Building School-Community Partnerships can be a valuable resource for educators who are interested in engaging schools with the communities. The primary outcome of these partnerships focuses on student success. There are other possible results when schools and communities come together. For example, relationships between teachers and community members can develop greater understanding among families and school staff. Schools can also begin to acknowledge the expertise of other groups and institutions in understanding their students’ developmental, social, and cultural needs. These changes may challenge the way schools are typically run, encouraging spaces for teachers and parents to share power and decision-making in redefining the culture of schools.

The process of communication should be given attention to have successful school-community partnership. In building a school-community partnership, there are little but thoughtful and considerate ways one should remember.

1. Be truthful and honest. Parents appreciate a teacher who can be depended on to say that truth about things – one whose word is reliable and who never tries to put anything over on them.

2. Avoid getting into any arguments. If you accept the parents’ right to think, feel and do as they see fit, there are little room for argument. Then one can present ideas and points of view that may differ. It will then be a matter of suggesting ideas for what they are worth but not for the purpose of convincing the parents that you are right and they are wrong.

 

3. In giving suggestions, offer more than one possibility. When you are thoroughly convinced that there is no one sure and right and only way, there will be no temptation to narrow down to just one possibility and suggestion.

4. Don’t jump into conclusion. Your guess about how parents feel, what they are going to say, or why they did something which may be right, but it may also be wrong, will lead to nowhere. Better wait and listen instead of being too sure about things.

5. Don’t be authoritative. When you genuinely feel that parents have a strong disposition and can make their own decisions, it is best not to be rigorously bossy.

By: Randy M. Bongco | Teacher III | Orion Elementary School | Orion, Bataan