Teachers Navigating Academic Counseling and Culturally Responsive Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences

• In Event: Roundtable Session 13
  In Roundtable Session: Navigating Educational Equity and Excellence in Aotearoa–New Zealand

Abstract

This presentation critically examines the impact of academic counselling and parent/student/teacher (PST) conferences on teacher-student relationships and parent/caregiver engagement within 34 of the 39 high schools.

The importance of significant and supportive adults in students’ lives is well documented (Bishop & Glynn, 1999; Sleeter, 2011), however less is known about how high schools can create and strengthen academic relationships with Maori and Pacific Island students and their parents/caregivers when students are taught by multiple teachers. Academic counselling is an integral part of the XXX process, whereby teachers develop and sustain academically focused relationships with students and their parents and caregivers. Teachers work collaboratively with students and their families to set academic goals, ensure strategic course-taking based on student’s long term aspirations and track and monitor student achievement. Triangulated data analysis of school leader, teacher and student interviews (n = 461) indicated that many believed the implementation of academic counselling had resulted in a ‘measurable difference’ to teacher-student relationships, student motivation and attitudes to learning, and parent/caregiver engagement within school. Schools reported significant increases in parent/caregiver attendance at the redesigned PST conferences, particularly in schools with significant number of Maori students and these findings were supported through analysis of 206 direct observations by researchers. Data analysis highlighted several important benefits through students and families having regular access to a single, supportive teacher who worked with them to co-construct student achievement plans, made regular contact with home and tracked and monitored student achievement. Students believed they had a greater sense of purpose and were more enthusiastic about their learning and achievement, because of increased support and encouragement from teachers, peers and families. Improved academic counselling by teachers was viewed as a major contributor to this change. Increased expectations and honest, data-focused conversations were also identified as important changes and instilled a greater awareness of roles and responsibilities across the school community. It was explained that the value of academic counselling was related to teachers/ school leaders and students having ‘nowhere to hide’ because improved data management systems, along with more effective tracking and monitoring of student’s progress increased the visibility of student achievement across the school community. Whilst analysis indicated many positive impacts, results also highlighted considerable variability in the quality and consistency of culturally appropriate academic counselling and in the school practices that would sustain such work. This presentation provides specific recommendations for research and development in this area.

Author

• Anne Shelley Hynds, The University of Auckland