Role of Parents in Children’s Education and School Practices
Despite the fact that most parents get involved in their children’s education in secondary schools, many of them do not get deeply engaged. One major group that is affected by this verity is that of working class families. Consumed in career activities, such parents relate with their children shallowly and leave most of their parenting roles to teachers in several instances. Though they express extraordinary commitment to the success of their children educationally, many of these parents view their responsibility in their children’s education as being a supplementary role. They believe that the teachers should do the work and get only support from them.
Most parents pay for all their children require in schools and believe that the schools have all that is to be offered to children. As such, their view of the teachers is that of ‘the all knowing,’ individuals who are able to do everything for their children, theirs is to stand at a distance and watch things happening. A fact that helps perpetuate this notion is the way teachers react to this perspective towards children. Teachers accept all responsibility and allow parents passive role. As such, the idea in parents is strengthened by these teachers. Despite the presence of careers, class factors, power affairs, gender and ethnicity issues that perpetuate the passive involvement of parents in children’s education, the responsibility parents have over their children’s social and academic education cannot be evaded. Parents have to start moving closer to their children, and getting more drawn into their children’s education.
Parents cannot play just a supportive role in educating their children. They have to get more of an engagement than mere involvement in the children’s education. In a child’s education, parents are partners to teachers rather than those who play a supportive role. There are several reasons for this. The first reason stems from the view of the family being the primary source of education to babies and toddlers. This primary role extends all the way into school life and includes both formal and informal education. It is parents who are responsible for providing suitable educational environment at home and ensuring that the same exists in the school. This can only be done by associating closely with teachers and getting into the life of the student; not from a passive role. In extension, parents are responsible for establishing an intellectual perception base on decision making processes for their children. This includes regular conversation and mental stimulation that is only possible with personal engagement. If the parent watches the child from a distance, the child also believes the parent is either an enemy or a stranger to them. As such, they may never share any information about their education with the parents.
There are further responsibilities that belong to parents in shaping the education of children. These include the shaping of social values in the children as well as the incorporation of theoretical education into the community and society life. When parents fail to model their children well, some end up becoming juvenile delinquents despite their regular interaction with their teachers. It must come to the attention of parents that a teacher relates with hundreds of students and may never take keen interest on a single student, unless the student is outstanding in a famous or infamous way. It is for this reason that parents must not absolve their duty of providing for the child a modeling ground that is morally acceptable in coordination with the teachers.
Development of child’s self concept also requires a lot of participation from parents. How children view themselves in relation to societal constructs of education, gender, race and several other factors that lead to ultimate personality development begin from early childhood. If this is the role of the parent from birth, the parent cannot simply transfer it wholesomely to the teacher. In some way, the parent has to continue with their part of this role. Also, the building of ambitions and dreams into future achievements for the child is only possible through the parent. From tender ages, children trust and believe in parents. As such, they share all the good and bad information with the parents. If the parent suddenly sabotages the child for the teacher, many children may lack someone to guide them to the achievement of their ambitions.
While the term parent encompasses all family members and other caregivers, it is imperative to recognize the role they play when actively involved in children’s education. If these parents are to take this desired active participation, the achievement of a jointly shared responsibility towards accomplishing a continued successful and fruitful education process can be met. Children well attended to by parents bear various admirable qualities. Results of this engagement include reduced school dropout rates, improved intellectual accomplishment, willingness to learn, and improved social and life skills.
In order to ensure total success in education, I am opined that parents must move from the position of basic providers at home to partners of teachers and all stakeholders of education. They must get drawn in at school level and assess their children’s progress. Through this, they must keep in touch with teachers and all learners’ support. In a similar manner, they must monitor all learning activities at home in a friendly approach. They must help their children in making sensitive decisions in relation to educational activities, and offer guidance where necessary. Finally, they have to help the children integrate into the society for a successful communal integration. This way, the children’s education will be more successful and more fruitful.
