We’re well under way with our series of Parent Focus Groups, gathering opinions and advice to inform the questions that will ultimately be asked in the Australian government’s National Parents Survey to be conducted later this year. Perhaps not surprisingly, the parents we’re speaking with in the Focus Groups are generally very happy with their children’s school and teachers.

The Groups are always animated, but sometimes a parent will introduce an issue that prompts a particular flurry of discussion. Such issues have included giving teachers additional support in the classroom to strengthen individualised attention to those students who are struggling; better communications infrastructure in schools so that parents can email teachers; the challenges of keeping the best teachers in the classroom; the impact of the few disruptive students on the learning of the rest of the class and in particular the fact that the teacher’s time and energy is taken up in dealing with disruptive behaviour; and the question of the balance of responsibility between parents and schools in the educational process. A recurring theme in the Focus Groups is that schools are inadequately funded to deliver the kind of education and support that is needed for students and teachers.

Whenever teacher quality is discussed, parents place a strong emphasis on how teachers relate to students, and use descriptors like fairness, enthusiasm, caring, genuine interest in both students and subject taught, and so on. Communication, relationship and commitment are always highlighted. Good subject knowledge tends to be assumed.