Parents and Teachers Working Together

by Steven A. Melnick —Teachers can’t do it alone.  Although much criticism is leveled at the public schools today, the role that parents play in educating a young child is often ignored by those critics.  The relationship between parents and schools is an important one in fostering the social, emotional, and academic development of children.

Dr. Tony Bennett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction for Indiana, deserves some praise for his focus on the role of parents in educating a child.  Announced on Monday, October 4, Dr. Bennett along with Center Jeff Foster of the Indiana Pacers, launched Indiana’s Parents Pledge for schools, educators and parents across the state.  As stated in their press release, “The pledge aims to increase parent engagement and enhance academic collaboration between parents and teachers.”

Parent Pledge

As a parent, grandparent or caring adult I hereby affirm my commitment to the academic achievement and career success of my child. I promise to make the pursuit of knowledge a priority in my household.

To demonstrate my commitment to this goal, I pledge to adhere to the following principles:

• My child will read with an adult or be encouraged to read independently each day.
• My child will complete all homework assignments given by school instructors and will be encouraged to ask for help when it is needed.
• My child will arrive at school on time, well rested and prepared for a full day of instruction and learning.
• My child will treat teachers and fellow classmates with respect and compassion. I will make positive behavior the expectation in my household.
• My child will graduate from high school and will understand the importance of a strong education in determining future success.
• I will encourage my child to dream big and always give 100 percent effort.
• I will treat my child’s teachers as a valuable resource and work with them to support academic improvement and classroom behavior expectations.
• I will monitor my child’s academic growth and stay as involved as possible in my child’s education. I will let the teacher know right away if I notice any problems.

Together, my child and I, in partnership with Indiana’s educators, will make education our #1 priority.

Even though you might not live in Indiana, the pledge is a great idea.  Post it on your refrigerator and stay focused on it every day.  Simple steps, bright future for our children.