By Bridie Smith
When Wilson Cai’s parents and teachers meet online to discuss his progress at school, the 18-year-old likes being included.
The year 12 Melbourne High School student gets a day to work from home, and he gets to witness how his parents, Jimmy Cai and Tracey Wang, interact with his teachers. But most of all he likes getting the honest feedback firsthand.
Melbourne High School year 12 student Wilson likes to attend parent-teacher meetings with his parents, Jimmy and Tracey.Credit: Jason South
“I get to hear where I’m at. It’s like, this unadulterated truth about where I stand,” the aspiring dentist said.
“It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of school, but these meetings offer a clear assessment of my strengths, where I need to improve and how I can improve. And I think that’s a really good thing to experience.”
The days of meetings between just parents and teacher are declining, as many schools now favour having students join the conversation. Some primary schools also include their students in the meetings.
For Cai and his parents, the three-way conferences make sense.
“Everybody is on the same page, and it avoids misunderstandings,” Wang said. “We prefer that everybody attends.”
Melbourne High moved to three-way conferences online during COVID and never went back.
Jimmy Cai said online conferences saved him the 90-minute drive to and from school, and removed the worry of being on time and finding the right room at the school.
Melbourne High principal Dr Tony Mordini said parents preferred the flexibility and efficiency of online conferences, and it was good for students to be put on the same level as teachers and parents when it came to their learning.
Three-way conferences are a popular way for schools to provide students and parents with feedback.Credit: Getty Images
“It is always a partnership between the school and the family, and we encourage the student to lead and really have a voice in the conversation,” Mordini said.
John Hattie, a professor of education at the University of Melbourne, is an advocate of three-way conferences, which have been around in Australia since the 1970s.
“They are pretty impressive when they work. To hear a kid who struggles at school explain to their parents that they are struggling, and see it as a good thing is quite remarkable.”
However, for the model to work, Hattie said, students and teachers both had to engage in the discussion and take responsibility for learning and growth. If a student was compliant or dependent on a teacher and uncomfortable leading the interview, including them was unlikely to add anything.
‘[Parents] don’t want to be blindsided by major issues or incidents that haven’t been flagged beforehand.’
Gail McHardy, Parents Victoria chief executive
Hattie said students under eight didn’t benefit from the format, as their ability to compare themselves to their peers was not fully developed, and they were not as aware of the improvement aspect of learning.
He said most topics could be discussed freely because students already knew where they stood compared with their peers.
“The whole focus is on improvement. If a kid’s not doing well, that’s only the starting point.”
Parents Victoria chief executive Gail McHardy said the three-way conference reinforced the common goal.
She said if a teacher planned to raise serious performance or behavioural issues, parents should be warned in advance. Other times it might be best for a conversation to happen without the student.
“Parents do want to know about any challenges, but they don’t want to be blindsided by major issues or incidents that haven’t been flagged beforehand,” McHardy said.
She stressed that if a student was reluctant to participate, the parents should not be judged.
“As students go through adolescence, parents have to pick their battles and maintain a relationship with their child.”
One of the main benefits of three-way interviews McHardy nominated was the chance for students to learn that feedback was healthy, as long as it was communicated constructively. The format was also an opportunity for the parent and teacher to enhance their relationship.
Diana Harris from the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth said a significant benefit of three-way conferences was the increased engagement parents had with their child’s learning and the school.
“[Parent engagement] is a really powerful predictor of how well that child not just achieves at school, but how well they engage with learning and the value that they place on learning,” she said.
Harris said for the student, the conference was a learning opportunity.
“It’s teaching those executive functioning and soft skills that are actually really tremendously beneficial as you go on because it’s thinking about your learning.”
A Department of Education spokesperson said schools determined the process and protocols of conferences, in consultation with the school’s community.
“Parent-teacher conferences are an important opportunity for schools to discuss student progress – social and emotional as well as academic – with parents and carers,” the spokesperson said.
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