Written communication practices in educational administration

Educational Situations

Name four practices that commonly require written administrative procedures.

Memorandums that include school policy changes or important information for the staff are commonly distributed in writing so that the information is accurately conveyed and properly received and documented. Many staff communications to the administration, such as requests for new classroom supplies or for personal leaves of absence, are also communicated in writing. If disciplinary action of any kind is taken against a student, it is commonly recorded in writing in the student's permanent file, and a copy of this information may be sent home to parents. Finally, the recording of daily vital information, such as student attendance and test scores, are done in writing.

How would you know if you are complying with EQ policies and procedures?

A a) If I were not complying with EQ policies, I would receive notification or a warning of some kind from my superiors;

b) I will receive positive feedback on my performance;

c) I will be staying within the set guidelines presented to me both verbally and in writing for these policies.

3. Explain non-verbal communication and provide three examples of ways that we communicate non-verbally.

Non-verbal communication includes all forms of conveying a message between one person to another person or a group of people without the use of spoken words. Non-verbal communication may include tone of voice, body language, and physical contact.

4. What are three considerations that we should have in mind when writing letters home to parents?

The letters that are sent home to parents from their child's school represents the school to them. The letters should come across as professional in every sense. It is important that the letters are clean and neat, because this will give the impression that the school is also a clean and neat environment. It is important also that all letters sent are free of grammatical and spelling errors, as it is important that the parents have confidence in the intelligence of the people in charge of the student's education. Finally, it is important that the letter is both succinct and complete, for parents are likely to skim over a long letter and miss important points, and likewise an incomplete letter that leaves parents with more questions than answers will be upsetting and lead to a flood of calls from confused parents.

5. Why is cultural sensitivity so important in your role as an education support person?

Every person deserves an equal opportunity to be involved in quality education, regardless of their gender, race, cultural background, disability, or any other factors. Likewise, every person has a right to feel welcomed and respected in the educational environment. It is important to be sensitive to the cultures and differences of both coworkers and students not only to ensure the individual feels comfortable and does not get offended, but also because as an educational support person, one is a role model for the students who need to learn how to be respectful of one another.

6. Explain the difference between "nature" and "nurture."

The theories of "nature" and "nurture" are theories of child development. Nature relates to all things inherited in the child's behavior, such as instinct or genetic disposition. Nurture relates to all learned behaviors, that can be affected and influenced by the child's caretakers and outside influences. Most child psychologists today believe that children are influenced by a combination of nature and nurture factors.

7. Who is primarily responsible for identifying students learning difficulties in the classroom context. There may be more than one.

The person primarily responsible for identifying learning difficulties in the classroom is the student themselves. If a student expresses having difficulty with the classroom environment or learning material, whether that be through verbal or nonverbal means, it is important that this be addressed as an important matter. Additionally, the teacher needs to be watching for these signs and must serve as a secondary identifier for these difficulties. Finally, any other observers, such as other students or administrators observing the classroom, also need to focus on isolating learning difficulties.

8. Give an example of a situation where you might be asked to provide learning support for a student with learning difficulties. What sort of support could you offer in this circumstance?

One example would be a dyslexic student who is having difficulty following the classroom lessons because reading is more difficult for this student. I could first provide emotional support for this student, assuring him or her that it is OK to take extra time reading and learning the material, and that being dyslexic does not make him or her any less intelligent. Second, I could take time out to review the material privately with the student, working at the same time on developing healthy reading skills, as well as ensuring that the student had a full understanding of the lesson. Finally, I could help the student find support groups and additional assistance for his or her learning disability through community groups or the Internet.

9. Identify some common class rules that are laid down to guide student behaviour. List three of these rules and explain why they are important.

One common class rule is that students are not allowed to have physical contact with one another. This is an important rule because it prevents students from causing physical harm to each other, or from making a student uncomfortable from unwanted physical contact. A second rule is that students must be quiet while the teacher is speaking. This is important so that the teacher and students are able to concentrate, and so that every student has the chance to hear the lesson. A third common rule is that students must raise their hands and be called on before speaking. This keeps the classroom orderly and prevents chaos from breaking out among the students.

10. Why is cultural sensitivity so important in your role as an education support person?

See # 5.

11. If you were given the task of preparing a sheet of work for your class, what should you do to ensure that it complies with the teacher's expectations?

Before beginning work on the worksheet, it is important to listen carefully to (or read carefully) the teacher's instructions. Ask questions if any of the instructions are unclear or if you need clarification. Once the worksheet is completed review it by yourself and then with the teacher to ensure that it complies with the teacher's expectations, and be prepared to make any revisions deemed necessary.

12. How and from whom would you expect to get guidance about using an overhead projector?

The audio visual department, also known as the AV department, would be in charge of equipment such as an overhead projector, also including televisions, VCRs, and other electronic media. By contacting this department, I would be able to reserve an overhead projector to be picked up in that department or to be delivered to my classroom, if I did not have a designated projector for my room. The "Av Crew" would additionally be able to provide any technical assistance or guidance that I might need for using this equipment.

13. If a parent asks you about the progress of an individual child, what should you do?

The first step to take when a parent asks about the progress of an individual child is to assure the parent that the student's progress is important to you and that you value the fact that he or she has inquired about the student's progress. Scheduling a parent/teacher conference is advisable, as this can be done in a private and controlled environment with a set amount of time set aside for this student and his or her parent alone, without distractions such as interruptions from other people or time restrictions.

14. Briefly summarize your demonstrated compliance's of you complying with a specific Education Queensland policy and procedure. Explain how you would demonstrate these points.

In complying with the policy that educators should construct relevant learning experiences that connect with the world beyond school, I would help the students to connect their in-class experiences with real-world situations. I would help the students to see that all of the subject areas are interconnected, and to see that in their life already they are using the basic skills that will lead to a successful school and professional career.

15.Compose an appropriate letter to go home to all parents of the children in a class inviting them to an education event at the school. Ensure that the letter is culturally sensitive.

Sincerely,

The Educational Staff Team

16. Discreetly select a student in the class who is having learning difficulties, gain as much understanding as much as you can. Write brief notes about the support programme that the student is receiving. Do you have any suggestions that might increase the effectiveness of the existing programme?

This female student is having difficulty with performance in mathematics. Although she seems to grasp the concepts behind the lessons, she runs into difficulty when actually completing practice problems. She seems to especially have difficulty during timed activities, when there is a short amount of time in which to complete the math problems. The teacher is very supportive when the student manages to score well on the activities, but if she scores below average she does not receive any individualized attention. I believe this student needs to receive help in test-taking skills, learning how to manage time and stay calm during timed skills checks, and also get help learning math basics such as multiplication and addition tables that will make the concepts come together.

17. Identify a behavioral concern in your classroom and identify how the problem is being addressed according to the school's behaviour management plan. Make brief notes about your observation, outlining the process that the school is adopting.

One student in the classroom is continually falling asleep during class. The first step is to make the student aware that we have noticed the problem. Second, we discuss with the student why he might be falling asleep. Is he not sleeping during the night? Is he feeling ill? Is he simply bored? The student admits that he is not sleeping well at night because his parents are constantly fighting, though he will not explain if they are actually keeping him up at night fighting, or if he cannot sleep because he is concerned about their relationship. The teacher must let the student know that it is all right to talk about these things. The student may be sent to the school counselor for an individual session where all of these concerns can be addressed. Once the school counselor has evaluated the situation, it may be necessary to contact the parents with these concerns, and set up a group counseling session where the student's best interests can be kept in mind.

18. Prepare an item that can be used as a teaching aide, write a brief description of the aide.

Computers can be used as a teaching aide. Because it is highly transportable and durable, as well as highly functional, a Mac iBook Clamshell laptop is an excellent choice for sharing with the class. This laptop runs on Mac OS9, which is highly regarded as an excellent operating system for learning computer basics. This computer can be used not only for preparing written assignments and mathematical calculations, but it can also run many educational games that can help to build important skills. A CD-Rom interactive Encyclopedia used with this computer is a great way for students to learn more about specific topics, and using the computer to access the Internet provides infinite educational opportunities including research, interactive learning, communicating with other classrooms, and preparing webpages as projects.

19. Briefly describe what you do if you were to demonstrate your ability to set up an item of equipment for a class teacher.

The teacher may decide to show a video to the class. I would contact the AV department and obtain the television and VCR according to their instructions. I would ensure that the television and VCR were both plugged in to a surge protector before plugging them into the wall outlet to ensure safety of the equipment. I would properly connect all of the video and audio wires, and put the television on the appropriate auxiliary channel. I would test the setup to make sure that the video would play properly, and also ensure that the video was at the correct place.

20. Brief describe how you would respond to requests from other staff for assistance and how you would handle queries about student learning from parents.

When other staff members would ask me for assistance I would listen carefully to their request. If it is something that I do not feel comfortable doing, I would communicate with them about this, letting them know why I feel uncomfortable. If I do not feel comfortable because I do not think that I am qualified and the staff member still wants me to do my best to complete the task, then I would agree and ask them to assist me in fulfilling the request. If the staff member is requesting assistance with something that is in my job description and I am already trained to do, then I would politely request any additional information from that staff member that would be necessary for providing the assistance.

When parents query about student learning, it is also important to focus on communication skills. Listen carefully to the parent and respond in complete sentences that convey complete thoughts. Remember to be culturally sensitive and speak to the parent with respect, and in a respectful way of the student. If there are specific concerns that need to be discussed in further detail, arranging for a parent/teacher conference may be a good solution.

21. Provide three examples of how we communicate non-verbally

Non-verbal communication can include body language, tone of voice, vocal sounds made without forming words, and the use or lack of physical contact.

22. List three requirements that should be part of all interactions between yourself and children in your care.

All interactions between myself and children in my care should be observed by another person to make sure there is never any question of what may occur between myself and the children in private with no witnesses. Children should always be treated with respect and with their best interest in mind; I should never harm a child physically or emotionally.

23. What is the major benefit that can arise out of collaborating with students regarding their learning needs?

Taking a constructivist approach to education can have great benefits, including students being more interested and excited about the learning process because they are more involved. Collaborating with students prepares them to take part in a democratic society; in the "real world" people must be able to work in groups and have input into original thoughts, not just be able to follow a leader blindly, so an education that is based on these principles will help the children to be functional and successful after school.

24. What is meant by parallel communication?

Parallel communication is when both parties involved in communicating are sending and receiving the information. Both parties speak and listen.

25. List three strategies useful in conducting a Glasser style "Classroom Meeting"

Nonjudgmental attitude, Valuing free discussion, and Dealing with barriers to successful meetings.

26. What do you understand the term "shared wisdom" to mean?

Shared wisdom" is a way of approaching communication and education where everyone is welcome to input their ideas and each person is respected for the knowledge that they can bring to a situation. Different people have knowledge in different areas, and both the teacher and the student can share and learn.

27. What are three limitations that could impact on implementing student's ideas and suggestions?

Student ideas may not be fully respected and taken seriously by the teachers or other students because many people have difficulty in letting go of the preconception that adults are the only ones with valid ideas. Additionally, student ideas may be limited by the funds and equipment that is available to the classroom. Finally, school regulations, as well as regulations passed by the government, may stand in the way of fulfilling the student's vision of an ideal educational setting and activities.

28. Where in your school should you find guidance on child and adult safety issues?

Guidance on child and adult safety issues can be found in many places throughout the school. Safety information can be found in the Nurse's office, especially relating to health and first aid information. The guidance counselor office and other administrative offices also have important resources on safety issues.

29. Provide an example of a child who might be likely to use non-standard language.

Non-standard language may be used by a foreign student who has not yet fully adapted to speaking English. Students with learning or speech disabilities may also speak using non-standard language.

36. What is meant by the term "process writing"?

Process writing is learning how to write by writing, where the emphasis is on the process of writing itself rather than the end product. The five stages are prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.

37. What is meant by "drafting" in the context of writing?

Drafting is the time spent composing a rough draft of a piece of writing.

38. What is the Narrative Sequencing Model?

Narrative sequencing is the way in which a narrator of a written piece moves the events along, for example, making use of flashbacks or flash forwards.

39. What are the three interdependent elements of an effective teaching programme. Explain what is meant by each term.

Commitment to professional practice, building relationship with the wider community, and creating a safe and supportive learning environment. Teachers must be professional and dedicated to their work and their students, they must reach out to parents and families as well as making the classroom work relevant to "real world" experiences, and learning environments must be both safe and encouraging to students.

40. What does the term "invented spelling" mean?

Invented spelling is attempting to spell words based on the writer's knowledge of the spelling system rather than on the actual spellings of words.

41. To whom should you refer when you consider that student confidentiality is at risk?

This depends on what the issue is regarding. If you are concerned that you are going to tell someone about something the students are doing when it is confidential, then you should not talk to anyone about it. If you are concerned that the school is violating student confidentiality in some way, you should speak to the administration regarding this subject.

42. What is meant by "summative evaluation"?

Summative evaluation involves making judgments about the efficacy of a program or course at its conclusion.

43. In Education Queensland "Diagnostic Net," literacy has 2 elements. What are these two elements?

National Literacy and Numeracy Plan and Reading Recovery.

44. What is the most advanced writing phase of the Education Queensland "Diagnostic Net"?

C5 (http://education.qld.gov.au/students/policy/assessment/y2dn/html/ibss2.html#tasks)

45. What is "shared writing"

Shared writing is when the class creates a story together, with each student contributing a section of the writing.

46. You may already be familiar with the strategies used by the teachers/teacher aides in Queensland to support children's writing. You will need to make careful observations and make notes of the way in which opportunities for writing are taken, writing support is provided and shared writing approach may be taken. Also, you need to know how success and progress are acknowledged.You will need to reflect on your experiences and make notes about them.

What were you doing when your work was abserved? Eg Working collaboratively with students in providing them with writing support.

I was working with individual students on writing assignments in turns.

Were you able to engage the child in the writing process-i.e was the child willing to write?

All of the children were willing to write.

Were you able to identify any difficlties that the child was having and use guidance techniques to support the child to success?

Yes. Some students had difficulties with the actual physical action of writing, for example handwriting. Others had difficulty with spelling, while others had trouble with grammar.

Was it an enjoyable process? Add any other observations that you think are relevant.

It was very enjoyable working with the students. Even those who had difficulty with some aspects of writing still had innovative ideas and creative elements that were inspirational.

47. When we are thinking about reading, what do we mean by the term, "syntax"?

Syntax is the order or arrangement of the parts of a sentence.

48. What is meant by a miscue analysis?

Miscue analysis is a way to assess children's reading skill. Miscues (a different way of approaching what might be called a mistake) include substitutions of the written word with another, additions, omissions, and alterations to the word sequence.

49. What are the 8 conditions for learning language identified by "Brian Cambourne"?

The seven conditions of natural language learning by Cambourne are Immersion, Demonstration, Expectation, Responsibility, Approximation, Employment, and Feedback.

50. What does the term "semantic" mean?

Semantic means relating to the meaning of words.

51. List two specific criteria that you might apply in selecting a book

It is important to consider the reading level and difficulty of the book, as well as considering subject matter that would be both appropriate and interesting to the students.

52. What do we mean by "scaffolding" when we use it in terms of a reading programme?

Scaffold Reading Experience (SRE) is a set of pre-reading, reading, and post reading activities designed specifically to assist a particular group of students in successfully reading, understanding, learning from, and enjoying a particular selection. An SRE presents a set of options from which you, the classroom teacher, choose those best suited to lead a group of students to success-to the fluent, rich, and rewarding reading experience that produces lifelong readers who both can read and who choose to do so." (Graves)

53. List three reasons why students confidentiality must be maintained at all times.

The relationship between teacher and student is based on trust. If student confidentiality is broken, that trust is dissolved. It is also important that students are respected and understand that they are seen as important and worthy. Students need to know they can feel comfortable approaching a teacher with any subject without fear that their private information will be shared, for their own safety.

54. Where in a school would you find guidance about reading guidelines and programmes?

The administrative staff, or perhaps the library staff. These are also available electronically.

55. What curriculum is covered by the year 2 "Diagnostic Net"?

Arts, English, health and physical education, languages other than English, Mathematics, science, Studies of Society and Environment, Technology.

56. What are the indicators of a student achieving independence in reading?

The student will increasingly be able to read by themselves without outside help, such as prompting.

57. WE use the techniques of "Brian CAMBOURNE" at schools to support children's reading you will need to observe several sessions and make notes on the way in which children are supported when they don't know a word and are reluctant to attempt it, say the wrong word, lose their place etc. Also, observe how success and progress are acknowledge.

The focus was on all achievements and progress that the students made. There was a nurturing sort of feedback given, where there was no lingering on the errors that were made, but rather a focus on all of the positive aspects.

Reflect on your experience and make notes about it. Were you able to identify any difficlties that the child was having and use guidance techniques to support the child to success?

Some of the children had difficulty with staying focused on the reading material. Other children had difficulties with "miscues," such as word replacement or skipping words in a sentence.

Were you able to engage the child in reading process-i.e was the child willing to read? Was it an enjoyable process?

All of the children were willing to read and were actually enthusiastic about the activity. They responded well to the nurturing feedback. Although some of the students were nervous, most of them got over this when they realized they were in a safe environment. If we were not using the Cambourne model, students would not have this sense of security.

58.You have now learned about "Brain Cambourne's model of learning and now compare it with the model that is in place in your school, remember that, you need to be very sensitive about appearing to criticize when you are seeking information and opinions about established practices in a school. Your role is not to make judgements or criticize, but to gather information and observations.

Reformat this table, Information taken at (http://cpi.phila.k12.pa.us/lt/ltstrat.nsf/0/6ac02cc2b8ab3d5285256ad6006dd8d7?OpenDocument)

CAMBOURNE'S CONDITIONS - Immersion

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN - "From the moment they are born, children are surrounded by meaningful spoken language. They are "immersed" in a "language flood." Proficient users of the language of the culture into which children are born surround them with the sounds, meanings, cadences, and rhythms of the language. It is important to remember that this language is meaningful and purposeful."

HOW DOES THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE THIS CONDITION - Providing the students with constant reading materials and information.

DOES THE SCHOOL PLACE IMPORTANCE ON OTHER CONDITIONS - Having set "learning times" for different things that end and a separation of subjects.

CAMBOURNE'S CONDITIONS - Demonstration

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN - In the process of learning to talk, children receive thousands and thousands of demonstrations (models or examples) of the spoken form of the language being used in functional and meaningful ways. The "demonstration" of the conventions that are used to express meanings is repeated over and over again. In this way, learners are given the information that enables them to adopt the conventions they need to use to be speakers of the language of their culture.

HOW DOES THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE THIS CONDITION - Teachers repeat information

DOES THE SCHOOL PLACE IMPORTANCE ON OTHER CONDITIONS - Teachers do not generally present information in a way that makes it integrate with daily learning

CAMBOURNE'S CONDITIONS - Expectation

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN - Unless their infant is severely disabled, parents expect their children to learn to speak. These expectations are subtle forms of communication to which children respond. We let children know that they will learn to walk and talk, even though walking and talking may be complicated. We know that, as they are watching and listening, they will sort out movements, steps, and the complexities of language. If we give off the idea that learning to read, write, spell, and learn another language is difficult, complex, and beyond the grasp of some children, then they will respond accordingly. The kids in the "Green Stars" group eventually learn to read, write, and spell like "Green Stars" because we expect them to.

HOW DOES THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE THIS CONDITION - Students are given standards and expected to meet them DOES THE SCHOOL PLACE IMPORTANCE ON OTHER CONDITIONS - Some students are "expected" to fail, or because they have difficulty or learn in a different way they are expected to never catch on CAMBOURNE'S CONDITIONS - Responsibility

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN - When learning to talk, children are left to take responsibility for what they learn. They master grammatical structures at different ages. Some will talk "fluently" and appear to reason well for their 4 or 5 years; others will move more slowly. By 6 1/2 years, however, most children talk with ease and express themselves well. The point is that they arrived at the same point by different routes. This is natural learning. If we took away this responsibility, our children may never have learned to talk.

HOW DOES THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE THIS CONDITION - Students are "responsible" for getting good grades, doing homework, etc.

DOES THE SCHOOL PLACE IMPORTANCE ON OTHER CONDITIONS - Students are all expected to learn in the same way with the same assignments, the same frequency of tests, the same stepping stones of achievement.

CAMBOURNE'S CONDITIONS - Approximation

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN -Young learners using the oral mode of language are not expected to display full-blown competence from the beginning. Parents often reward young children not just for being right, but for coming close, that is, for their approximations. Children should be rewarded the same privilege with respect to the written language. When a child writes, "WSAPANATM" (Once upon a time), it's time for celebration!

HOW DOES THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE THIS CONDITION - Children are not expected to display adult-like abilities.

DOES THE SCHOOL PLACE IMPORTANCE ON OTHER CONDITIONS - Children are not always given praise for getting things close to right. If a student uses invented spelling on their assignments, they get points taken off.

CAMBOURNE'S CONDITIONS - Employment

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN - We provide our children with plenty of opportunities to learn to talk as they grow. We don't ask our children to wait until "talking time" comes around to use the conventions of oral language. We do not restrict children to twenty minutes a week to learn the formal conventions of language. We likewise shouldn't restrict children's frequent employment of print. In classrooms, we need to provide children with many opportunities to engage in using the medium of print.

HOW DOES THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE THIS CONDITION - During the day, children are given a lot of reading material

DOES THE SCHOOL PLACE IMPORTANCE ON OTHER CONDITIONS - There are so many times when the "lessons" stop and students are not encouraged to continue learning.

CAMBOURNE'S CONDITIONS - Feedback

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN - The evidence from Cambourne's studies (and others) is quite conclusive. Older siblings, older adults, and parents who are with young children during their early years of learning to talk give them a very special kind of feedback. The feedback is always nurturing. The response contains the "acceptable" conventions of language without unnecessary attention to the child's errors. This type of feedback mirrors how teachers of the young support children as they learn to write, plan, and revise their work. Providing this feedback means giving children many chances to see good writing and hear quality reading.

HOW DOES THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE THIS CONDITION - Students are encouraged for their efforts

DOES THE SCHOOL PLACE IMPORTANCE ON OTHER CONDITIONS - Students are often scolded for making "errors."

59. Go to the library and choose 8 books for your class, to read in accordance with selection criteria nominated by the class reading programme. You should make sure that you have some fiction and some non-fiction in your selection. ()Breifly explain your selection making notes about your discussion.

Choice of text for literacy validation

The Queensland Studies Authority provides advice to schools on the selected texts suitable for literacy validation. Schools should keep copies of these texts out of general circulation so that each year, when selecting particular texts for use in validation, they will be unfamiliar to the students.

Before choosing a text for the validation tasks, teachers should consider whether:

the text's subject matter is linked to students' experiences and interests; students have prior experience with the genre; students have previously experienced the text, as validation requires the text to be unfamiliar.

It is essential to use only one text with a class to allow all children to participate in the contextualisation activities. It is not necessary, however, for every class in the school to use the same text. Sample literacy contextualising activities are outlined in 1997 Literacy and Numeracy Validation (Queensland School Curriculum Council 1997)." (From (http://education.qld.gov.au/students/policy/assessment/y2dn/html/ibss2.html#validation)