The needs of teachers in working with parents

JENNY ROSE V. ABEREJO

Teachers are not trained to work with parents and, if this work is to be effective, time needs to be spent considering how best to deal with the various contacts. Work with parents could well be the topic for an in-service day, perhaps involving a number of parents during some part of the time. This might include:

-discussion about how to work with parents in the classroom and the drawing up of policy about what should be done by way of ensuring that this help is well used.

-consideration of ways in which parents could be asked to do more to help their children with school work;

- study of the communications going to parent, looking to see whether they are free from jargon and clearly, as well set out. Parents might be involved in this discussion

-work on how to set about discussions with parents, particularly where students are not doing well. Role playing may be a good way of trying out approaches to different types of parents. Parents might be involved in this, giving feedback about how they experienced the way teachers tackled the interviews;

-the preparation of questions to ask parents invited for part of the day to talk with teachers about their views. The teachers might work in small groups, each n groups with a different set of questions about how parents see maters. The parents then spend a short time with each group answering their questions;

- the need of parents in boosting morale in supporting for sending their children in PASDAM,CLARAA, Palaro Pambansa, and for logistics support.

-work on drawing up an overall school policy about working with parents so that there is guidance for the future.

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The author is SST III at Arayat National High School, Arenas, Arayat,

Pampanga