8 Promoting contribution of parents and teachers for overall development of children

M. Priya

Introduction:

In the era of 21st century of universal education and development every individual needs proper guidance and counselling for the betterment of life in all the way. A large number of children are confused while deciding to choose their education, career, life due to pressure from parents, peer groups or friends. They also find themselves in many personal problems of adjustment and it has become quite complex for social scientist who have to turn their attention to understanding it. This is not only the role of social scientist, but also the role of parents and teachers to promote them in healthy way. The parents and teachers should work together for children better mental health to develop self-confidence, understanding, self-control and ability to work effectively. This strength of human contribution can be upgraded through counselling and guidance. Every individual is born incomplete and inadequate in himself. No person is self-sufficient at any stage of life. Hence for the satisfaction of his needs and to be successful in life he depends very much upon the help of others. Right from the beginning of his life till the end of life he depends on others for having a happy and peaceful life. From this point of view parents and teachers role has been considered as essential contribution for overall development of a child.

Objectives:

To learn the concept of child development
To know the importance of parent-teacher contribution
To understand parental contribution towards child development
To know the teacher contribution towards child development
To identify the role of parents and teachers to foster child development

The concept of child development:

The concept of overall development of child is neither precise nor concise and lacks the clarity. The basic question here is what is child? What is development? why development is important? Why the parental and teacher contribution is important for every child?

Biologically a child is one human being between the stages of birth and puberty. Some parents value the child as a basis of happiness, some others feel it is an opportunity to realise their dreams, to some they think children are the protection to their old age and some may feel it as a burden.

Development is the process of adopting, learning and bringing changes in life to survive. The pace and pattern of child development vary from one child to other depending on the availability of resources and stimulation. This development has several aspects such as physical, emotional, social, spiritual, moral, intellectual and ethical.

The family is the primary group of society. Its characteristic feature is the affective bonds among the members in the family and a concern for each other. Family relations are broadly of two types-the parent-child relations and the husband-wife relations. When the members of the family are disunited, tensed, distressed and misery are the natural outcomes which will directly affects the development of child. Parents, teachers, siblings, elder members in family, friends play important role in child development and more importantly the parents and teachers have a critical role in overall development of child. Over the years, many literatures have been documented on the importance and role of parents towards their children for around development. Parent involvement in academic activities, behaviour problems, social functioning will help to assess the actual problem at the earlier stage. Parental contribution generally thought of as an avenue for promoting emotional, social, behavioural, academic performance. However, parent involvement may also enhance children’s behaviour in the classroom and at home as both parents and teachers work together to enhance proper functioning and address behavioural problems.

Why Parent-teacher contribution is important?

Parents and teachers play a vital role for providing harmonious development of children. Most problem children are the products of problem homes. The disturbing features in a home affect the development of child. Parent counselling is aimed at helping parents become sensitive to the possible adverse effect of their behaviour on their children. By helping parents gain a better understanding of themselves and their own personalities much harmony could be affected. Parent counselling deals with the area of parent-child relationships concerning the dimension of dependence-independence. Most parents are deeply concerned about the well-being of their children and are afraid that if left to themselves the children may harm themselves. Hence they become overprotective which is resented by the children.

Teachers must also play major role in listening to a child including interpreting words and actions. Listening skills helps a teacher to determine child’s needs and aids in fostering child development. Teachers usually communicate with many people in school settings throughout the day. Ex: parents, many children, staffs, public, administrators, doctors etc. Teachers must be prepared to communicate with all for seeking advice, asking questions and sharing experiences of school environment. To nurture is to nourish. When teacher contributes herself in nurturing child encompasses all aspects of development. Teacher has to nurture a child in rules, regulations, curriculum activities, positive behaviours, disciplining, learning developmentally appropriate behaviours which makes every child to a successful human being. Teachers should be counselled and trained to have direct conversations with children and parents and make daily activities meaningful through the incorporation of children experiences in the school.

Teachers today are expected to prepare eternally more diverse group of children in the classroom by focussing children in small group for challenging work such as framing problems, finding solutions, learning on their own, co-operative work. Teachers are not only involving in curriculum, but also expected to identify problem behaviours and observing child’s activities. Teachers play enormous role in nurturing the intellectual and social development of children. The teacher’s instructions should impart every child in determining the future prospects of their life. Children with special needs are also given equal opportunity to participate within their classroom not being left out.

Parental contribution towards child development:

1. For proper growth and development

2. to fulfil special need of children

3. to make adjustments in school

4. to provide educational and vocational needs of children

5. to be aware of problems concerning physical health

6. to overcome emotional problems

7. to repair social adjustment problems

8. to face complex nature of society

9. to fill bridging gap between school and home

10. to make proper use of leisure time

1. For proper growth and development

This involves the knowledge of health, nutrition and hygiene such as food, nutrients, cleanliness, sanitation, sound health. Parents should form positive attitudes towards each and every aspects of life such as in home, school, teachers, friends, society etc. Parents are also be aware of general habits of their children, routine work and related activities which understands one’s strength and limitations. As our society is growing more complex, the home is becoming more unimportant and the relationship between parents and children are becoming gradually more uncordial. Parental attachments are very essential for normal growth and development which also helps to build positive relationships with their peers. The parental attitudes, desires, ambitions, parental emotional and social maturity all have strong bearing on the development of young children.

2. To fulfil special need of children

Resolving the problems of exceptional, gifted and slow learner/dull children, fast learner, physically challenged, social and culturally deprived, emotionally disturbed children- all these categories of children also to be given equal opportunities wherever his potentialities fall. Parents have the responsibility to develop children abilities to the optimum level.

3. To make adjustments in school

Some children face problems in the school such as personality differences with teachers, problems with peers etc. Parents have to identify the problems and train the children to develop enough adaptability to adjust himself. Parents should help their children to become socially useful.

4. To provide educational and vocational needs of children

Proper adjustments in school lead to desirable progress in studies as well as curricular activities. Education in democratic country must be concerned with the development of personality and socially responsible and intelligent citizens. For achieving these objectives, parental efforts help in achieving educational goals. Parents should help children in choice of curriculum, books, co-curricular activities, vocational adjustments, help to choose-prepare-enter and progress.

5. To be aware of problems concerning physical health

The most important developmental changes that takes place in the body of a person. During adolescence period marked changes in height, weight, bodily proportions, voice, secondary sexual characteristics, and physiological systems take place. Parents should communicate with their children to accept the realities in life and to challenge.

6. To overcome emotional problems

Children and adolescent period marked by different emotional and behavioural problems. Parents have a vital role in the development of emotions and can help them to express their feelings through guiding them in proper way and also help them feel better and reduce behavioural problems. Parents also should be aware of their own negative emotions and thoughts while interacting with child. Defects of parental character and lack of parental affection frustrate their basic need for security and support. Parental stress can lead to disruption in proper parenting, so caring towards our emotions also meet the needs of our child.

7. To repair social adjustment problems

Man is a social animal. Social development is essential for normal adjustments in the society. Inferiority complex, over-dependency, deviant behaviours, moral and social outbursts can be observed when children face problems in social adjustment. Parents must reinforce positive behaviours and punish negative ones and avoid intermittent reinforcement. Intermittent reinforcement is nothing but an inconsistent response to the behaviour of another person. Eg: if a sibling witnesses another sibling perform an unacceptable social behaviour which is not punished by parent, and that child will be more likely to exhibit the same behaviour since he did not see punished by parent. However parents must be careful not to reinforce negative behaviours.

8. To face complex nature of society

The increasing population multiplying the problems of society. Our social, economic, political system is becoming more complex, children are facing problems in changing scenario, an extensive and complex social organisation exists for dealing with children in difficulties. Parents should raise the young children in a healthy manner with safe, secure, loving and supportive environment and that offer child to become a productive member in society.

9. To fill bridging gap between school and home

Home is the first school for the child and parent is the first teacher. Every parent should engage in child’s learning. Communication is the key to collaboration, focus on positive achievements rather than complaining a child, participating in parent-teacher meetings will enhance and fill the gap between home-school relationships.

10. To make proper use of leisure time

Every individual has leisure time in his life. It is also defined as an activity apart from the obligation of school, work, family and society and can be used for relaxation, creative talents. When it comes to overall development of children, leisure time activities are just important as education. Parents should engage their children in play especially when they are very young which helps them to develop cognitive, motor and emotional skills.

Teacher contribution towards child development:

It is important that every teacher recognises the status of child in school environment and the way that teacher interacts with children encourages in social, emotional and cognitive development. Some children may require more time to acquire knowledge, skills to perform according to his peer level. When young children are unable to perform better in classroom or school environment, they usually labelled as slow learners or children with learning disabilities. Its teacher’s role to contribute special attention to help address their difficulties. Even teacher can get professionals help to overcome the problem.

Teachers should identify the different learning needs of children
She has to make the classroom enriched with proper learning environment
Identify school readiness among children
Teacher has to assist school management in designing the appropriate school curriculum especially in early years where the maximum development occurs
Every teacher has to screen the children in their learning styles, emotional pattern, temperamental styles, cognitive abilities, physical development etc.
Teacher has to be arranged training, workshops, seminars, discussions if she finds difficult to cope with.
Parent-teacher meetings can be arranged to help parent to know about child development outside the home settings.

Working with pre-schoolers

Early childhood educators/teachers should foster the acceptance of socially incomplete child, she generally finds this attitude is mirrored by peers. But the teacher’s aim is to focus on promoting age appropriate communication skills provided in a positive acceptable manner.

Working with elementary school children

Teacher should assess academic strength of child which also promotes developing his social skills. The teacher must help the child to contribute opportunities, encourage social interactions for optimal growth. Students with social problems experience rejection in school activities, to avoid these humiliating situations teacher should motivate those children to involve in social skill activities.

Ex: carrom board, card games, group activities/games facilitates children to foster social skills or developments in the classroom. Such activities make children to utilise a variety of social skills.

Working with secondary school students

Teachers in high school must be aware of peer rejection or social rejection. During adolescence it is important to know that whether student is accepted by peers or rejected? Which takes him to the risk of emotional problems? The teacher can provide children with comfortable, accepted environment in school which helps him to develop socially acceptable behaviours. Teacher has to attend children emotional needs more effectively when necessary. She has to encourage every child to express their feelings, emotions adequately.

Tips for parents and teachers to foster child development:

Self awareness

Try to be aware of your mood and thoughts, you can attend your child’s emotional and psychological needs only when you are in good mental health

Stay positive

Try to relax yourself and it’s a way to stress management, schedule pleasant activities which you can participate with friends or children. Take time to be with your spouse which will rejuvenate you to perform better in all activities.

Be sensitive to your child’s feelings

Observing child’s behaviour and listening to him help to identify what child needs.Encourage child to express his feelings, emotions verbally. But be sensitive to both verbal and non-verbal expressions of child and his voice tone.

Accept your child feelings

Whether your child has positive or negative emotions it could be accepted and slowly the negative emotions can be treated. Increase your child’s vocabulary, so that he can identify and express his feelings adequately. Be empathetic to your child feelings, avoid being judgemental and critical. Avoid giving advice when he really frustrated.

Guide your child to evaluate his problems

Teachers and parents both has to guide the child to identify his own problems and find solutions to solve independently. Help the child to handle mistakes and failures. Motivation and encouragement will help the child to improve problem solving strategies.

Engage in child’s activities

Play is the better tool for developing skills and promoting bond between you and your child. Engage in activities in which you and your children enjoy doing together.

Schedule special talk with child

Some children do not express their emotions what exactly he/she experiencing. Routine discussions with children regarding their problems and experiences will help him to tell the actual problem what he is experiencing. Try to get your child to talk with you about his activities, interests, likes and dislikes.

Give encouragement and positive feedback

Encouragement acknowledge your child’s accomplishments and strengths, small things done by child should be encouraged and rewarded, this will help him to work up with higher potentials. Focus more on child efforts rather than mistakes, outcomes.

Conclusion:

Parents and teachers both are role models to every child in their overall developments. Teaching child desirable social behaviours, participating in group activities, providing emotional support build up child’s sense of belonging. Proper parenting and supports normal development of child and a good teacher bring the child a socially acceptable individual. Children behave, react and imitate their parents, so parents must play important role in encouraging, motivating their children to learn. Likewise teachers also nurture children’s learning and provide various experiences to face challenges in life. Teacher’s role is to make every child an independent learner. Well planned teacher has more power to bring positive outputs in every child and make him independent.

Trust and mutual understanding between parent and teacher is the real foundation of child’s happy learning. Parental support and co-cooperativeness helps the teacher to connect, understand and work together to bring positive changes in a child. A good parent-teacher relationship leads to healthy development in children.

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References:

Lewis, E.C. (1970). The psychology of counselling. New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Narayana Rao, S. (2008). Counselling and Guidance, Second edition, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, New Delhi.
Ramley, T., and Herilihy, B. (2001). Ethical, legal and professional issues in counselling. Upper Saddle River, NJ:Prentice-Hall