Parents involved
The Education Act, 1998, underpins the statutory rights and importance that the role of parents has in the education system in Ireland.
Parents bring with them a vast quantity of expertise and different perspectives on the need of their children. Parental involvement is particularly important in the case of pre-school children, because, parents are the prime educators and experts on their children’s needs.
We recognise this in Kentstown Montessori School and understand that parents play the central educational role in the early years and they provide the stimulation, care and interaction required to ensure their children’s rapid development.
Our goal is to have a two-way communication between parents and teachers. Each child is unique and has specific needs, qualities and characteristics which parents are best placed to identify. By participating in meaningful and regular dialogue with the teaching staff, parents may communicate such information to the pre-school. Dialogue also enables teaching staff to make parents aware of any areas where they may be able to assist their children’s learning; teachers will also be in a position to notify parents of any issues or difficulties which are arising in the formal education setting.
Parents are involved in Kentstown Montessori School from the day their child enters the school, settling-in periods are shared, study topics are shared, and celebrations of birthdays and periodic invitations of parents to participate within the school hours.
In Kentstown Montessori School we regularly hold Parent/Teacher meetings and have Information Nights for parents which inform parents of what their child is doing in the preschool, how they are learning, ideas are shared and guest speakers are invited from various childhood agency backgrounds to speak and inform parents of their developing child.
A Progress Chart is available on each child that guides the teacher on the child’s continuous development and helps to monitor areas of the child’s development. Teachers use the Chart to extend exercise where a child needs extensions and/or assist with exercise that the child may be having difficulty with at certain periods of development.
PARENTAL PARTICIPATION – Some examples…………..
Story time:
Parents are invited to read their child’s favourite story to the class. This has huge benefits to the parent’s child as they feel a sense of pride, sense of friendship and sharing.
Occupations:
Parents come in to discuss their occupations with all the children and where appropriate bring in different aspects of their occupation.
Fundraising:
Whenever we have fundraising events we invite parents to be central and part of each event, encouraging participation from the community as a whole and helping their child feel and become part of their own community.
Specific Skills:
Parents with specific skills that will help with all the children’s development are invited into class to share their experience with other.
Open Door:
Kentstown Montessori School have an ’open-door’ policy where parents are welcome to call in, visit, make appointments for private consultations, observe their child/teacher at any time during the year. We pride ourselves on the relationship we build with parents and pre-school becomes and extension of the family community.
