Today, more and more teachers are recognizing that to enhance student learning, they need to create spaces for families and parents to take part in the learning process. For example, parents are now asking questions about the performance of their children as part of their efforts to participate in learning. However, while many teachers understand the need to join forces with parents and families, there are those who are unfamiliar with the strategies that they can implement to enhance collaboration. As a teacher, I recognize that there is a wide range of highly effective yet simple strategies that they can adopt.
Holding regular meetings with parents and families is one of the measures that I can adopt to promote student learning. Such scholars as Murray and Mereoiu (2016) advise teachers to engage in open communication with parents. I understand that holding regular meetings is among the ways we can promote communication with parents and families. During these meetings, such issues as student performance and the roles that families can play should be addressed. For instance, a teacher can ask the parents of struggling students to attend a meeting. The purpose of this meeting should be to identify the causes of the poor performance and agree on interventions to be implemented. In addition to holding meetings, I also need to create formal agreements through which they commit families and parents to participate in student learning. For instance, in the agreement, I can stipulate that parents must attend scheduled meetings and play an active role in the studies of their children. While they may seem unnecessary and extreme, such agreements help to persuade parents to take student learning seriously.
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As we seek to get parents and families involved, it is important for teachers to remember the value of genuine relationships. We are encouraged to take a keen and honest interest in the welfare of their students while treating families and parents with respect and be genuine in our interactions with them (Murray & Mereoiu, 2016). When they feel valued, parents are far more likely to be enthusiastic in participating in the learning process. Genuine relationships can be established with the teachers communicate honestly and frequently with parents. For example, when a teacher observes a worrying change in the behavior of a student, they should move with speed to speak with the student’s parents and family. Teachers should also be proactive in their engagements with parents. For example, they should not wait for problems to arise in order to contact parents. Instead, they should maintain close and constant communication through which they discuss strategies for addressing some of the common challenges that students grapple with.
The measures addressed above could hold the key to helping teachers form collaborative partnerships with parents and families. However, they may not be sufficient and should be combined with other strategies. Challenging parents and families to recognize that student success is a joint mandate for both teachers and families is among the additional strategies that teachers can implement (Fettig et al., 2013). Many parents and families leave it to us to deliver student success. Consequently, many teachers feel overwhelmed and unsupported. If they truly wish to see their children succeed, parents and families should lend all the support and appreciation that teachers need. Other strategies that have shown immense promise include upholding confidentiality, promoting trust, and sharing power with parents and families (Fettig et al., 2013). When we adopt these interventions, teachers create environments where parents feel the need to spare no expense in joining forces with educators.
In conclusion, student success is the result of the combined effort of teachers, parents and families. This is a message that teachers should strive to convey in all the conversations that they have with parents and families. Furthermore, it is vital for teachers to demonstrate trust, protect the confidentiality of parents and take steps to encourage parents to deliver solutions. These solutions hold the key to establishing a culture of collaboration and teamwork. The results of these interventions include empowered parents, engaged students and successful schools.
References
Fettig, A., Schultz, T. R., & Ostrosky, M. M. (2013). Collaborating with parents in using effective strategies to reduce children’s challenging behaviors. Young Exceptional Children, 16 (1), 30-41.
Murray, M. M., & Mereoiu, M. (2016). Teacher–parent partnership: an authentic teacher education model to improve student outcomes. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 40 (2), 276-92.
