Parents should create synergy between the home and school says Ayodele

By Dayo Adesulu
THE Chief Executive Officer/Managing Consultant, Standard Mandate International, Mr Nelson Ayodele has said that for students to reach their desired goals, there must be dynamics of synergy between the home and the school that will create a level play ground for the children to thrive in their academic pursuits.
He noted that educators often lament the lack of parents’ involvement in children’s educational programmes and development. Parents, on the other hand, often express frustration over the lack of options available to them for meaningful involvement. The discrepancy between these perceptions says Ayodele is a strong argument for developing meaningful ways to build stronger synergy and functional cooperation between home and school.
Speaking at a special workshop organised by Mandate Schools, Akesan, Lagos for parents and teachers, Ayodele stated that in recent time, general consensus among the educators in Nigeria affirms the importance of parental input and participation in the development of educational programmes for our children adding that the research indicates that almost all families care about their children and want them to be successful in school as almost all educators want to involve parents and families but many do not know how to go about it.
In his reasons on why parents and school should develop strong tie in the area of learning at home and decision making pointed out that both parents and educators have a large stake in children’s success and the linkages promoted to facilitate the stake saying that in the best interest of both the parents and the school should ensure that there is a working relationship by building participation and partnership to bring about the optimal development of each child.
To the school, he said that they should know, clearly and regularly, what students/pupils are learning about in school and provide specific suggestions for home activities to support classroom work.
Schools, according to Ayodele suppose to provide a calendar for parents at the beginning of each semester listening to readings, assignments, projects, and assessments and also call parents to introduce themselves at the beginning of the school year or term.
Besides, “Schools should develop additional methods of regular communication after initial phone call (newsletter, website, periodic phone calls or e:mails and seek out parent volunteers for in-class and out-of-c1ass assistance,”he aid.
He maintained that school should hold workshops to introduce curriculum materials and approaches (on Mathematics especially, because most children have challenges with Mathematics which can be extended to other subjects too).”School should develop lending libraries of materials which parents might find useful to use at home (reading books and textbooks),”he said.
The following, among many others, are expected from parents.
Provide a well organized work space for your child at home
Develop a schedule for after school time that includes time to talk about school, time to have fun together, and time to do homework
Ask about specific things you can do at home to support what is going on in school
Ask questions whenever you don’t understand any of the work your child is assigned.
Read to your child and do it often.
Visit the school regularly- parents should be part and parcel of the workings of the school. After all, why would you leave your child in the care of people you don’t like to visit?
Attend school functions with your child- don’t be an absentee parent!
Keep the teachers informed of anything unusual that has happened at home that might affect the child’s behavior and performance in the classroom. Parent should work with teachers in ensuring that the child is not affected by such circumstance
Talk about education and learning positively. Parents should instill in their children the spirit of “I CAN DO IT”, “IT IS POSSIBLE”. Don’t make your child have a belief that any subject is difficult. Many of the children are poor at a subject like Mathematics simply because their parents have made them see Mathematics as a difficult subject.
Visit the library regularly to seek out resources that compliment topics being taught in the classroom
Talk to the teacher to find out how you might be of service to them. Don’t leave the whole tasks to the teachers alone. The children spend more time with parents than they do with their teachers
Know and communicate your child’s strengths and areas of interest. This is the way to assist such a child build area of specialization and professionalism