Nidhi Thapar, Vice President- Academics, Edunation Services Pvt. Ltd.
The phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child,” originates from an African proverb and aptly conveys the message that for children to grow and flourish it is imperative that an entire community of people come together.
A child’s social, emotional and academic development is a collaborative process involving parents and educators alike. Parents are the first teachers in a child’s life and the family setting provides the first social framework for the child. It is rudimentary that the child feels loved, protected and safe in a family setting. To a great extent, a child’s character is shaped in the foundational years based on the family’s value system.
Schools are considered to be the second home for a child. It is in school that a child is away from the emotional and physical safety of the family for the first time. Hence, the onus lies on both the parents and the school community to provide a safe and nurturing environment.
The question therefore is not whether parents and educators need to collaborate for a students’ well-being but on how they can collaborate. Firstly schools must understand that parents are partners in the true sense within the education process. Here are a few steps schools can take to positively impact a student’s life through a meaningful and sustained relationship with the parents.
Open Communications and Feedback Mechanism
This forms a cornerstone for the social and emotional growth of a student. Communication is not just about keeping the two stakeholders updated on events, celebrations and similar events, but also about creating platforms for both formal and informal meetings to discuss various aspects of a child’s life as he traverses through it. Open, solution-oriented communication supports students in achieving their academic and personal aspirations. There is no denying the fact that there may be instances of differences of opinions and conflicts. When students see the parents and the school ecosystem work cohesively in spite of these conflicts, they too learn the importance of developing positive relationships.
Schools can form an independent Parent-Teacher Association to include parents in the crucial decision-making processes. Schools can also reach out to parents periodically and seek their feedback about academic rigour and learning, school operations and health and safety through anonymous surveys. This enables institutions to identify things that are working well at school and more importantly, the areas that they may need to improve.
School students observe and learn through these constructive, open, and respectful communications between the parents and educators. When they grow up in an environment where they see their parents and teachers communicate and collaborate, they too learn to express their thoughts and views openly.
Parents as Partners
Schools could also partner with parents who are experts in various domains. Parents conduct enriching sessions for the students at school. They share their expertise and add a real-life perspective. Our observations showed that most school students have a profound impact from interactions with parent entrepreneurs and professionals across multiple industry disciplines such as defence, media, sports etc.
Academic experts and curriculum developers should also ensure that parents are consulted as an integral part of the process. On the other hand, parent-led committees at school can also conduct audits of various aspects of health and safety at regular intervals.
Parent volunteering is encouraged as this helps the parents to have a first-hand experience of the workings of the school and the healthy school environment.
Workshops for Parents
Schools must be sensitive to the fact that parenting comes with both known and unknown challenges. To support parents, schools can also organise workshops and webinars that equip them to support their children better. A diverse range of topics from internet safety to mental and physical well-being is covered during these sessions.
These are only some of the ways that institutions can foster parent involvement and engagement in our schools. As per our observations, the combined efforts of the parents and school can play a pivotal role in the life of a child. While schools provide opportunities for academic learning and growth, parental involvement further enhances the experience for a child. The complementary roles of the parents and educators have a lasting impact on the child’s growth. Hence collaboration between these two undoubtedly enables the child to grow into a well-rounded personality.
Also read: Urgent need for teacher-parent collaboration