Parents Are Fundamental in Their Child's Education

In the nineteenth century an American classroom was a drafty one-room schoolhouse that was simple in design as it reflected its rural community. There was a limited amount of supplies and materials. Children were not required to attend school during the summer because they were valuable as laborers at home. Their single young female teacher used basic sources and taught penmanship and arithmetic to a class of all ages. Testing consisted of oral tests or of slate and chalk. In this room, words such as diversity and Internet access were not heard. After school children ran home to help at home and their mother made them a home cooked meal from scratch and read them to sleep.

Today the American schoolhouse is much different. Computers give access to the whole world at the touch of a finger. Now, it is Politicians and government officials making decisions for classrooms. Teachers must be specially trained in technology and multicultural issues. Often in a classroom several languages can be heard. Schools continue to grow as the needs of the community grow. Schools are often now designed for one unit of study in mind. Off campus opportunities are also growing and graduation plans are custom designed for the direction in life the student chooses to go.

One thing that has not changed over the years is the need a child has for parental support. There is nothing a school can do to replace a parent for a child. Of all the people involved in education a parent has the biggest influence on a child's success. Parents are ultimately responsible for their child's education. It is their responsibility to assure that their child has everything they will need for school and are comfortable there too. It is only when a parent provides the basic needs for their child that the opportunities a school provides can be met to their ultimate potential. They need to make sure that they have clothes that are clean and fit them. Their job also consists of making sure that their children are bathed and fed. Most of the problems public schools face are brought from home with the child. Student's safety is in jeopardy when children do not have the supervision at home that they need. Children need positive attention at all ages; when that is neglected irreversible things happen that schools cannot fix.

When a parent parents a child a teacher is able to teach him. It is then a teacher is able to expand on each child's unique qualities. The teacher would also be able to teach higher-level thinking. He or she would be able to focus the whole school day on new and exciting ways to learn and problem solve. The teacher is able to do this because the parents have instilled proper manners and social skills by spending quality time with their child.

When a teacher is able to manage a successful learning environment in his classroom a principal can do her job. The principal is able to make sure the atmosphere of the school is a positive one where all students are excited about learning. Their job is also to support and encourage their teachers to explore exciting school wide programs to keep the environment of the school a fun and comfortable place for learning to occur. When a discipline problem occurs, the principal could make the proper decision in a timely manor and would support the teachers and parents because it is for the well being of the child.

The bottom line is that education is constantly changing; a school cannot educate a child to his full potential alone. And parents need the support of a community that recognizes the abilities of their children for them to thrive and become a productive member of society. The need for a child to have parental support is timeless. When schools and parents work together for the sake of our students, true success can take place.