| Various education technology agencies are not | | | | they are worried about imposing and adding to |
| taking a deeper look at how alert parents can | | | | their burdens, thereby creating problems for their |
| leverage the power of the Internet. It is | | | | children at school. |
| becoming increasingly evident that a disconcerting | | | | However, the fact is that information technology |
| proportion of parents of school-going children | | | | has given us the means to be more informed |
| remain invisible to the school's teachers. They | | | | about our children's education, their performance |
| make contact only when absolutely required, | | | | in the school's social milieu and their overall |
| oblivious to the fact schools require active parent | | | | development as evolving adults. Thankfully, both |
| teacher involvement and support to do the best | | | | parents and teachers are now beginning to |
| job possible in educating and moulding their child's | | | | recognize that a free flow of information is vital in |
| development. | | | | the effective dispensing of teacher and |
| Does being a good parent to a school-going child | | | | parent-related functions. The resources to |
| end at the school gates? In a less technologically | | | | facilitate open, uninhibited discussion between |
| evolved age, that may have been true. | | | | parents and teachers have evolved beyond mere |
| Paradoxically, however, Internet-savvy parents do | | | | chats and emails. Parent-teacher networking sites |
| use their online skills regularly to stay in touch with | | | | have now made it possible to create open, |
| their friends and families, business contacts and | | | | transparent forums for increased parent |
| the stock market. The fact is, our children are the | | | | involvement that additionally provide valuable |
| most significant investments we make in our lives. | | | | resources. These resources include updates on |
| It makes sense to track and manage the health | | | | lesson plans, school activities, teacher resources, |
| and soundness of their school lives as diligently as | | | | blogs that address specific parent teacher issues, |
| we do our bank balances, stock portfolios and | | | | and a comprehensive record of how the child is |
| other relationships. | | | | faring on all fronts. |
| Disturbingly, the roots of this problem seem to | | | | When teachers share with parents what |
| extend beyond lack of awareness. Surveys into | | | | transpires inside classrooms, the quality of child |
| this issue indicate that many otherwise good | | | | learning takes a quantum leap forward. Using the |
| parents of school-going children actually do not | | | | available electronic means to stay in contact and |
| have the required confidence to engage their kids' | | | | exchange information also vastly improves the |
| teachers at such a level. Conversely, they do not | | | | quality and ease of parent teacher interactions |
| have the same hang-ups when it comes to | | | | during personal encounters at local PTA meetings. |
| confidently engaging business contacts about | | | | This is because parent teacher networking |
| whom they know very little. (To be fair, the | | | | platforms allow parents to resolve their more |
| problem does not lie with such parents alone - | | | | pressing queries prior to such one-on-one |
| many schools worry about dealing with difficult | | | | meetings. Teachers come across as more human, |
| parents and project a subtle image of | | | | and normally inhibited parents have the means to |
| non-approachability). Other parents hesitate to | | | | involve themselves in their child's school life at a |
| contact their children's school teachers because | | | | more comfortable level. |