How often should the home and the school meet?
Meetings between the school and the home should be arranged at least once a term in order to discuss the student’s achievement and development. However, the school should provide continuous information on the student’s progress.
What information should be given?
In addition to information on the academic achievement and self development of the student, the personal development talk should focus on how to promote further development in relation to the goals of the school. For more information on these goals, see iup.nu.
Grade-related issues are not to be discussed until grade 8, when the first grades are awarded.
(However, the new Swedish government has announced that grades will be introduced earlier.)
When to hold a personal development talk?
The personal development talk is to be held at such a point of the school term that it enables the student to attain the goals agreed upon.
For complete information on the personal development talk see 7 chap § 2 of the Compulsory School Ordinance.
Talk content and purpose
The aim of the talk is not to give one-sided information from the school, but to provide a basis for cooperation between the home and the school in order to support the student’s academic achievement as well as self development. To promote this, the school must be very specific about the information given in relation to the goals of the curriculum and syllabi.
School goals
To be able to support the student and cooperate with the school, the parents/guardians must be up to date with the goals of the school. The student must also be familiar with these goals to relate them to their own personal achievements and goals.
Each school must provide comprehensive information on the respective goals before the personal development talk is held, to enable the parents/guardians to grasp the different requirements. During the student’s first years at school, the goals may seem rather unimportant and remote. However, it is vital for the parents/guardians to relate to the goals in an active way from the start to avoid future gaps in the student’s knowledge which may then be more difficult to fill.
For complete information on the personal development talk see 7 chap § 2 of the Compulsory School Ordinance.
Participation implies both giving and taking
The central idea of the personal development talk is participation. Close cooperation between the home and the school creates a basis for further development. Hence, the personal development talk is to be held as a discussion between the participants, not only resulting in a list of work tasks to be performed by the student, but also in an awareness on behalf of the parents/guardians about how to actively support the student. Of course, the school is required to provide adequate support as well, but parental participation throughout the process is crucial.
Agenda of the personal development talk
To create a natural introduction to the talk, one of the first items on the agenda should be the reflections and questions of the student and the parents/guardians.
Usually, there are continuous discussions about school and studies in the home. In addition to these informal discussions, from most schools, parents/guardians receive a number of questions to be answered with their child prior to each personal development talk.
Teenage students generally assume increased responsibility for their studies, and parental questions about and involvement in their schoolwork may be regarded as a type of unwelcome interference; a situation which is difficult but important to handle.
Well-prepared personal development talks
The personal development talks of today replaced the former “fifteen-minute talks”. Although longer (approx. 30-60 minutes), a personal development talk often passes very quickly, and it is important that preparations have been made to use time efficiently. Continuous contacts between the school and the home ensure good communication and cooperation. Written assessments can be obtained by parents/guardians prior to the talk, enabling all participants to be up to date with relevant information. In this way, an appropriate agenda for each talk can be created.
The Swedish National Agency for Education welcomes the trend of well-prepared personal development talks in Swedish schools today.
Documentation by the school and the student, prior to, during and after each personal development talk
Logbook -
prior to, during and after the personal development talk
An increasing number of schools are introducing the use of logbooks in which the students plan and reflect on their schoolwork and self development every day. Logbooks also provide teachers and parents/guardians with continuous information on the work and progress of the students.
Evaluation by students and parents/guardians -
prior to the personal development talk
At most schools, the homes receive a number of questions to be answered by students and parents/guardians prior to each personal development talk. The answers constitute a natural basis for discussion during the talk.
Written assessments -
prior to and during the personal development talk
Written assessments are given by the teachers of each subject on the student’s achievement and development in relation to the goals. These assessments can be obtained on request by the parents/guardians.
Individual Development Plan (IUP)
during and after the personal development talk
A document to be created by teacher, student and parents/guardians together.
An individual development plan should express priorities and short-term as well as long-term goals for the development of the student. Measures should be implemented in cooperation between the school and the home.
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