We all want the best for our students.

We want them to experience success in their learning. We want them to feel valued and supported at all times. And we want them to be extended and challenged in their thinking.

So much of this has to do with setting high expectations.

As teachers, we hold the belief that all students are capable of success. This mindset shapes our interactions with our students and influences the way we teach them. We recognise that success will look different for every student, but our hope is that each one will keep making progress no matter where they are on the learning continuum.

Sometimes, our students will make giant leaps in their learning and at other times, it will be small and steady steps. As teachers, we want to keep supporting students’ confidence and motivation, which in turn will impact their learning and achievement.

What can you do as a parent?

Constantly encourage your child to learn new things

• Provide increasingly more complex tasks that build upon existing skills and abilities
• Ask big questions that promote deep thinking
• Show them “what a good one looks like” and explain why it’s a high-quality piece of writing, mathematical reasoning or complex artwork
• Model goal setting, and work with your child to co-develop learning goals for themselves

Establish clear and consistent expectations for learning at home

• Establish and explain simple rules for learning at home. This can include a device-free environment and a positive disposition for learning
• Model appropriate behaviours for learning yourself, such as being prepared and organised
• Emphasise to your children that hard work pays off. Celebrate their successes in a spelling test after a week of consistent practice

Guide and support your child toward meeting expectations

• Create a safe space for learning, where you child feels comfortable to take risks, make mistakes and ask questions
• Provide feedback on their work and identify the next step or skill that could elevate the task

Engage with your child’s teacher to hold consistent expectations at school and at home

• Communicate with your child’s teacher on a regular basis about your child’s progress, learning goals and learning expectations. This shows the student that parents and teachers are on the same page and we care about their learning!

As teachers, we aim to do all this (and more!) in our classrooms on a daily basis. Come and partner with us to set high expectations for your children which are consistent at school and at home. This will help steer our students on the positive path toward improving their learning outcomes.

Silva Mekerdichian
Director of Teaching and Learning