Parental involvement is very important for the kids success and also it enhances the parent teacher relationship creating a positive environment for the child to develop physical, emotional and intellectual well-being. There are many ways for the parents to involve themselves in their child’s learning journey at preschool.
Active and effective communication with schools: The main objective is to have an effective collaboration and communication with the preschool to work together for better trust and also help both teachers and parents to develop and support the development and wellbeing of a child’s success. This helps the parents to keep themselves updated about their kids learning at school and handhold wherever it’s required. The communication ensures that the children make good progress in academics and also create a safe place for kids.
Create a supportive environment at home: Parents and teachers should be on the same page when it comes to understanding the child’s capabilities and create an atmosphere that is conducive to the positive development of the child. Parent involvement with the school acts like an additional support and creates a clear insight of what the child is learning at preschool? and work with the teacher to help the child learn the lessons or sharpen the learnt skill effectively to enrich the learning experience of the child in a better way.
Helping in organizing and planning educational trips: It would be very helpful to the school if parents get involved in planning and executing the educational trips for the children with appropriate age related activities planned for the children. It would be good if a few parents accompany the teachers to handle the kids on the trip.
Parent Involvement in Event management: It would be great if the parents help the teachers in event management at school for any sports or annual day event. Incase of any help in teaching the children dance, a few parents good in dancing can help teach the kids learn dance, a few parents with good craft skills can help in making the props for the event, arrange food and snacks and also help teachers manage kids on the day of the event.
Engaging in special needs of the child: The parents can volunteer to help the kids with learning difficulties by giving one on one attention. Be it learning language, numbers or any other learning challenges, It can be addressed with a little support from the parents. The parents can volunteer to be a shadow teacher by taking turns to help the kids if they require any support at no extra cost at school to help the teacher manage the child in a better way.
Starting a book club or a storytelling session: The parents could be invited to the school for doing a reading session for the children or a storytelling session by parents once in a month This would not only encourage the parents to involve in an interactive session with the children, but also stimulate children’s thinking skills and inculcate a love of reading in them.
Community networking: This can be well established between teachers and parents to share their knowledge/skills in a supportive environment. Example: If a parent is a doctor and has a clinic/Hospital or has a clay making place, the teachers and parents together can make a plan to visit the place to spend time in the place to have a complete understanding of the workings of a particular industry.
Parent involvement is a great way to build relationships with teachers. It would be a great partnership between the preschool and parents to collaborate and involve themselves in building the trust, mutual understanding in helping the kids, and commitment from both the parents and teachers to achieve building the school committee to meet the needs of the kids in a positive way. The kids get a sense of involvement and help them in their education if the parents get involved with the school and feel the support from both the sides to ensure their success both in and out of the school.