CTET Study Notes

CTET 2018 Study Notes: Space for Parents and The Community

Dear Readers,

NCF plays an important role in securing your success in teaching exams like CTET 2017 Exam, DSSSB 2017 Exam. Keeping in view the importance of NCF, today we are sharing a post on space for Parents and The Community. Read the article for your sure success in upcoming CTET 2017 Exam.

Space for Parents and The Community

The school is a structured space for guided learning, but the process of constructing knowledge is a continuous one, which goes on even outside the school. If learning is continuous and takes place in areas other than the school, such as home, the workplace, the community, etc., then school assignments or homework should be planned differently. It need not depend on parents reinforcing what the school has already done. It could set different kinds of activities for children to do, on their own or with their parents. This could also provide opportunities for parents to understand a little more about what their child is learning in the school and give children the initial impetus to explore and recognise the world outside the school as an arena for learning. 

Schools could also invite the community into their premises, and give the larger world outside a role in influencing the curricular process. Parents and community members could come into the school as resource persons to share their knowledge and experiences in relation to a particular topic being studied. For example, for a lesson on machines, local mechanics could talk about sharing their experiences on repairing and also talk about how they learnt to repair vehicles. 

1. The participation of the community in the child’s world of education and learning should allow for the community to: 

a. Transfer oral history ( dealing with folklore, migration, environmental degradation, traders, settlers, etc.) and traditional knowledge (sowing and harvesting, monsoons, processes related to traditional crafts, etc.) to children, while the school encourages critical reflection wherever it is required.

b. Influence the content of subjects and add local, practical, and appropriate examples.

c. Support children in their exploration and creation of knowledge and information. 

d. Support children in their practise of democracy through their participation in information generation, planning, monitoring and evaluation with local governments and schools.

e. Monitor the realisation of children’s rights as well as violations of these rights. 

f. Participate in addressing the constraints faced by children.

g. Participate in setting criteria for vocational training. 

h. Enable the village to become a learning environment for children realising the concept of the ‘village as a school’.

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Similarly, while helping children to use their home language and make a transition to the school language, teachers may seek inputs from local language speakers to facilitate communication in the mother tongue(s), teaching of languages and creating material. The choice would depend upon the particular curricular plan adopted and the kinds of expertise that are available and accessible. The school must explore opportunities for active engagement by parents and the community in the process of learning. This relationship will help in sharing the content and pedagogy of institutionalised learning. 

All schools need to look for ways in which parental participation and involvement can be encouraged and sustained. Many schools do not treat parents’ questions and concerns regarding the activities of the school as valid questions. Frequently, private schools turn parents into mere consumers and ask them to take away their wards if they do not like something that the school is doing. Others treat poor parents as not having any legitimate stand when they come to make enquiries about their wards. Both types of attitudes are disrespectful of parents and their legitimate concern for their children. 

Overall, in order to make the school environment supportive of children, and to strengthen the relationship of the school with parents and the local community, there are institutionalised structures such as parent-teacher associations, local - level committees, and also alumni associations in some schools. In events held to celebrate national festivals and other occasions such as cultural day and sports day, most schools invite parents to participate. By inviting alumni and local residents also, the importance of the school as a community site can increase. Community involvement can also be sought for maintaining the school and its facilities. There are examples of local contributions for building school boundary walls, augmenting facilities, and so on. However, community participation must not mean the economic burdening of poor families. On the other hand, there can be an understanding that school space can be shared with the community for local events and that there will be some collective responsibility in maintaining its premises.

Thanks

Team Clear Ctet.

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