chat050711achievementgap

=#addcym Chat - Tuesday 5th July 2011=

Summary

 * The winning topic was ‘**what should Welsh educators do to close the achievement gap between those on free school meals and other learners**?’
 * Teachers were agreed that we must be careful not to use ‘FSM’ as a label. The real picture is much more complicated and every learner’s needs must be considered carefully by educators.
 * All were agreed that parental engagement is the key to success. Many suggestions as to how this might be achieved were made such as coffee mornings, invitations to lessons and more frequent phone calls home.
 * A curriculum relevant to all learners must be strived for by all schools.
 * All schools should have a strong focus on extra-curricular and enriching activities.
 * Excellent PSE delivery and a strong pastoral focus are crucial.
 * There was no consensus on a common list of strategies that could be shared to address the question of underachievement for those on FSM.

A selection of tweets from the chat
cherrylkd: @sh_hanes #addcym final thought. Get the parents in however you can, engage them and the children will be engaged as a consequence.

cherrylkd: @ngflblount @sh_hanes #addcym And often extra curricular is what holds their attention and what they succeed in. Equals raised self esteem

jweir_hhs: #addcym a school needs to be part of its community and can only do this if it engages with its community - its families are its community

ngflblount: @sh_hanes #addcym I agree - 2engage these kids we need 2show them different way 2live & that can only happen thru xtracurricular activities

sh_hanes: @KempsterD #addcym good PSE is a vital ingredient!

jweir_hhs: #addcym Effective strategies... could we create a list of possible strategies for all to share and feedback over the following year?

bevevans22: #addcym There was a great presenter at #tmswan who spoke about PSE workshops and raising self esteem. She had fab ideas

ColinGoffin: RT @jweir_hhs: #addcym strategies - start building relationships, understand needs... make time for parents and children not just when concerns arise

sh_hanes: RT @bevevans22: @sh_hanes @cherrylkd I designed stuff for the RAISE program!!! #addcym To be honest anything that might work should be investigated

bevevans22: @pivotalpaul Do you have any links to help explain it - sounds very interesting #addcym

sh_hanes: @cherrylkd #addcym we weren't involved but I was hoping someone tonight would hVe been!

pivotalpaul: #addcym just finished a project with Wolverhampton Schools called 'Speak Up' - deep focus on S+L, enabling disadv to compete with most adv

ColinGoffin: #addcym I think you want teachers, form teachers and pastoral leaders who look at each individual's needs and start there. Know each child.