Education is a three-legged stool, the legs being the student, the parent, and the teacher. When one leg is missing, the process of education becomes more challenging. Thus in Sabah the staff have been meeting up with the parents during the December school vacation. Meeting up with them before the school year begins in January helps the teachers to find out the needs and interests of individual students.
During the Dec 2013 visits to the villages where Goducate has set up learning centers, the officer in charge of curriculum went with the four area coordinators to all 21 learning centers. Students and parents were invited to their respective centers for a talk. Then the visiting team spent a few days at each village, accompanied by the local teacher or teachers, doing home visits.
Home visiting is very effective at supporting parents and young children. The team brings along some food, medicines, and toys. Meeting the parents and children in a relaxed setting helps in bridging cultural barriers, reporting on academic progress, enlisting parental support to increase academic achievement, and giving parents the tools with which to do so. The visits give the staff a better understanding of what support the student has or what challenges the student faces.
During the visit the staff document and record important information, including issues that could become potential problems such as health conditions, relevant family situations, or previous schools problems.
The team has found that if possible the teacher should maintain follow-up meetings with the parents. Parents become more willing to share their concerns, and teachers can encourage the parents’ continued involvement in their child’s academic life.
