Parents can assist learners at home

We thank God for the gift of life, children, good health, etc. We thank President Museveni for his good guidance, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Among the measures he put in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus was the closing of all educational institutions. This brought many questions on what will happen to students while at home.

As parents, we have a role to play in our children’s education while at home. In this article, the term “parent” refers to not only biological parents, but also step parents, grandparents, guardians, and any other person that can take a responsibility of helping the child to achieve educational objectives.

Research identifies generally six types of parents’ participation in their children’s education. Some activities can be done by parents at home (home-based) and some at school (school-based). My interest now is on what parents can do while children are at home to help them achieve academically.

Parents’ should meet the basic needs (love, health, safety, etc,) of their children and establishing helpful home learning environments. Parents also need to provide their children with acceptable clothing, nutrition, and housing.

All these are motivational factors and affect children’s learning. Parents should also interact with teachers in order to support their children’s learning and sharing their educational aspirations and expectations with their children and teachers. Parents can communicate with the teachers through email, WhatApp, messenger, or phone call and visit sites to create successful dialogue between the school and the home (parents).

I have seen some schools send notes to children through email messages, please parents find out what your child’s school has done. Help your child communicate with their teacher. Though positive correspondence with teachers, educators, and executives, parents can develop an effective instructional support for their children and they may become more actively engaged in learning while at home.

• Volunteering: Parents assist teachers in their local areas, students, and other parents in the learning activities. A parent can volunteer and be a teacher while at home.
• Discussing of topics on social media with your children in relation to what they study at school.
• Some children were given Covid-19 home-work, try and see whether the child is doing it.
• Volunteer to read for and with them some novels to encourage them. Others feel good to read and discuss with adults.
• Parents can help their children with homework and other curriculum content areas, setting academic goals as well as a home library.

Rev Can Duncans Mugumya,
Kampala