What you need from school before the holiday.
The academic session is rapidly coming to an end, bringing good news for students and teachers who will enjoy a well-deserved break. However, the not-so-good news is that parents now have an additional responsibility of managing their children for a longer period of time. Part of this management involves deciding what the child will learn or engage in during the holidays.
Unfortunately, many parents are clueless when it comes to this decision, and even those who have ideas about their children’s activities are often too busy to implement them.
In most cases, parents rely on schools to make these decisions on their behalf. Ideally, this should be a positive approach since schools are equipped with professional educators. Regrettably, for many schools, this is not the case. They may lack the professionalism needed to make informed decisions or prioritize profit over educational needs. In fact, during a conversation with some school owners in 2022, I expressed my concern that schools, especially private ones, are becoming economic factories. School owners are preoccupied with counting the number of students as an indication of revenue generation, while teachers are focused on salary increases. It’s important to note that I am not suggesting that this applies to all cases, but rather that it occurs frequently due to a lack of professionalism or an excessive focus on financial gains.
Given these circumstances, it becomes difficult to fully trust the school’s decisions. Conscious parents need to double-check the school’s recommendations regarding their children’s holiday activities to ensure they align with their child’s current and future needs.
As a parent, you cannot make an informed decision until you know about your child’s academic and non-academic performance at school. Therefore, as the term concludes, it is crucial to engage with the school to obtain detailed feedback about your child. Please note that this goes beyond mere report cards. Some of the figures presented in those reports may not accurately reflect your child’s abilities. Often, these numbers are manipulated to please parents and ensure the payment of future school fees. I have personally experienced this, so I understand the issue. These are aspects that people tend to avoid discussing.
Hence, it is important for you to schedule a meeting with your child’s school to gain insight into their performance across various areas: academics, behavior, extracurricular activities, and relationships with others, among others. Please note that this information should be specific. It is not enough to hear general statements like “the child is brilliant” or “the child struggles with English.” Instead, you need specific details such as “the child excels in algebra but faces challenges with shapes and measurements” or “the child has strong spoken English skills but struggles with reading.” Additionally, consider behavioral changes, such as a child who used to interact well with classmates and actively participate in class but has recently become aggressive and withdrawn.
These pieces of information are crucial in determining how to best utilize the holiday period. For instance, if it is evident that a child struggles in mathematics, you can consider enrolling them in a math clinic rather than focusing on reading classes. If the child is performing well academically, you can explore other important skills such as coding, writing, or cooking. On the other hand, if a child excels academically but struggles with collaboration, you may consider sending them to spend the holiday with relatives to enhance their social interactions or enrolling them in classes that foster communication and collaboration skills.
You can see why it is important to obtain such feedback from the school and for the school to provide specific information. It greatly aids in determining the next course of action for your child.
Do something different this holiday by taking the bold and important step of requesting feedback from the school before the holiday commences. Be prepared to listen and accept any difficult truths they may share. If the school provides justifications for their assessments, refrain from reacting with annoyance or withdrawing your child from the school based on that alone. Instead, utilize the information for your child’s growth and development.
Thank you for reading.