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teacher-2-teacher

urgent need for teacher-

parent collaboration

DEVYANI muNGALI

HE OLD ADAGE WHICH PROFESSED, “it takes in the absence of safe, nurturing
a village to raise a child” is still relevant in the
modern world. The challenge is that there has neighbourhoods there is a sudden void.
tbeen rapid fraying of the supportive social struc- Schools need to step forward to ensure
tures which existed earlier. There is vanishing support
of large, extended families which provided a safety net the well-being of parents, children and
for young parents and children to grow and blossom into educators
healthy, well-rounded individuals.
In the absence of safe, nurturing neighbourhoods there
is a sudden void. It is imperative that schools step for- build rapport among parents, children and teachers — the
ward to ensure well-being of all three stakeholders — par- school community. Working together they can develop
ents, children and educators. Schools have a significant children’s soft skills, resilience, empathy, collaborative
responsibility to plan and create safe and secure learning learning and team building capabilities. Healthy parent-
spaces and provide ample opportunities for engagement, teacher collaboration will enable children to learn the
free expression, experimentation and collaboration be- vitally important skill of communication — what to say,
tween children, parents and educators. where to say, how to say it and learn to be good listeners.
Hitherto, the primary role of schools was to provide ne of the realities of the 21st century is the dawn
education, while the emotional, behavioural and social oof a new digital age. Parents and teachers need to
well-being needs of children were fulfilled by families, acknowledge and accept the ideological confusion and
neighbourhoods, and communities, which were strongly obsession with digital devices which has spread within
interwoven in the fabric of society. In modern times children and adult communities. This has created new
parents are often working in bustling towns and cities, unprecedented dangers. Children are often in the care
far from the places they grew up in. They are juggling of digital nannies, living their lives in a virtual world,
the responsibilities of being good providers and parents far removed from reality. They are exposed to content
simultaneously. They are constantly anxious about their unsuitable for their age, experience cyber bullying, play
jobs, families and want to provide the best education to online games and are exposed to mindless violence, which
their children. they could start accepting as normative. To confront this
Isolationism caused by social media and long hours rising danger to children’s mental and emotional stability,
spent online are other challenges which pose danger to strong parent-teacher collaboration is required for chil-
the emotional welfare of children. Increasingly, children dren to be guided, counselled and motivated to manage
are spending less time in face-to-face interaction with rather than get overwhelmed by technology.
family and friends. Unfortunately, not only children but Moreover in these complex times, we teachers need to
even care-giving adults are being blindsided by creeping reflect and introspect whether we should prepare children
normalization of adult time being spent on social media, in our care to pass exams, or teach them to succeed in
resulting in neglect of emotional and mental comfort of their careers and lives while maturing into emotionally
children. and mentally well-adjusted adults. Self-evidently, the
Therefore the onus has devolved upon school manage- wider definition of education necessitates working
ments to provide children, parents and educators oppor- collaboratively with parents to win the confidence of
tunities to work collaboratively for the benefit of children. children to develop the whole child. Twenty-first century
These opportunities could be working on science projects, children beset with unprecedented distractions, anxieties
co-curricular education, music, dance, art, pottery and and insecurities require constant support of parents
creative writing. Enabling sports education provides a and teachers who need to collaboratively guide them
great fillip to not just children’s physical well-being but through childhood and school into adulthood and higher
also their mental health. Schools have the wherewithal, education.
infrastructure and personnel to guide children, parents Against this backdrop, school managements, teachers
and educators to learn through hands-on experiences. and parents need to work in partnership to ensure the
Opportunities can be created by teachers for children academic, mental and emotional well-being of children.
and parents to learn how to discuss, express differing We need to collectively accept and acknowledge that we
opinions, and respect differences of opinion. Spaces and are preparing our children to thrive and succeed in life
platforms have to be created to resolve differences and outside the safe boundaries of schools and homes.
manage emotions of sadness, joy, anger, frustration, and
disappointment. (Devyani mungali is founder of the Sanskriti Group of Schools, Pune,
Only schools have the capability to create bridges to which has 9,000 students and 500 teachers on its muster rolls)

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