“we genuinely believe that the teacher-parent collaboration between parents and teachers is crucial for the learning journey of the child. This enhances the learning by creating clear communication strategies and the building of trust between parent and teacher.” Kate Pillay, Crawford International Bryanston
Building Partnerships for your Child’s Success
Being a parent is one of the most important and rewarding jobs one can ever fulfil. Thus, choosing the correct school is one of the most pivotal decisions parents are expected to make for their children. Building a strong partnership for your child’s success once the educational journey has begun for your little one is by far even more pivotal.
At Crawford International, we believe that education is a collaborative effort between teachers, parents, and students. As parents and educators, we understand that your child’s education is a top priority, and that’s why we have created a nurturing environment where collaboration between parents and teachers is encouraged. Through our emphasis on teacher-parent collaboration, we create an environment where every child can thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.
Teacher-Parent Collaboration: What Our Experts Say
Kalay Pillay, Principal at our Bryanston Pre-Primary campus, emphasises the impact of teacher-parent collaboration in shaping a child’s educational experience. She states, “we genuinely believe that the collaboration between parents and teachers is crucial for the learning journey of the child. This enhances the learning by creating clear communication strategies and the building of trust between parent and teacher.”
She further explains that “it enables the teacher and parent to share all they know about the child, thus creating a more personalised learning journey, and working together to achieve the goals that the child needs to reach.” Collaboration between teachers and parents allows for a holistic understanding of a child’s needs, strengths, and areas for growth. By sharing insights and expertise, we create a comprehensive support system that ensures each child receives tailored education and support.
How Crawford maintains a strong teacher-parent collaboration:
Open Communication Channels:
Through our parent-student portal affectionately known as Toddle, at Crawford International, we prioritise open and transparent communication between teachers and parents.
- Toddle allows parents access to real time updates, notices, and other communication efforts to keep parents in the loop in terms of developments in learning progress and evidencing through portfolio uploads.
- Teacher response as well as student reflection can be viewed by the parents. We encourage regular meetings, both formal and informal, to discuss a child’s progress, goals, and challenges. Our teachers are committed to actively listening to parents’ perspectives and addressing any concerns promptly. Through ongoing communication, we build trust and maintain a strong partnership centred on the best interests of the child.
- Additionally, through Toddle, parents have access to six comprehensive reports after the completion of each Unit of Inquiry. The outcomes and skills set are detailed, including the level of mastery of each outcome by the student.
- The value of Toddle is the continuous feedback immediately available after work has been uploaded. Consequently, there is consistent feedback to promote sustained improvement for each child, entrenching Crawford’s personalised learning journey.
- Sonia Jansen explains it as follows, “the four Unit of Inquiry reports speaks to the students’ personal learning journey by evidencing where the students are at any given time; where they need to go to achieve their optimal learning potential as well as empowering them to get to their personal best.”
Parent Involvement Opportunities:
- We recognise that parents are a valuable resource in their child’s education. Through our Parent Body – a community of dedicated parents that partner with the school, offers various opportunities for parents to get involved actively.
- We organise workshops, seminars, and parent-teacher association meetings to provide parents with insights into our teaching methodologies, curriculum, or framework (IB and IEB), and strategies for supporting their child’s learning at home. By involving parents in their child’s educational journey, we foster a sense of ownership and shared responsibility.
Personalised Support and Resources:
- Crawford International is one of few premium private schools in South Africa that offers health allied resources to their students. Our students have access to a Child Psychologist and Occupational Therapist because we know that every child is unique, and their educational needs may vary.
- At Crawford International, we understand this diversity and strive to provide personalised support to each student. Our teachers, child psychologists, and occupational therapists work closely with parents to develop individualised learning plans that address their child’s specific strengths and challenges.
- Furthermore, we offer a range of resources, including educational materials, online platforms, and workshops, to empower parents in supporting their child’s learning beyond the classroom. We also extend this platform to other parents outside Crawford through our website where we publish blogs that assist parents in their child’s learning journey.
Conclusion
At Crawford International, we believe that teacher-parent collaboration is the cornerstone of a child’s educational success. By working together, we create an environment where every child receives the support, guidance, and resources necessary to reach their full potential. We invite you to join us in this collaborative journey, as together, we can shape a brighter future for your child.
Enrol your child at Crawford International today and experience the power of teacher-parent collaboration first-hand.
Fina a list of campuses in Gauteng here.
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