Excerpt from placement journal.

15/9 - Today we had parent teacher interviews. Students came to class as normal for the first half of
the day and then left at lunch time. The library is set up so that each teacher has their own table.
There is an iPad on each table as well because teachers have to mark when they are available for a
parent/carer to get escorted in by support staff. Parents select a time and advise if they need an
interpreter or not so it was very busy at the school but the staff were amazing and so organised. All
of the parents/carers of the students in my mentor teachers class came to speak to us. I was able to
hear some more about the background of the students first hand from their family members and it
was very emotional to hear some of the things that they have experienced in life. It also helped me
to understand some of the students better by seeing what their role models are like. The conference
procedure at WELS is giving the family a copy of the students report, talking through it with them
and then asking if they have any questions. I liked the way they did it and I think it suits the school,
although this is the first time I have been able to attend the interview day so Im not sure on other
methods. Dani said she usually gets samples of the work that students have done throughout the
term and binds them together for the families of the students to keep, and asked me if I wanted to
help do that this term. I thought it was a great idea, I took a group photo of the students to use as
the front cover and the very friendly staff at the school assisted in binding it all together. It was great
to see so much of the work we have done this term and what they have been doing with the other
teachers organised that way. The parents/carers really enjoyed it! During the interviews I was
introduced as a student teacher and the parents/carers were still so interested in what I had to say
about their children. I didnt expect them to interact with me so much but I was asked a lot of
questions and I was able to provide families with feedback about their students progress in the
classroom using the booklets and my knowledge of them. Nooria and Arifs mum came in but the
Dari interpreter never showed up. We asked her if she would like me to speak to her (the alternative
was an over the phone translating service) even though I speak Farsi. She was eager to talk to me
and I found myself in charge of the conversation. I was very comfortable and she was very happy
with what I had to say about her children in the class. It was a great opportunity for me to see how
parent/carer interviews are conducted and to practice speaking with parents as I have not had the
opportunity to do so before in a formal setting.