Introduction
Education is not an isolated experience but can be considered as an interactive endeavor that takes place over the course of a person’s life. When parents, families and school work together, they can provide the best possible resources and expertise to enhance the education of all their children.
In a synthesis on parents’ involvement, it was established that families and parents had a major influence on their children’s achievements in school and education in general. Parents and families can also be described, explained and understood more effectively by the illustrations explained of how a teacher or a school can encourage this type of partnership below. Parenting knowledge and skills.
According to Morrison , this is the education and the knowledge acquired by both the parents and the family as a whole of how to bring up their children. The parents are learning how to rise up children who value and appreciate the need of education as a part of their growth.
A teacher or a school encourages the need for parenting knowledge and skills when the advantages and the response of children and the community can be notified to the parents. Communication between home and the school.
A synthesis by Boult (2006) describes this as the relationship between school, parents and family of a student in a particular learning institution. A teacher encourages this communication by giving the parents opportunities to know teachers and interact with them. This encourages working in partnership to improve the children at the same time improving the morale of the teachers.
Volunteering at the school and in the community
It is where parents, teachers and children are able to give the feedback to the society. This can be through working on community projects which encourage the interaction of the parents, teachers and children. Teachers and schools encourage this as it enables the partnering of both teachers and parents. They are in a better position to know more of the ways to help children to improve on their education.
Supporting students learning at home
This can be described as the encouraging students to spend some of their spare time at home studying and the provision of the proper study environment at home. According to Boult , teachers and schools encourage this by offering home visits and visits of children the school community.
Involvement in decision making and advocacy
Parents and families are included in the decision made by teachers and school about their children with their suggestions that are also taken into consideration. Before changes are made in schools, parents are allowed to offer their suggestions and give their views on the issues.
Collaboration with the community
This is the working together between parents, families and teachers of students with the community to ensure educational success of the students. Teachers and schools encourage this by taking part in community activities as members of the community and, thus, being able to interact with families and parents discussing the ways of overcoming challenges in education.
This, therefore, leads to the conclusion that parents and families working together as partners with the teacher to support learning and education; this leads to children achieving better academic performance. Students can also stay in school for longer to complete their education.
References
Boult, B. (2006). 176 Ways to Involve Parent: practical strategies for partnering families. California: Sage Publications Company.
Cox-Petersen, A. (2011). Educational Partnerships. London: Sage Publication Limited.
Morrison G. S. (2009). Early Childhood Education Today (11th ed.). California: Pearson.