Support of Parents in the Children’s Education: Is it an Indicator of Success?

The author is Principal I at Balas Elementary School, Mexico North Jasmine L. Cruz District

Parents are vital partners in education. They influence their children’s attitudes about learning, and support learning at home. They are a vital link between home and school. And when they become involved in the life of the school, they make our schools better places to learn, grow and thrive. Ontario’s parent engagement policy recognizes that student achievement and success increase when parents are welcomed and respected as partners, and given the support they need to contribute at home and at school. (Parents in Partnership, Ministry of Education, 2010) In school, teachers educate the students with the competencies and skills they need to learn that will serve as their weapons in battling with life and their chosen career. However, parents have to enhance and deepen these capabilities at home. Education of the children then is not a sole responsibility of teachers but with full cooperation of the parents as well as the community. As the saying goes, it takes a village to educate a child. Parents and teachers and the community need to work hand in hand to monitor the learning progress of the students. Presently, there is a transfer of roles between parents and teachers brought by the pandemic. W ith the modular distance learning, parents sit together with their children to help them accomplish the modules and contact the teachers if lessons are indistinct and vague. This is where the problem occurs. Assuming that parents are supportive to their children’s education, learners are motivated to study and their needs are fulfilled. But, on the assumption that parents are less proactive to the learner’s schooling, children are lacking. Their desires and personalities are uncompleted and undeveloped. Given this situation, parent and teacher relationship should involve collaboration, communication and consistency. Parents should always work together with teacher to create participation amongst learners. If students see that their parents are active in school activities, their willingness to partake in activities will intensify. Imparting and informing parents of the academic performance and behavior of their children determines the severity of monitoring that they need to do. Lastly, consistency build the momentum. There should be a continuous partnership between parents, teachers and the community. According to Judith Billings, “Children are the priority. Change is the reality. Collaboration is the strategy.”