Parental Involvement in the New Normal, A Must!

Jennie Bell L. Rirao

Parent engagement is very critical for academic achievement and school success. Successful collaborations between schools and families promote learning and lead to the overall environment and growth of schools. Comprehensive parental involvement is respected and supported at all stages of the system.

Schools in the Philippines strive to identify, promote, and expand the participation of parents by:

1.Creating an environment in which the involvement of all parents in school and student development is encouraged, in which teachers and parents treat each other mutual understanding, and in which differences of opinion and perspective are acknowledged and addressed to seek a solution.

2.Involve parents in decision-making at school and system level, by engaging parents' advocates on education policy, school planning concerns, including parental engagement in committees and advisory councils.

3.Encourage parent engagement as ambassadors to support school and classroom programs.

4.Promoting appropriate, reliable, and timely contact between schools and families, while recognizing the diversity and specific needs of families.

5.Develop a framework and school programs and policies that promote and assist parents to engage positively in the education of their children, both at school and home.

6.Connecting learners and families to community and support programs.

7.Help services and events intended to improve parenting skills.

8.Provide information on the benefits of parent engagement and improve the expertise of teachers and parents in creating successful home-school partnerships. Schools need to provide mechanisms that ensure that parent engagement activities are constantly encouraged and developed in the school. Any of these include: (a) building a profile through analysis and gathering information from the families that make up the school community. (b) To address and document the contribution of the school to leadership support. (c) Create a three-year plan for parent involvement. (d) Ensuring parent engagement is emphasized in the School Development Plan.

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The author is Teacher III at San Leon Elementary School