Partner with your child’s teacher for academic success

Basic education is the right of every child irrespective of his or her social or economic background. However, it is not the sole responsibility of the teacher, says parenting enthusiast, and journalist, Jayne Augoye.

The first contact any child will ever have with any form of education is at home. From the parents, extended family members, neighbours, church members, etc. While every child is expected to be schooled in a formal environment, the role of parents cannot be overemphasised. It is in the home a child learns to say the first words, communication, and other non-verbal acts.

A teacher’s role is to impact knowledge and information into a child. “I like to describe teachers as parent’s unofficial personal assistants because the parents play an even bigger role after the education or teaching is done in school,” says Augoye.

The Founder of Fabmumng, a social circle that caters to mums, said that what determines the success rate of a child is the type of school, mode of teaching, the child’s learning style, diet/nutrition and, the parent’s involvement.

Of course, you also need to rule out the presence of any underlying medical condition as well as a learning disability. This will further ensure that adequate and appropriate care is given to the child.

Reteirating the reason why parents should partner with their child’s teachers, Augoye stressed that it is of immense importance because that is one of the ways you can get the best out of a child.

“Besides, tons of research has shown that regardless of parents’ income and educational background, their involvement in education helps their kids do better in and out of school. Additionally, when a child feels supported at home academically, by the parents, they develop more positive attitudes about school, have more self-confidence, and place a higher priority on academic achievement.

“Such a child would literally want to make the parents proud. Children of involved parents are more likely to have good grades in school.”

Affirming how this enhances the parenting journey, the mum of triplets said: “When parents become involved in their children’s education, such parents will have more confidence in their parenting skills. Interestingly, parents don’t have to log hundreds of hours for their child to benefit from the home teaching support. Even if you can only volunteer two hours every Saturday, the result is far-reaching and over worth the effort.”

What do kids stand to lose when their parents are not partners with their teachers in educating them?

Everything! It always has a detrimental effect on a child’s academic progress. Parents who fail to supervise their children’s studies and provide an environment that promotes education and encourages good grades will keep their child from working to his highest abilities.

She added that parents should frequently get involved with their child(ren’s) school life. “If a parent commits to seeing that their child excels in school, it will come to pass. Every parent must help set academic goals for their children, with their permission of course. That way both parties are held accountable for the failure and of course success.”