Education

Posted: September 5th, 2013

Education

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Education

Introduction

The roles played by parents in their children’s education are particularly crucial. Parents with good knowledge about education and their need of learning will help them to enjoy education and put effort from an early age (Grolnick, 2009). It is known that children with strong support from their parents excel in school with ease, as well as enjoy learning. The first role is providing resources for the child to ensure they have all that is required. Secondly, parents should be involved in their children’s learning. The parents should be a role model to their children. This can be done by learning some of the things children learn at school, as well as reading together with the child. This encourages a learning environment for the child as well as motivation since children will always want to copy their parents. Thus, parents have a crucial role to play in their children’s education.

In the interview provided below, I interviewed a Caucasian mother aged 34 years old, working as an office manager in a law firm. She holds a bachelors degree in office management. She is married to a restaurant manager and has two children with the eldest in second grade and the younger about to join kindergarten. The younger child about to join kindergarten is three years old, while the elder one is seven. Her family is in a middle-class social economic status. The family normally spends time together in the mornings, early evening with their mother and all together again in the evening. The mother drops the eldest son to school, and picks him up in the afternoons while the younger one is left with the nanny. During weekends, the family spends most time together except the father who occasionally is at work.

Interview Response

            The first question required the parent to tell what she thought the kindergarten teacher expected of the child. She said that the teacher would expect her child to work with other well, listen and follow directions, respect other people including her peers as well as to objects and be as best as she could. In addition, she added that the child would be expected to learn how to write her name and say her alphabet. This question aimed at testing whether the parent is aware of what the child should be doing in school. For this parent, she knew what her child is supposed to be at school. With such knowledge, the parent can help the child learn some of the expected behaviors before joining kindergarten (Suizzo, 2007). She had the required knowledge to prepare the child for kindergarten, such helping her learn how to make friends, behave, treat others, as well as objects.

In the second question about knowing whether the child is doing well at school, she said she would find out through having weekly verbal reports with the teacher and observing the child before and after work. Telling how a child is doing for a parent requires total observations of the child before going to school and when leaving school. This could highlight the attitude of the child, thus telling whether she likes school or not. In addition, visiting the teacher to enquire about the child is quite pertinent to know how they are fairing.

To foster quality learning for a child, there is a need to have an exceptional learning environment. In the third question about what she could do at home to help the child succeed in school, she clearly stated she would ensure a stable, positive environment for the child. In addition, she said she would ensure a healthy routine and spend quality time with her child everyday to ensure she is doing well. This is particularly significant since unfailing support, an exemplary learning environment and helping the child encourages them to learn.

The fourth question about preparing her child before entering kindergarten, she talked of talking to her child about the new environment she would find herself in. She further talked of helping her with making new friends so she would not feel out of place in the new environment. She would also try to encourage the child to do her best. Doing this would ensure to prepare the child psychologically for the new environment to come when the child starts kindergarten. Talking to the child about the environment to find helps them in

The fifth question asked about the readiness of the mother in letting her child go to school. She stated both yes and no, which was surprising. She said she knew the child was ready for kindergarten and sure, the child would do well. On the other hand, she felt that the child was leaving her to become more independent. Many parents find it hard to let their children start attending school because of emotional ties where they feel like they are losing their children. This is especially so with mothers who do not work and spend all their time with the child.

The sixth question asked whether her child was able to make friends easily. She described the child was a bit shy, but makes friends easily once she knows the people around her. Making new friends at school is particularly important for children to make friends at school l in order to adapt quickly and feel as part of the school rather than feel isolated and lonely, which could trigger negative emotions in the child. Attitude of the child to school should be natured from when they are young through providing them with all help needed.

The seventh question asked how she would be transporting her child to and from school. She said she would be the one to drop her child to school and pick them up from school. Being escorted by the parent for a young child is a clear sign of parental support, which is needed. The eighth question was whether she thought her child would adapt to the structured environment. She said that her child would adapt to the new routine and different environment through a smooth transition. She feels it will take some time, but through an even transition, she could adapt quite well. This shows a proper understanding of her child. Before parents take their children to school, it is crucial to know their behavior and their ability to fit in with others.

The ninth question was about how to get the best out of teacher-parent conferences. These conferences are meant to discuss the progress of the child and any concern that might arise. Then, a solution to solve any problem recognized is defined, and each party takes a role. Her response to this question was that she would address several issues in order to get the best out of the conferences: behavior, work habits and any other concern. She added that she would listen to the advice of the teacher that would help her child achieve her goals. This is the first way to involve the parent in the education of their child. Thus, ensuring to discuss details of the child performance would be crucial. She was aware of the need of the conferences.

Homework is meant to be a form of practice at home to ensure the child learns from all environments, as well as a way of the parent finding out what their child is doing. Parents are supposed to help their children with their homework by ensuring they finish it, help them where they realize the child is struggling (Ryan et al, 2010). The parents should always be ready to help their child with homework, and ensure to check to know what the child is learning in school, as well as what they have already learnt. In the tenth interview question about the child having homework, she felt the child should have homework but not everyday, or should not be overloaded. She knows that homework will prepare her child for higher learning, but should not be too much to make the child hate school. In the final questions about how she would help her child with the homework, she says she would let her child attempt it first. In case the child is struggling and getting frustrated, she would then help her by showing her how to do it so the child will be able to do the work.

Conclusion

The role of parent in their child education is quite crucial especially in encouraging the child to do the best one can (Ryan et al, 2010). Infact, parents are responsible to controlling the education of their child as well as fostering (Grolnick, 2009). Children like emulating their parents as well as pleasing them. Therefore, if parents are a terrific role model to their child, there is a better chance of excelling than when parents are least concerned about their child’s education. Parents should also be aware of what teachers expect from them as well as their child in order to prepare them for school. Children prepared in advance for the environment they are to find when they enter school for the first time, will be ready to learn new things while those not prepared will be stranded and experience difficulty adapting to the new environment. Parents should take charge of their child including its learning. Observation of the child before and after school in the evening is important as it would highlight any negative behaviors or attitude that could suggest something is happening to them. In addition, parents to ensure to check the child’s homework, since it is not only meant for practice to the child, but also indicating what they learn at school and its compliance with the set syllabus.

References

Grolnick, W. S. (2009). The role of parents in facilitating autonomous self-regulation for education. Theory and Research in Education, 7 (2): 164-173.

Ryan, C. S., Casas, J. F., Kelly-Vance, L., Ryalls, B. O., & Nero, C. (2010). Parent involvement and views of school success: The role of parents’ Latino and white American cultural orientations. Psychology in the Schools, 47 (4): 391-405.

Suizzo, M.-A. (2007). Parents’ Goals and Values for Children. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 38 (4): 506-530.