These words “Parents are Partners” was always hitting my mind, especially whenever there would be any event as “Manthan”, “Mela”, “Parent workshop”.
In my initially years as facilitator, I was thinking that parents are actually partners – discussing, making decision together, communicating to each other, giving and taking updates, above all volunteering to participate in the working of Aarohi as they too are part of it equally.
As I observed I saw that my definition was totally contradictory. The parents were called for meetings to discuss about the child; they were called and asked to participate in events. At times, it seems to me that we are serving them.
To me a parent is equal as much as a faculty in the child’s learning in Aarohi community. So they have equal role as a faculty and the child itself. What is Aarohi for parents? I think, it’s a platform for them to get more understanding about “how all children learn”, what is the cause and effect of some behaviours in children”, “how to empower children” above all “Aarohi” is an opportunity for them to work with different children (parent workshops), contribute to a group of children (Manthan). A comfort of being and living with “like minded” people (believing in the Aarohi philosophy). As far as my observation, when a parent is asks something from faculty
– they may be in any frame of mind especially to check the progress of their children or some behavioural changes in their children, or even to check the efficiency of the faculties, how good is the Aarohi learning process (I may be judgmental in my statement) but some experience with parents has been, how is my child doing?. The first thing I do is ask them to specific. Then it comes; how my child is in the class, does my child choose goal and work on it, does my child stick to the goal, if not the what all you do as faculty/or how does the process take care of this?, this kind of questions something as a faculty I think it is especially to check how efficient the faculty is? ( Perhaps check the subject matter expertise in the faculty) is my child in the same level now or has moved ahead? (Whether Aarohi is doing something to my child or not), what all have you observed about my child, (probably they are asking to know how observant the faculty is?
But I think it needs to be the other way round. THEY ARE PARTNERS WITH US. They need to be participating, involving, volunteering themselves. They need to be demanding for meetings from faculties to work together in the child’s learning process. They should be volunteering to ask more about the learning processes to understand “how Aarohi works”. Be part of Manthan– to churn self on the wide range of topic, relating and non-relating to children’s learning.