SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

EDNA M. DAVID

As the school lays the foundation of education, the community serves as the laboratory for holistic learning experiences for the learners.

Undeniably, the school and the community may influence the child’s character and may determine the quality of formal and non-formal education he received. It is not only in school that education takes place, the community also offers a wide array of learning experiences that enable learners to be sociable, interactive and participative to communal affairs. Either formally or informally, the school and community work hand-in-hand in giving the utmost welfare for the learners in order for them to succeed in various life challenges.

One of the many similarities of school and community is its nurturing aspect. Nurturing a child to be upright, responsible, and caring citizen is a task worth doing for. If a child is raised in a way that he could be beneficial to the community, there is no way that he will not be able to give pride to that community someday. In doing such, the child is being molded holistically and morally upright. All the learning opportunities given to him is gearing toward the development of all his innate and hidden potentialities that could be advantageous in his part. When the child is nurtured conforming to what is moral, that child could be of value to anyone. Surely, there will be an assurance that the child will do what is right and will know the right thing to do.

Another similarity is that the school and community provide opportunities for learners to realize their full potentials. Like in the school, the community is a place where a child could learn a lot of things. With proper guidance, the community could be an avenue for learners to practice what they have learned in the school. If the school is providing all the theories in learning, the community is the laboratory to test, apply and transform all the learned theories to realities. In here, the child is able to discover learning by transforming theories into practicalities and by applying concepts to meaningful learning.

There are times when a child is misbehaving and/ or poorly performing, school officials and community people are blaming one another and tend to neglect their responsibility. This is the dark side of the school-community relationship that should not persist. Though there are some learners who cause concerns for the school and the community due to their misbehaviors and acts negating the norms and standards of the society, they will cause more troubles if they are not properly guided and accounted for. No matter how bad a child may become due to some circumstances, there is still hope in that child. A child may be directed towards goodness and positive attitudes by means of collective efforts by the people surround him. Rearing a child is not the sole responsibility of the parents, but also with the help of the community people. Truly, it takes a whole society to raise a child.

At the end, the school and community share a common responsibility to raise the child. This is the very reason why Parent and Teachers’Association (PTA), Brigada Eskwela, and other school-community activities existed. Such associations/ activities center in one thing – to assure that quality education is being delivered to the learners for they are the most important clientele of education.

The school and community are partners for child’s sake. If this society wanted that no child should be left behind, the school and community people should work hand-in-hand to realize such goal.

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The author is Teacher I at San Juan Elementary School, Guagua West District, Division of Pampanga