Yesterday I started this two part series on what I believe are the two most underestimated factors in schooling. The first factor concerns the economic model of schools and the second factor – the education of parents. If you haven’t read part one, please do so first before reading on.
Schools must take parent education seriously. I believe that as teachers our influence can be dramatically hindered by what parents do and don’t do at home. I also believe lack of parent education and buy-in is one of the leading factors in school attrition. Parents may come to your school generally educated. However, they must be “educated” in the vision, mission, purpose, and definitions of your school.
Parent education begins at “open house”, throughout the admissions process, and should continue throughout the course of their student’s career at the school. We should provide much training through “Parent Academies” and other educational opportunities and explicitly require participation in those opportunities. Swim teams, soccer leagues, and clubs require mandatory parent meetings and parents oblige. How much more important is their understanding of the Christian and classical model in which their child is participating?
