How parents and schools can work together to boost students’ progress, from field trips to talks
Open communication and active engagement allow both sides to gain valuable insights into a child’s strengths and challenges
As the new academic year begins, parents, pupils and teachers are gathering supplies and planning for the year ahead. Amid the back-to-school rush, parents may find it useful to consider how they can work closely with schools to help their child achieve their goals – academic or otherwise – over the coming year.
“Parents will observe their child’s unique capabilities at home and teachers will observe different, even contrasting, capabilities in school,” says Hannah Tait, head of EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) and Primary at Discovery Bay International School (DBIS). “When the two specialists – parents and teachers – come together, they enable the best support of a child’s progress as they have a full and complete understanding of the individual.”
“We value the whole child and their holistic development, and teachers and parents can share insights into a child’s strengths and areas of improvement so that the child’s social, emotional and intellectual needs are met,” adds Mina Dunstan, head of school at the Australian International School Hong Kong (AISHK). “We often say that a family joins our community, not just the individual students.”
AISHK and DBIS aren’t alone in their attitudes to parental involvement. Most schools encourage parents to be involved in some capacity, and there’s a good reason for that. Studies have shown that strong family involvement positively impacts a student’s success. This should come as no surprise – after all, school and home are the two most important places where children learn and develop, so fostering a strong connection between the two can only be beneficial.
Why the relationship is important
Building a good parent-school partnership is advantageous, but what specific benefits does it confer? “When [children] feel safe and secure, optimal learning will occur,” notes Tait, explaining that by working together, parents and schools can create the ideal environment for children to develop.