Failure of ESF assessment and monitoing system

Choisumwong

I would like to share my case showing failure of ESF assessment and monitoring system (traffic light) in the subject of Spanish.

My son studes Spanish in year 8 in ESF school. His grades were rated A* in first and second terms. He has extra-tuition for Spanish out of school. In the parent-teacher meeting, the Spanish teacher told me my son had excellent progress in Spanish. But some how, my son was given grade C in overall grade in school report. I couldn't find any evidence or test result which supported grade C. I emailed the Spanish teacher and he did not reply me. I checked the schoiol website and he is one of the senior staff in the school. My son was told in the class the grade would not be changed.

I  am not an aggressive parent and this is the first time (and the last tme) I wrote to the subject teacher and asked the reason why my son got the poor grade. There is no other easy way I can communicate with the teacher if he does not reply my email. (In fact I don't want to waste my time if I go to see him in person).

The ESF assessment and monitoring system in Gateway completely failed in my son's case. It would be a horrible case if my son is rated grade A* in Gateway not until he gets grade C in IGCSE exam in year 11 !

To turn thing positive, I will ask my son to study hard for Spanish and he should deserve A or above in coming new school. I truely believe my son has ability to learn better Spanish.

sschiu

There must be some reasons why grade C was given at the end. Has your son tried to talk to the teacher at school?

Choisumwong

回覆 sschiu 的帖子

You are right. My son tried to ask his teacher in past two weeks. But he didn't get his answer because his teacher was absent last week and was in a hurry this week. I do guess there is possibility of something wrong with my son. Anyway, the teacher should reply me and give me answer becasue obviiously there is huge discrepancy in performance and outcome.

annie40

唔好咁心急，偶然寫錯入錯資料，很平常。改番就得，没大影響的。重要是孩子真有料。好好溝通便會明白。

Mighty

Are you a parent of Shatin College? My daughter is going to Y7 this September.  I had a question and I sent an email to one of the teachers in college (who I thought was in charge).  While I had to wait for 3 days, I had a well explained reply from the Vice Principal of Faculty of Language.  

In my case, it was just a general question and it took them 3 days to reply.  So do not get upset. You should pursue for an answer not just because you need to find out why, more importantly is to be better prepared for IGCSE in Y11.  




  

Choisumwong

回覆 annie40 的帖子

Thanks. I highly respect and forgive the teacher if it is his mistake. I waited for two weeks for my son to approach the teacher. The final grade is not important for my son in this school. It is not a big deal at all. What I want to point out is that the assessment system, communication and feedback system in ESF are failures. Some teachers are giving random grades which can not be detected by the systems. Parents have no proper way to reflect their opinions to the teachers especially at the end of year.

hkparent

原帖由 Choisumwong 於 14-06-20 發表
回覆 annie40 的帖子

Thanks. I highly respect and forgive the teacher if it is his mistake. I waited ...

Do you meet the teachers at other events? How about writing a note in the student handbook?

Choisumwong

回覆 Mighty 的帖子

I would say 3 days is too long for a very simple question. I would accept the reply that the teacher needs somtime to investigate my son's case and turn back to me later. The obvious poor grade highly  indicates humam error and possibility of inflexbility for Gateway to correct any input data. My son did send email to him two weeks ago and asked for double-check. I will wait patiently for possible reply if any.

Choisumwong

回覆 hkparent 的帖子

In parent-teacher meeting, he told me my son had excellent progress in Spanish !
Sorry, student handbook is no use in this school.

annie40

其實大部份老師很合作，只是溝通問題而已。小女的成績表也曾被寫錯grade,告假兩天變成十一天。後來才知道阿女遅到一點卻忘記去簽簿，當天就當缺課了，反正學校沒表示不滿，就由得個record不變。至於寫錯grade,孩子提醒老師就可以，今期修改有點麻煩，通常下期會更正。

我的經驗是拜託孩子辦事(例如找老師），他們一般只用三分力，一兩次搵唔到便算，因為光陰寶貴，要跟同學hea嘛。所以他們說完全找不到之說，我會有保留。反正西班牙老師始終會來上課，孩子一定有機會反映意見的(除非忘記了。）小女周時會忘記，故此我要按小人之心來推測，請諒！

孩子是year8，成績單上的錯漏，對未來的評核影響不大（除非要馬上轉校。）因此免麻煩，又或避免老師以為「我是亞洲第一虎媽」，我都會好客氣咁講咗就算，唔會啄住要佢改正。

除了科目老師，還有一位是year head,可以cc email比佢跟進，順便很關心的問侯阿西班牙老師去咗邊處？另外應該去Admin dept認識一兩位友善staff，有何事幹，也應cc一份給友好，問下究竟誰是負責人，找對人，反應快得多。

我那間的校長有點行政人員feel，記得曾出notice話，家長任何詢問，老師必於48小時內回复，逾時未獲回复者，可直接搵校長處理。（係咪有點像從前大機構答應電話玲聲響兩聲以內必有人接聽的服務承諾呢！）

中學比小學大得多，家長亦少了到訪，難怪會有「豪門深海」之歎。凡事溝通，找到對口單位（舊式幹部用語），萬事大吉！

Choisumwong

回覆 annie40 的帖子

Thanks for your advice. Your kid's school administration completely makes sense. In my case, I feel that the feedback system is not good. My son even does not care the grade. I am not tiger parent, but is eager to find out problem of my kid and sort out early.

annie40

完全理解妳的frustration. 自己也經歷過不少。經乎想快些趕走個老師，后來溝通清楚，原來是小事而已。而這位老師成為小女其中一位生命𥚃的mentor。等一等，前面原來是「驚喜.」。

Choisumwong

回覆 annie40 的帖子

現在好老師難求。小兒不想我找老師說清楚只是擔心會被老師在堂上責罵。這位老師可能是傳統父親型的老師。其實小兒西班牙文這個不一致的等級反影個別老師的問題。溝通是很重要，如果學校沒有給家長有充分的溝通，實在會有很多誤會及不滿。學校只是每年給五分鐘直接見到老師，但是到年末就只得到一個報告。這樣的一個制度我受不了！

annie40

我的學校有特定的tutor老師，跟足孩子五年，每五個星期跟孩子約談十五分鐘，分享少年維特的煩惱，小女的dynasty喜歡這位mentor極了。少女心事，老師知道不少。

Choisumwong

回覆 annie40 的帖子

似乎你的小朋友學校的制度幾好，跟得上現時社會的需要。我小兒現在的學校在家長溝通上好像沒有進步。雖然學校提供了一人一電腦，但由始致終沒有提供如何使家長便易和老師溝通。好像今次的例子，我在學校網頁上找到老師的電郵，發了信，沒有回覆。小兒給我老師的電郵，發了信，也是沒有回覆。學校從來沒有給家長老師的電郵，真落後！或許有人說為什麼不向學校取，但是我會問為什麼這般間接，我們的距離是那麼遠嗎？

annie40

平常跟老師溝通，我也是從學校網址的gateway上找到的，如果不大肯定是特定的負責老師，會另外cc給tutorteacher 或year head teacher. 若久未回音，會特意向head teacher再問的。

制度是死，溝通是活！偶爾看到不認識的老師或孩子有好消息，例如五十多歲的男老師去打慈善拳，法文老師跑100k世界賽, 排名十九，十一歳女孩參加三鐵籌款等，我會毫不怕醜的寫個電郵恭賀一番，那怕他們唔知我是物水！

補充是五年前那位mentor初來埗到，帶點害羞，少言，當初幾乎想把他「叮走」，背後又被我講番幾句壞話（很記得做過), 后來才明白有些人不大懂應付大人，對孩子卻另有板釜，結果是銅幣有兩面了。

初中的家長特別容易茫然，其中原因是我們容易把小學的習慣套進中學裡。西方教育特別鼓勵孩子作主導，孩子有意見問老師，老師特別欣賞，亦喜把通知交孩子處理。高中情況尤甚。他們習慣了便處理無誤了。

小女去英國讀中六，除了第一封錄取恭賀信是給父母的。其他電郵來往，文件申請，visa事宜，完全是孩子和學校的交往，有問題由阿女問。擺明是「飛甩我」，明既，即「閃」！

Ruby1219

原帖由 annie40 於 14-06-22 發表
平常跟老師溝通，我也是從學校網址的gateway上找到的，如果不大肯定是特定的負責老師，會另外cc給tutorteac ...

很同意你的兩點意見。
1. 有些好的老師很會跟小朋友溝通，但不太懂或不太喜歡和家長交流。 (我仔仔的english tutor 就係呢類，仔仔好鍾意佢，佢亦教得好好，但對住我時就好似吾多想講野).
若果一定要我取捨，我寧願要這種老師，好過那些懂得取悅家長但不懂或不用心教小朋友的老師。
2. 學校/老師真係prefer 小朋友直接同佢地溝通。 以我仔考英國學校經驗，我send email 學校都會一兩日答覆，但若果係阿仔send, 佢地好快覆，同埋言語上好欣賞同鼓勵佢。

Choisumwong

小兒有發電郵及親口問老師，但小兒絕對不同意因為他有功課有不小心及錯誤的地方而導致低份。所以我很想問老師發生了什麼事，就是這麼簡單的問題，為什麼得不到答案！

annie40

keep checking with language dept then

Choisumwong

I think there should be appeal system in ESF which allow students or parents to discuss academic issue at the end of year. Parent -teacher meeting should be held twice so that parents can approach teachers and ask questions.