What are your expectations for education? As an educator and parent, I want the schools my child attends through his life to prepare him for the future. I want him to know all the possibilities that are out there for him. Teach him to know he is limited only by his imagination. Possibilities are endless when you are committed to reach a goal. It is important to set goals throughout your life, to change and modify them as time moves forward. I want teachers who are nurturing and sensitive to every students' needs. As a teacher, I want to work with dedicated group of teachers, who collaborate and work together exploring and sharing educational issues, practices, trends, and research.
I was interested in parent involvement and found an article that claims 86% of the general pubic believe that support from the parents is the best avenue to improve schools. I am not surprised. I think the heart of all schools lies within its parents. Parents can be a very powerful group when advocating for children.
Personal experience has shown me how powerful parental support is for the learning environment. Parents and teachers working together for a common goal (the child) is a powerful network.
What do you expect or want from education? Please identify your position-parent, educator, administrator.........
Saturday, September 13, 2008
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2 comments:
As an administrator, I find parent involvement (PI) most crucial to the success of a child. We need to engage parents more in a child's learning both in school and at home. Sometimes we think that PI means coming to school. I think most PI takes place at home. It is our job to provide ideas and suggestions for parents to engage their children at home. For example, our district allows parents of students in our secondary schools to log in to Pinnacle (PIV) to see their child's homework, attendance, and grades. This doesn't have to be a punitive thing for kids and parents. It can be a great opportunity for parents to ask their children to explain a specific assignment they saw featured on the PIV, for example. It can be used as an advanced-planning tool. It can generate conversation between the teacher and parent. The more information we can give parents to make their child's learning and achievement as transparent as possible, the more we honor parents in their role as the child's first teacher.
It is interesting to remember my thoughts, ideas, and beliefs as a beginning teacher and compare them with my beliefs today...28 years later. I am a perennial student, a life-long learner. During my journey though many courses I have absorbed many different thoughts on education. During the last five years I have read many professional periodicals dealing with parent input.
I had a student's father come into my classroom the other day to discuss his career. One of the messages he left with my students was learn how to communicate and work with people. In reflecting on his statement, I wonder if part of the problem lies in how teachers view parents. I look at myself as their employee. Without parents, I would not have the opportunity to be in a profession I love. Therefore it is part of my job to let them know how important their role is in education.I believe PI may start in the home, but needs to be expanded beyond the home. Connections to parents and schools needs to be explored and expanded.
Willard R. Daggett, wrote an article focusing on successful schools. In it, he emphasizes the importance of involving parents. Parents are our allies. We need to promote communication between the schools, school board, central office, and parents. Professional and leadership development needs to be extended to parents. Today's parents have different expectations. Teachers need to view parents as vital resources and principals can assist by leading us to the path of parental engagement.
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