It takes a village to nurture a child

The battle of teachers against the deteriorating learning achievement of students lies in the absence of parental guidance and follow-up at home.

MANILA, Philippines — Most of the time, teachers complain about poor reading comprehension among students, the oft-cited reason being absenteeism. The result is a gap in comprehension that ultimately leads to poor academic performance.

In an action research entitled “Absenteeism of Selected Grade 1 pupils of Cabili Elementary School,” the author found out in an interview that 76 per cent of respondents answered “lack of supervision and follow-up at home” as one of the top reasons for absenteeism, which led to poor academic performance. It could be gleaned that absence in school contributed to gaps in acquiring vocabulary and knowledge that could improve their access to learning and strengthen the basics of comprehension.

It is very frustrating to discover that simple vocabulary words cannot be uttered and comprehended by a seventh grader. The challenge is tough but through concerted effort, improvement is possible.

Responsible parenting definitely plays a crucial role in bettering teaching and learning. Even simple follow-ups at home of schoolwork and assignments tend to make a big contribution to a student’s academic performance. Asking them after school about how they spent their day and the output expected of them can sometimes motivate children to do their best.

Parents and teachers, together with the entire community, must work hand in hand to produce productive and responsible young citizens. As the old adage goes, “It takes a village to nurture a child.” In the absence of such, the highest aspirations of educational institutions will not be realized.

Educating parents may be an initiative of schools and local governments. Launching seminars that focus on the parental contribution and role as teachers at home may solidify the goal of involving them on their children’s road to academic success.

It is also necessary to inform them that in case of their inability to provide academic assistance, someone in the family who is capable like an older brother and sister can also be an option.

It is not only a call for responsible parenting but also for all nurturing hearts to take an active part in shaping and molding the next frontliners of society.

Rosette Eseo is a Head Teacher IV at San Pablo National High School.