Research has shown that our children fare better in their school environment when there is a strong school-family relationship. This is confirmed by the results of a National Institute of Education (NIE) survey of some 7,500 Primary 4 and Secondary 2 students from 37 schools.
Children whose parents are actively involved in their schooling experience higher academic success than children whose parents are passively involved. With a better understanding of their child's subjects, goals and rules and regulations around their schooling, parents can act as a catalyst for better learning.
The enhanced support provides a strong motivation for our children to achieve better grades. This stimulates their self-esteem and attitudes toward learning, and a positive cycle is cultivated.
Other benefits that develop from a solid parent-school partnership include better behaviour in the classroom and improvements in the children's work habits, social skills and emotional well-being.
With so many studies advocating for parent-school partnerships, Singapore preschools and ECDA childcare centres have also hopped on the bandwagon to encourage collaboration between parents and teachers.
Widely known as “parent engagement” or school-home partnerships, parents have to work hand-in-hand with their children’s teachers from their time in preschool. This is essential to building a solid foundation for the child’s learning development that the teachers can leverage to fuel your child’s learning.
Both parents and teachers have their roles to support and complement each other in the child’s development and learning.
How Parent-School Partnerships Benefit Your Child’s Development and Learning
A strong parent-school partnership will allow your child to feel more secure and protected in their early childhood development.
Here are some benefits why you (parents) should have a strong relationship with your child’s preschool teachers:
Two-way Communication & Trust
You can share and contribute information on your child’s learning style to help the teacher leverage and support your child’s learning and development.
Most of the childcare centres or preschools in Singapore schedule regular Parent-Teacher meetings to update parents on their child’s academic, social, emotional, and behavioural progress in school.
Parent Resources
Your child’s preschool teacher can be instrumental in offering tips and effective ways of engaging you (parents) in your child’s learning.
For example, at Little Footprints Preschool, parents are encouraged to be involved in their children’s literacy development through the Librarian’s Code programme. They are also invited to events and celebrations organised by the centre and have opportunities to take over the role of the teacher to teach their child’s class.
Many ECDA childcare centres in Singapore also have a Parents’ Resource platform where they offer articles or organise talks and workshops to provide useful information related to child development and parenting support.
Parents’ Involvement & Participation
Parents who volunteer at these preschools also gain a more appreciative perspective of the teachers’ roles in school and vice versa.
Preschools and childcare centres in Singapore encourage parents to actively participate in their young child’s learning journey by facilitating activities such as festive celebrations or birthdays to improve family bonding between parent and child.
Home-based Support
This parent-school partnership affords parents expert advice when it involves decision-making and advocation of different approaches and courses of action for their children’s learning outcomes.
For example, ECDA childcare teachers are trained to look out for any learning difficulty or challenges and how to advise parents to take early or preventive measures. Your preschool teachers can also share methods for you to reinforce key learning elements with your child such as singing songs and rhymes to build up your child’s phonics skills.
Book a Tour with Us!
If you are looking for a childcare that offers parent-school support, come check us out and discover how our teachers will collaborate with you on your child’s early childhood education journey.
We have centres island wide. Book a tour with us at your preferred Little Footprints Preschool centre.
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