By Linda Stade
When we were kids, schools tended to communicate with parents at report time and if something went wrong. A call from a teacher caused a touch of panic. Nowadays, you may feel surprised by the regularity and detail of school messaging.
Why the change? Contemporary educators recognise the importance of parent involvement and school transparency in educating young people. So, they are reaching out to build home-school partnerships.
Kath Perrier is Dean of Curriculum at Lourdes Hill College in Brisbane. She says, “There is very strong evidence that parent engagement is associated with academic success for students, so we need to build those relationships thoughtfully. That starts with explaining to parents exactly why the relationship is important.”
To that end, we have identified seven key understandings about home-school partnerships to share with you:
1. Know that a positive home-school relationship benefits your child
In a 2023 synthesis of a wide range of research for the NSW Department of Education, Dr Jodie Goldney wrote, “When schools engage well with parents and carers, students do better. They do better academically, behaviourally and in terms of wellbeing. Teachers also seem to do better, as engaged students are rewarding to teach, and parents/carers are better equipped to support the work of teachers at home.”
Among the benefits determined by researchers were:
increased academic achievement and performance,
improved study habits,
better homework habits and work orientation,
more positive attitudes toward school,
higher educational aspirations, and
greater social-emotional competencies.
2. Parents and schools need to recognise and respect one another’s expertise.
Parents and teachers hold very different, but equally powerful banks of knowledge. Generally, a parent has the relational knowledge, and teachers have expert knowledge.
Parents know their child best. They recognise what is most likely to cause fear or pain and shut down their learning. They are also intimate with the cultural and familial nuances that will affect both academic and social progress. Most of all they give their child the confidence and support that comes with unconditional love.
Teachers have expert knowledge in education and curriculum. They also have experience with the developmental stages that children travel through. They have literally seen it hundreds of times in hundreds of kids. They view that development with the wonder of someone who has decided that working with kids and education is how they want to spend their lives. It’s their calling.
If we marry that relational and expert knowledge… our kids will be unstoppable.
3. Use technology for more meaningful home-school relationships.
Ms Perrier says, “I can’t praise more highly the continuous reporting systems that are available to most teachers and parents these days. Each assessment is recorded digitally with grades and comments and that information is available to parents. A school app makes this so much easier. Parents get an alert every time an assessment is entered”.
Having this information throughout the year means home and school can respond promptly to any emerging concerns. We can better tailor education to the needs of the individual.
It also means that when we meet face-to-face at interviews or parent nights, we can have more meaningful discussions about a child’s learning and strategies going forward. We no longer spend our limited allocated time pouring over a marks book.
4. We all need to have realistic expectations and generous spirits.
The downside of the digital accessibility we’ve created is that sometimes we must recognise and manage our expectations. Teachers can’t always be available, and neither can families. A response to a call or email within 24 to 48 hours is reasonable.
Emails are their own special blessing and curse. They offer quick and convenient communication, but should only be sent after asking ourselves, ‘Is this email building the home-school partnership?’
When we do reach out to one another, Ms Perrier says, “The key to good home-school partnerships is the ability to listen and empathise. It is the same as any other healthy relationship.”
5. Schools need to provide rich parent experiences and parents need to attend.
In the past, school gates were a clear boundary, particularly in high schools. They opened for sports events and the odd special assembly. Given what we have learnt about parent engagement, schools need to open those gates more regularly and invite parents in for meaningful experiences that help them to support their children.
A great example of this kind of experience is Lourdes Hill’s Careers and Networking Night for students in Years 10, 11 and 12. It is an expo style event where 65 past students come in and talk about their post-school journeys. All universities in Brisbane are invited, as are businesses from a variety of industries.
Students use a booking system to attend different talks and discussion opportunities. For example, there is a room for the fashion industry, one for medical careers etc. Parents are there to learn alongside their child which allows for powerful conversations later.
To help parents support their children’s social and emotional growth, Lourdes Hill runs a Parenting Seminar series. They invite experts such as Justin Coulson, Maggie Dent, Rebecca Sparrow, and Michelle Mitchell to talk to parents about subjects like resilience, friendship issues and dealing with big emotions. Not only do parents and staff gain valuable skills, but they also develop a shared vocabulary for discussing the development and challenges of students.
6. Recognise the barriers to home-school partnerships and tear them down
Not everyone is comfortable attending school events or meeting with teachers. The barriers need to be acknowledged and overcome. Barriers include:
Some parents had difficult school experiences themselves, so they approach schools with some reticence. Schools need to be welcoming places.
Time is a limiting factor for many families. It isn’t a matter of not wanting to approach school, rather finding the opportunity to do so. Most schools provide online alternatives.
Confusion about who is the best person to speak to, particularly in a large high school. Start with the class teacher for academics and pastoral leader for everything else.
The perception that staff are not available because they are so busy. They are busy, but don’t be put off, the relationship with parents is core business.
Cultural and language differences. Most schools will go out of their way to make accommodations in this regard.
The belief that there is an ‘us and them’. We need to understand that we are educating a child together. It’s a noble collaboration.
7. Know that parent engagement isn’t just turning up at school
Parent engagement isn’t only about being involved at school. On the contrary, most often it is in the family home in the small moments with your child; perhaps doing homework at the kitchen table, reading a book together, or having conversations about what’s being studied at school. It’s drilling times tables, quizzing for a biology test, or listening to them practice their English presentation.
In all these cases you are showing your child that education matters to you. If you value learning, they are more likely to prioritise it too.
That said, Kath Perrier points out it is a fine balance. “We need to ensure our help is age-appropriate. As a child gets older, they take over the reins of learning. We provide support at hectic times, guide problem-solving and partner in decision-making.”
Final thought…
Ultimately, if we want a rich, productive home-school partnership, we all need to lead with listening. What is it that parents dream and worry about? What is it that the school is trying to achieve for its students?
With heart-led listening and quiet conversation, we can solve most problems, and those we cannot solve we can at least soothe.
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