Howeverimportantwemayregardschoollifetobe,thereisnodenyingthatchildrenspendmoretimeathomethanintheclassroom.
Therefore,thegreatinfluenceofparentscannotbeignoredordiscountedbytheteacher.
Theycanbecomestrongalliesoftheschoolpersonnelortheycanconsciouslyorunconsciouslyhindercurricularobjectives.
Administratorshavebeenawareoftheneedtokeepparentsinformedofthenewermethodsusedinschools.
Manyprincipalhaveconductedworkshopsexplainingsuchmatterasthereadingreadinessprogramanddevelopmentalmathematics.
Moreover,theteacher,withthepermissionofthesupervisors,canalsoplayanimportantroleinenlighteningparents.
Theinformalteaandthemanyinterviewscarriedonduringtheyear,aswellasnewwaysofreportingpupils’progress,cansignificantlyaidinachievingaharmoniousinterplaybetweenschoolandhome.
Toillustrate,supposethatafatherhasbeendrillingJohninarithmeticprocessesnightafternight.
Inafriendlyinterview,theteachercanhelptheparentsublimatehisnaturalpaternalinterestintoproductivechannels.
HemightbepersuadedtoletJohnparticipateindiscussingthefamilybudget,buyingthefood,usingayardstickathome,settingtheclock,calculatingmileageonatripandengaginginscoresofotheractivitiesthathaveamathematicalbasis.
Ifthefatherfollowstheadvice,itisreasonabletoassumethathewillsoonrealizehissonismakingsatisfactoryprogressinmathematics,andatthesametime,enjoyingthework.
Toooften,however,teachers’conferenceswithparentsaredevotedtopettyaccountsofchildren’swrongdoings,complaintsaboutlazinessandpoorworkhabits,andsuggestionsforpunishmentandrewardsathome.
Whatisneededismorecreativeapproachesinwhichtheteacher,asaprofessionaladviser,plantsideasinparents’mindsforthebestutilizationofthemanyhoursthatthechildspendsoutoftheclassroom.
Inthisway,theschoolandthehomejoinforcesinfosteringthefullestdevelopmentofyoungsters’capacities.