STANDARD 7.3
Engage with the parents/carers: Understand strategies for working effectively, sensitively, and confidentially with parents/carers.
AITSL Standard 7.3 emphasises the importance of establishing respectful, collaborative relationships with parents and carers to support student learning and wellbeing.
During my placement, I engaged with this standard through parent–teacher interviews, observation of communication methods such as newsletters, apps, and school portals (Seesaw, Compass, Sentral), and reflect on how these interactions inform teaching practice. These experiences deepened my understanding of how families and schools can collaborate to create consistent, supportive environments, fostering shared responsibility for learning and growth.
ARTEFACT 1:
NOTES FROM PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS
Artefact 1 is an excerpt from my notes taken during and after these interviews.
I used these notes to reflect on my practice, identify strategies to better support students, and ensure parents were informed about their child’s development. I learnt how academic, social, emotional, and physical factors intersect in shaping student progress.
Interviews were conducted via secure Teams links to maintain confidentiality, and discussions were handled sensitively and professionally with my mentor, in line with the ethical requirements of Standard 7.3.
This experience offered valuable insight into students’ holistic development. Including parents, carers, and students provided a multidimensional perspective, combining diagnostic, formative, and summative information. Despite only working with students for five weeks, I contributed meaningful observations, particularly for VCE students, where I noted recent shifts in focus and engagement.
Parents appreciated my fresh perspective, noting that my feedback offered new insights into their child’s progress.
My placement also highlighted the critical role of cultural responsiveness, particularly when engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Establishing meaningful partnerships requires sensitivity to cultural values and practices. To strengthen this area of practice, I plan to continue engaging with Department of Education Parent Engagement policies and resources such as the ARACY Toolkit.
Research demonstrates that strong parental involvement improves student outcomes, particularly when family and community contexts are considered alongside classroom learning (Kantova, 2024).Moving forward, I aim to maintain more consistent contact with smaller student groups, fostering stronger connections over time.
Furthermore, this standard is also evidenced through my education managerial experience working closely with over 300 families, where parents were viewed as their children’s primary educators and engaged through observation, dialogue, emails, and calls. Bringing this philosophy into secondary education has reinforced my belief in the transformative power of collaborative communication.
