https://pamirtimes.net/2022/02/10/a-practical-model-to-enhance-community-involvement-in-schools/
A practical model to enhance Community
Involvement in Schools
Darvesh Karim, Faculty, AKU-IED/PDCN.
Whole School Improvement is often
defined as improvement for all learners (stakeholders) including students,
teachers, non-teaching staff, and parents, which improves all the aspects of
the school to enhance students’ learning. WSIP identifies six dimensions of a school
for focused input and improvement to enhance students’ learning outcomes. The
dimensions are Leadership, Management and Administration; Quality of Teaching
and Learning; Curriculum Enrichment and Staff Development; Building,
Accommodation and Resources; Social, Moral and Spiritual Development of
Students and Health Education; Community Participation. Wherever an
educational project is implemented in schools, AKU-IED/PDCN tries to ensure
implementing these six dimensions in schools, which have always proven success
and improvement.
While working with different schools and teachers as a
teacher-educator, it has been our priority to initiate context relevant
activities in schools and provide teacher trainings for a smooth implementation
of these activities. In this short writeup a practical model to enhance
‘community participation in schools’ based on field experience is being shared.
Community participation has always been a focus for
schools; however, it always varies in different contexts. Some schools are very
successful in the process of community involvement, while some need more
efforts to succeed. This writeup suggest some activities for school management
through which they can increase and ensure community participation which will
allow the school to bridge the successful connection between school and the
community.
Firstly, it has always been our strong recommendation
that to improve the community participation, the first and far most element is
the school atmosphere, which should be warm, friendly, and welcoming towards
parents and community members. The school leadership and management should
inculcate this behavior in students as well as in teaching and non-teaching
staff. They should never feel shy, hesitant, confused and questioning towards
the parent and community who visit school. The friendly and welcoming
atmosphere of the school will surely attract the parents and community towards
school. To engage the communities in the affairs of school, the most basic
factor which will lay the foundation of school-community relationship is the
welcoming behavior of school’s management, staff, and students.
Secondly, a proper SMC – School Management Committee
should be formed by taking the consent from the individuals. This voluntary
body should be formed not on the paper but with the individual’s consent who
are willing to contribute time, their knowledge, and skills for the noble cause
of education in their village. Sometimes, just to fulfill the formality schools
use to identify names, who don’t visit school and do not take interest in
school affairs. If this formation is done purposefully and seriously, then a
successful parental involvement will initiate and we may dominantly notice that
a member of SMC will always be available in school. School headteacher or
teachers do not need to call the SMC for help, but there would be a system
already intact. To make this system more powerful, school management may plan a
regular parent teacher meeting at school on weekly basis or fortnightly. SMC
will always make it sure that the required/called parents must attend the
meeting with teachers. During these meetings SMC members also present and they
discuss with the parents about the children educational performance, areas of
improvement, homework and its quality, health & hygiene condition,
timetable for children at home and many more. This regular interaction with
community will boost up a sense of ownership with school.
Furthermore, school management with the coordination
of SMC and teachers, may establish a timetable for home to be followed by the
students. To make it sure that the given timetable is followed properly
at home by the students, SMC members pay surprise visits to different homes.
Before doing so, they should always coordinate with the teachers keeping
students’ performance in class and their home tasks quality. These surprise
visits will give an opportunity to support the families and students for a
better performance and to help/identify the struggling students. These visits
will also alert parents and students to follow the given home timetable for a
common good.
Recognition is a positive re-enforcement to boost
educational outcomes. Recognizing students’ performance in education, sports
and other co-curricular activities can increase self-confidence and a sense of
accomplishment for the individuals who secure high. This encouragement can also
aspire other students towards a positive competition. This element could be
triggered by SMC with the coordination of school management efficiently. This will
increase positive competition among students to increase their grades in the
annual examination.
Likewise, every year, schools use to celebrate
different local, national, and international events in school and all these
celebrations should be included in annual school development plan (SDP). These
events can be celebrated with the coordination of SMC and parents. To arrange
these celebrations in terms of finance and communication to social/political
figures to participate in the event, SMC can be involved. During these events,
political/social/religious notables would be the chief guests.
It has been experienced that some schools also
initiate the following activities for parents to enhance school-community
relationship:
|
· Awareness
sessions for parents |
·
Sessions for SMC on different topics |
|
·
Parents’ Day Celebration |
·
Mother support Groups (MSGs) |
|
·
Meetings with mothers |
·
Sessions for mothers |
|
· Involvement
of Influential people (Political, Social, Religious) as Guest speakers in
Assembly |
·
Plan talent shows, award ceremonies, book fairs etc. for parents to attend. |
|
·
Facilitate training of teaching and non-teaching staff to communicate with
parents in multi-lingual, cultural differences, and respect in mind. |
·
Create flexible volunteering opportunities like different days, times, tasks
for parents to participate. |
|
·
Phone calls/text message/WhatsApp Messages or creating a Facebook group for
school. |
·
Positive behavior as well as negative behaviors shown by the students at
school should be communicated to parents through various means of
communication |
All these initiatives may ensure the community
participation positively and a great teamwork among headteacher, teachers, SMC
and community will emerge. There must be an open and honest communication
between all the stakeholders in terms of their defined roles, and they do not
need to intervene to others role. All will be performing their responsibilities
according to a set rule and defined responsibilities. During the
weekly/fortnightly meetings they will evaluate their roles and responsibilities
hence a system of mutual accountability will be intact and there will be a
sense of ownership among all the stakeholders.
Finally, this writeup suggests that individuals and
communities can play a vital role in the school improvement process. However,
to attract useful and committed individuals for this voluntary body, potential
individuals should be contacted and with their consent who are willing to
contribute time, their knowledge, and skills should be included in the body.
Schools always need guidance, support, and practice to create appropriate
environment and welcoming behavior for effective partnerships.
