11:57 Lorna Costantini -> Room 1: beyond the data - love that
21:12:01 PeggyG -> Room 1: definitely student centered
21:12:58 matt montagne -> Room 1: yes, Peggy...very different from NCLB
21:14:26 PeggyG -> Room 1: what a great point!! it isn't all about parents coming to school to be "engaged" for student outcomes to be affected
21:15:08 matt montagne -> Room 1: Hi Jeannine!
21:15:37 Jeannine S. -> Room 1: Hi Matt - good to see PasP again!
21:15:40 PeggyG -> Room 1: Terry Freedman frequently writes about these initiatives in the UK!! that's how I keep up with BECTA and related things
21:16:23 matt montagne -> Room 1: is audio level OK via ustream folks??
21:16:42 PeggyG -> Room 1: yes
21:16:48 matt montagne -> Room 1: thanks, Peggy...
21:16:59 PeggyG -> Room 1: keep hearing a loud ping though--is it a skype ping?
21:17:21 cindyseibel -> Room 1: heard it too, think it's Matt :-)
21:17:39 PeggyG -> Room 1: some schools do a much better job of welcoming and engaging parents than others
21:17:39 matt montagne -> Room 1: not sure where it is from
21:19:09 PeggyG -> Room 1: as a principal I had some of my best conversations with parents at sporting events and in grocery stores :-) very informal and on their terms (not at school)
21:20:55 PeggyG -> Room 1: do they follow up with the people that aren't logging in? love the question about "what is it that these parents need to become engaged"? :-)
21:21:25 PeggyG -> Room 1: they could borrow their child's cell phone to log in :-)
21:21:46 PeggyG -> Room 1: what a great strategy!!
21:22:44 PeggyG -> Room 1: great concept for the mentoring process!
21:22:53 PeggyG -> Room 1: the power of student coaches!
21:23:39 PeggyG -> Room 1: it's so powerful that you are collecting data on these processes!!
21:23:55 Jeannine S. -> Room 1: A great strategy for sure. Very empowering for kids to be able to guide their parents.
21:24:38 PeggyG -> Room 1: wow! hosting sessions outside of the school! brilliant!
21:24:53 PeggyG -> Room 1: coffee shops with wireless?
21:25:54 PeggyG -> Room 1: such a positive approach!!!
21:28:33 PeggyG -> Room 1: do you have to rent a room at a local hotel or is it a partnership?
21:30:11 PeggyG -> Room 1: that data sounds very similar to the US data
21:32:18 PeggyG -> Room 1: that sounds familiar too--invite 50 and about half show up! but think about those who DID show up :-) fantastic win-win!
21:32:22 cindyseibel -> Room 1: one child at a time, one parent at a time
21:32:29 PeggyG -> Room 1: yes Cindy!
21:33:06 PeggyG -> Room 1: do you find those parents who start to become more engaged, continue that through future years?
21:34:15 PeggyG -> Room 1: great points!! isn't just collecting data but what do you do with it
21:35:46 cindyseibel -> Room 1: starting with students was key - not parents, not teachers, not staff, but the learner at the centre
21:36:02 PeggyG -> Room 1: yes!
21:36:02 Jeannine S. -> Room 1: The student voice work being done in GB is very empowering - wonderful to involve the students at the very beginning.
21:36:59 PeggyG -> Room 1: what a great idea with the colors!
21:39:38 PeggyG -> Room 1: is it difficult to manage the mentoring of so many parents? 250?
21:40:51 PeggyG -> Room 1: Does Mike blog regularly for parents and community?
21:41:10 matt montagne -> Room 1: mike's blog http://sharepointineducation.com
21:41:32 PeggyG -> Room 1: thanks for that link Matt
21:46:01 PeggyG -> Room 1: it's so helpful to see the site! thank you!
21:46:32 cindyseibel -> Room 1: peggy can you re-post the link? It didn't show up for me.
21:47:04 PeggyG -> Room 1: the last link didn't show up for me either but I think it was the earlier one posted
21:47:14 PeggyG -> Room 1: https://www.twynhamschool.com/supportinglearning/default.aspx
21:47:31 cindyseibel -> Room 1: thx Peggy
21:48:01 PeggyG -> Room 1: https://www.twynhamschool.com/supportinglearning/onlinereporting/default...
21:48:17 Jeannine S. -> Room 1: Creating the context for conversation - the real power of technology.
21:48:37 PeggyG -> Room 1: what a great option and so important
21:48:59 PeggyG -> Room 1: https://www.twynhamschool.com/supportinglearning/onlinereporting/parent....
21:50:27 PeggyG -> Room 1: wow! 86% of students logged in on a snow day :-) very impressive!
21:51:51 PeggyG -> Room 1: you'll have to listen to the recording to get the quote Lorna :-)
21:52:54 Lorna Costantini -> Room 1: :)
21:54:03 PeggyG -> Room 1: if the parents get more engaged with their oldest child do they continue to remain engaged with their younger kids?
21:55:51 PeggyG -> Room 1: I'm smiling about the communication gap between teens and parents--very familiar!!
21:58:04 Jeannine S. -> Room 1: So often we try "a" program ... nice to see several initiatives at the same time trying to get at similar ends ... not a one size fits all approach.
21:59:28 PeggyG -> Room 1: great point Jeannine!
22:00:14 PeggyG -> Room 1: that HAS to improve communication with the information going out to student, parent and teacher at same time
22:01:08 PeggyG -> Room 1: they really have something to talk about with that kind of information--so much better than asking what did you do in school today :-)
22:02:38 PeggyG -> Room 1: it wasn't an overnight process either and that's so important to realize that change takes time
22:03:11 Jeannine S. -> Room 1: True Cindy - we want it to be perfect off the bat, but the change will be more permanent if we adjust as we learn what works
22:03:21 cindyseibel -> Room 1: Listen first, design second.
22:03:29 PeggyG -> Room 1: excellent point!!
22:04:15 PeggyG -> Room 1: that would be so interesting to see--the growth and change in the different versions of the mentoring program
22:05:03 PeggyG -> Room 1: this has been fantastic information Mike!! Thank you so much for sharing with us!
22:05:46 PeggyG -> Room 1: we need to post this recording on the Digital Parent resources site :-)
22:05:52 Jeannine S. -> Room 1: @Mike thank you for doing this so late at night - usually I'm the most tired as it is 11:00 pm in Atlantic Canada.  A follow up show would be useful ... sounds great.
22:06:09 PeggyG -> Room 1: I would love a follow up show!!
22:06:50 PeggyG -> Room 1: we're really compiling resources for educators to use to provide workshops for parents
22:07:28 PeggyG -> Room 1: yes this is a topic very near and dear to us!!
22:08:41 PeggyG -> Room 1: Cindy your parent portal guide is a great match for what he's describing
22:08:57 PeggyG -> Room 1: and listen...!!
22:09:33 cindyseibel -> Room 1: Goodnight everyone!
22:09:35 PeggyG -> Room 1: no he can't be asleep! he's in California :-)
22:09:41 Jeannine S. -> Room 1: Thanks Lorna - good night!
22:09:41 PeggyG -> Room 1: thank you so much Mike!
22:09:54 PeggyG -> Room 1: Great conversation!! very motivating!!
22:11:22 PeggyG -> Room 1: good night everyone! Thanks for a great webcast!