Adults must be partners in education
With all the controversy on education in the United States and test results that indicate our students are falling behind those of other countries, parents are continually seeking ways to improve the education of their children.
Research and studies have shown that parents or other significant adults must be partners in the educational process. Societal changes due in part to changes in family structures have placed immeasurable demands on schools, not only to teach but to provide an environment that stimulates, encourages and motivates. Besides the ever expanding storehouse of knowledge, schools are expected to combat chemical abuse, to demonstrate ways for healthy lifestyles, to teach parenting skills, responsibility, self-discipline, decision making, to explore careers of the future, and the list goes on and on. Ways of implementing these measures have resulted in new processes and have set new priorities.
Certainly schools are restructuring. One only needs to listen to the evening news, to read about bills before the legislatures or to examine the national goals established to realize that the goal of everyone is to provide the best education possible for our youth. And the consensus is that schools need the help of communities, of parents, of everyone.
In my experience in dealing with parents with youngsters who don’t like school, I find that the key to a child’s academic motivation is revealed in family dynamics. Parents must do more than just tell their children they expect them to do well in school. They have to b e involved in the educational process, and that process begins at a very early age.
Barbara Bush is to be commended for her active participation in reading to children and being a role model. Many parents have found that reading to their child on a daily basis has contributed not only to success in school but to a bonding that resounds throughout life by creating memories of tranquil scenes of listening and learning for fun.
Parents can help their children develop a love for books in many ways: a trip to the public library, the purchase of used books at the library’s sale and the gift of a book on a special occasion, and the providing of a place for children to display their books.
Parents can stimulate learning by planning trips to museums, planetariums, parks and displays. Educators are implementing year-round schooling in many areas. This will give breaks of time throughout the year instead of a long summer one. These breaks can be beneficial if wise planning is done. Waco schools have a long list of enrichment classes, remedial classes and special interest topics. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles can band together, car pool and share responsibilities for taking these children on local field trips.
Certainly parents should help their child if he is having trouble with a particular subject. A conference with the teacher will usually uncover many ways to correct deficiencies in learning and will again demonstrate to the child that education is a family concern.
Last, but not least, parents must not push children too hard and expect more from them than they are capable of delivering.
