TASMANIAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE SCHOOL ORGANISATIONS INC.
Parent engagement in schools should not be an optional extra.
Parents and families play an essential role in supporting their child’s education. Research has shown when schools and families work together in partnership, children do better, stay in school longer, are more engaged with their school work, attend school more regularly, better behave, and have better social skills. Parent engagement also results in longer term economic, social and emotional benefits.
https://www.education.gov.au/parent-engagement-children-s-learning To date no political party has mentioned the role of parents and families in the education of children beyond the early years.
Lisa Gillard, TASSO President said, “TASSO firmly believe that parents regardless of occupation, education or income play a key role in helping their children to become confident and motivated learners.
Where genuine relationships exist between parents and school staff there is a powerful basis for high quality learning and positive outcomes for everyone.”
True engagement is more than fundraising and parent help which is of importance but so is having parents at the forefront of policy and management decisions made in the school and Department of Education through proper recognition of the use and funding of TASSO, school associations and their committees and communities.
What does this require?
• Political parties and the Department of Education focusing on and embedding Parent Engagement if they are genuine about improving educational outcomes for Tasmanian students, so they can to reach their full potential.
• Include in selection criteria for leadership positions in schools, and relevant units within the Department, the statement; “demonstrated capacity to build strong and productive partnerships with parents”.
• Acknowledge parents as the first and primary educators of their children, empower and allow them to exercise their rights as life-long educators.
• Implement learning units of parental engagement into teacher training both at university and professional development.
Tasmania is not starting from scratch in recognizing and implementing Parent Engagement in public education, Launching into Learning (LiL), Learning in Families Together (LiFT) are both successful programs and Child and Family Centres are achieving wonderful outcomes. “TASSO does not believe that a parent’s role in their child’s education finishes in the early years of school” said TASSO President Lisa Gillard.
TASSO calls on all candidates and parties to say what their vision and policy is for Parent Engagement, what will be different and improved on, will funding be available for what is nationally and internationally accepted as being a vital element in improving educational outcomes?
Lisa Gillard, TASSO President
