ONE of the main concerns of every principal in his school is the building up of the best relationship between his teachers and the parents of the children. Organizing the Parents-Teachers Association or the Teachers-Community Organization is just the beginning.
To build a relationship, the parties involved should be brought to a common understanding of what good is expected to happen. There should be the harmonizing of hearts, minds and actions to come up with a desired output. The principal should lead and pave the way.
Parents are sending their children to school to obtain the best education and to achieve the best character formation from the teachers. The parents expect that teachers of their children are great. Only great teachers can inspire. The mediocre teachers simply tell. The good teachers just explain. The superior teachers modestly demonstrate.
The trust and confidence that build up between the teacher and parents would be a covenant and a commitment on what each party should do for the development of the child. Concerns in school become the responsibility of the teachers; concerns at home become the responsibility of the parents.
Regular homeroom meetings are designed to monitor the development of the pupils. It is best also if the teacher can do home visitation to check the situation of parents and pupils having unusual concerns. Home visitation should be consulted with the principal and guidance counselor.
A principal like I should always be on the watch on things happening in my school that involve the joint activities of teachers and parents. There are things to be avoided such as personal contributions to raise funds. Contribution could only be voluntary. It should be explained where the contribution goes.
In public schools where facilities need to get augmented, teachers and parents should be resourceful in looking for donors. There are some companies that share their social responsibility. I suggest that teachers and parents should not make compromises with help that have strings attached to them.
We can only build excellent relationship between teachers and parents when respect, mutual understanding, and wholehearted willingness are there. After all, we are a family. (Genalin Diaz-Biboso, Principal I, Don Homero H. Tanpinco Elem. School)