The Educational Responsibility Of Parents
The educational responsibility of parents in school is part of the basic pillars of a quality education. In order for education to be generated as such, a coordinated action between school and family is essential.
If the school and parents are on the same page, trust will always be much more fluid. Parents and teachers know that they are in different spaces, but it will be shown that they are complementary.
Family and school relationship: parental educational responsibility
In the book La Participacion De Los Padres En La Escuela, by Pulpillo Ruiz and Ambrosio J. (1982), it was established that a great change was taking place in the family-school relationship. The changes produced in this area are evident.
The parent-school relationship is a relationship that has always existed and has constantly evolved. In the beginning, parents left all the educational responsibilities of their children to the schools. That is, they cared little about how it was put into practice.
Little by little, parents change their attitude and begin to worry about how their children will be educated in school. Before LODE, parents accessed schools only individually. Today they participate in the management of the center also as a group. They are even representatives in it, since they are elected by a group of other parents.
Educational responsibility of parents and its importance
It is essential that family and school interact, as there are many reasons to encourage parental involvement in school life. Such participation causes effects like these:
- Higher self-esteem in children.
- More positive family relationships.
- Higher school performance .
- More vital attitudes of fathers and mothers towards school.
For their part, teachers, when encountering this parental involvement, also obtain a positive impact:
- They better inform about the objectives they intend to achieve.
- The methods that are used are better known.
- The model in which each training process takes place is more transparent.
The more involved parents in decision-making, the more effective the decision made will be. It is, therefore, a continuous collaboration of parents with teachers without forgetting their own responsibilities.
Educational responsibility of parents shared with teachers
Parents must share responsibilities with teachers such as the transmission of norms, values, customs, etc. With the parents the socialization of the children begins, for that reason it is important that the transmission of values of all kinds is something very close to them.
- The development of social skills of autonomy. It is the task of the parents to teach the child strategies to be independent, skills related to hygiene, food or clothing. But also emotional skills, such as self-assertion.
- Teaching of knowledge or educational strategies. Parents can teach children strategies to expand their knowledge. For example, they can teach them to study.
- Regarding family rules and responsibilities. The task of publicizing these standards is part of the educational responsibility of parents. Of course, we must not forget that they must share this with teachers in a close and simple way.
Collective area: the AMPA
The figure of the AMPA (Association of Mothers and Parents of Students) serves, in many centers, so that families can participate actively. Thus, the intervention of parents in schools is guaranteed.
Parents who are part of the AMPAs usually have a fundamental purpose: to achieve common objectives of proposals and alternatives to enrich the education of their children. Families should bear in mind that participating in schools with AMPAs should help to achieve the integral development of children.
Another interesting task of this association is to train families in educational criteria and the evolution of their children. Normally, the AMPA tries to involve parents in the education of their students, as well as involving them in their educational responsibilities.
Meetings between parents and teachers
These parent-teacher encounters should serve to help the overall education of children. Many teachers feel that parents tend to play a controlling role in meetings. It is essential, on the part of both, to forget that intention of control and to seek, above all, sincere collaboration.
The two parties, teachers and parents, should see the educational reality as a path in which to share cooperative actions and seek a common goal: the comprehensive training of the student.
In conclusion, parents should not abandon their educational responsibilities. They should not think that in the school the teachers will be in charge of 100% of the children’s education. In short: your task is as important as that of the teachers.
