I can still see their faces as they entered the school gate and into the designated classrooms with a parent for registation at the school. Some faces were bright, others sulky with disappointment since they didnot like the school they were placed in. Many parents insisting that they wanted a transfer out of the school for their child aince they believe that their child was good (performance)and the school was not.
So we went through the motion of registration and in some cases, application for transfer. The form asked for parent's career expectation for their child, some had none, but most had high expectation for their children. This was good indeed, but the problem that many teachers face after the registration process is that there is little support coming forward for these children from there on in. Some parents we never see again. Parents must know that for their children to excel they need to be part of the education process. Home and school must work together for the students to succeed.
So in September, as we work with our new classes, it is imperative that each teacher gets his or her parents to buy into the education process by supporting their children from home. Maybe if we set up a class wiki site with parental access, we can make our parents feel as part of the process since they can always see what is happening in the class and the school without having to take time off from work.
Delores, I love the idea of setting up a class wiki for the parents to become aware of what is happening in the child's academic life. This can bring about a revolution in education in this country if conducted efficiently. There are certain schools where this can be very successfully used, I imagine.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there are many illiterate parents as well, who are just as much in need of assistance in reading as their children. This brings to the fore, the need for adult literacy in our society. It is something that needs to be looked at. Since the parents cannot read, they cannot help their children and a cycle ensues. Research has proved that the higher the illiteracy rates of a country, the higher the crime rates. ICT can not only help students but parents as well.