Teachers and Parents: Partners in Teaching
Reflecting on the process of managing a classroom affirmed my learning that teaching and disciplining children are never done single-handedly by the teacher. The presence of partners and their collaboration in education are as true as they are in any good business endeavour. Yes, teachers are expected to impart knowledge, instil discipline, and create a positive learning climate. These three are the major tasks of a professional classroom teacher. However, as much as that is clear, parent involvement plays an important role as well. And getting parents involved is a great part of a teacher's task.
As regards imparting knowledge, there are many more things that children may receive from their parents or from technology access that their households can provide. The contribution of parents in this area of teaching is highly valuable because no source of knowledge can claim to have the monopoly. I realized that while parents' contribution to knowledge is greatly appreciated, when it comes to instilling discipline, their involvement comes not only as an option but as a must. Good behaviour is an inevitable manifestation of a strong personal character. And character development, especially in young children, is a primary duty of parents. Effective character development necessarily starts at home.
As a classroom teacher, I believe that I must be more discerning of the concerns of the students and know which are those that need more participation of the parents. I must be able to discern when the issue at hand is already bordering out of my jurisdiction as a teacher and stepping more into the boundaries of parenting. Therefore, smart teaching and effective disciplining of pupils call for an active collaboration between parents and teachers, with teachers taking the initial steps whenever the situation demands it.
