What exactly is parental involvement? Many parents think that they are the only ones attending teacher meetings at their children's schools. Parental involvement or the role of parents in children's education, of course, is not influenced by gender, culture, and social class alone.
But also some occur due to technology and current trends. So of course the involvement of parents in the education of children at the kindergarten or elementary level a few years ago was different from the role of parents today.
Now communication between parents and teachers has become easier with technology. They can use mobile phones as well as SMS and online chat services. Parents and teachers can communicate about children's development at school without having to meet in person. Especially now with the sophistication of technology, there are social media and the internet that can be accessed easily. Their communication can be established even more closely.
Changing Times Make Communication Systems Change
Advanced technology makes parents have a close communication relationship with educators to talk about their children. Another change that occurred was that ancient mothers still played a role in children's education.
But nowadays many of them work outside the home, so they are more focused on the world of work. So, what exactly is parental involvement? According to the U.S. Department of Education, parental involvement is the role of parents in realizing collaboration.
The collaboration carried out by parents must of course be continuous with the teacher or the school. Where they talk about children's growth and development and various activities carried out at school.
That way, even though the parents are at work they can still monitor the child's development. Parental involvement does not just establish communication between parents and teachers or attend meetings at school.
But it also functions in realizing sustainable cooperation between parents and other parents. Parents are also expected to play their role at home so that children feel comfortable.
Even though both parents have to work late at night, that doesn't mean they don't do their job. Both parents can share duties and responsibilities. For example, the mother and father do work activities alternately.
Some Things Parents Can Do At Home
Parental involvement by asking about learning experiences
Parents can pay attention to their children by asking about their learning experiences at school while at home. This will make children more active to think and express how they experience and feel while at school. Besides, it also makes children and parents closer.
Accompany when completing homework
Some teachers will give you homework to complete. In this case, parental involvement or the role of parents for children can be done by accompanying them while studying. Parents can accompany or even teach new things that they may not know. Doing this can increase the child's sense of trust in his parents.
Planning a schedule of activities at home
After school, of course, children will feel tired and bored. Parents can overcome this by making a schedule of activities. Plan activities at home that parents and children can have fun doing. For example, by drawing together or planting plants together.
Some of these activities can be an alternative for parents who are busy working and want to have time with their children. Parental involvement has become very important during today's sophisticated technology.
Reference source:
http://www.nea.org
http://www.sedl.org
U.S. Department of Education. 2004. Parental Involvement: Non Regulatory Guidance. United States.