THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION IN STRENTHENING PARENT-TEACHER RELATIONSHIPS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

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CHAPTER 1 ORIENTATION TO THE STUDY

  1.    INTRODUCTION

Human development on account of learning processes results from multiple inputs and comprises an interactive and renewing process that is influenced by all stakeholders of the community (Anderson & Sabatelli, 2003:13). The impact of parents’ and families’ nurturing of healthy and productive ways of living in their children is therefore realized by means of various stakeholder structures that is contingent on mutually strong and nurturing relationships (Barbour, Barbour & Scully, 2005:154).

Owing to constant changes in the external environment that initiate changes to occur in schools, educators and parents must create diverse and adaptive ways to support each other (Fields, 1987:75, McClure, 2009:7).  Such an empowerment approach is based  on the understanding that parents are responsible for the child’s lifelong learning and well-being. It is further based on the advocation and structuring of schools to be places in which parents, children, and teachers renew and enrich their lives, thus empowering and capacitating each other to increased efficiency (Marsh, Mayfield, McFadden & Prince, 2001:15).

Parent involvement in education thrives at schools where an open door policy is practised that is based on effective communication. In both written and personal communication, parents should be convinced that they are welcome at the school and that their active involvement as primary partners in their children’s education is important to the school and to the optimal development of their children’s potential (Payne, 2006:23).

Saracho and Spodek (2001:23) pointed out that the ultimate goal of active parent involvement is enhancing the family’s ability to respond to its children. This goal of capacitating parents to assist their children optimally is as vital today as it was then and

it is therefore important to establish effective communication in primary schools to strengthen parent–teacher relationships for optimal learner development.

   BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

  •    Communication and the management of parent–teacher relationships

People communicate both directly and indirectly. Direct communication is intentional and includes what is chosen to be said, written and done. In addition to direct communication, interaction also occurs by means of indirect and unintentional communication pertaining to body language in the form of facial expressions, body placement and speech patterns (Bender, 2005:3). Direct and indirect communication that is controlled can make a difference in managing interactions in that problems can be solved with a greater degree of control.

At schools, communication with learners is carried out in a diverse number of ways. While much of the communication with learners is about imparting essential knowledge, it is also important that all communication with learners should have an element of motivation in that it should serve to motivate learners to explore further (Chrisman & Couchenour, 2004:42).

The best way to avoid misunderstanding between parents and teachers is to have regular, clear, established lines of communication. The more informed and involved parents are with what is going on in the classroom, the more they feel a part of the classroom team (Bender, 2005:4). Informed parents who feel included on a regular basis are more likely to be supportive and understanding and less likely to jump to negative conclusions. Indirect communication is mostly the result of habit, personality traits, and social customs that are unintentional and require a concerted effort to control (Fuller, 1999:56; Chrisman & Couchenour, 2004:13). Therefore, by mastering and employing the fine art of communication, many benefits are provided and gained in that

anxiety and stress are reduced, confidence is increased and clear and constructive and proactive understanding is arranged (Mariconda, 2003:132).

The greatest beneficiary of the rewards of a positive parent-teacher partnership is the child. When parents and teachers work together in the best interests of the child, an environment is created with optimal potential for learner development (Fuller, 1999:67).