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T
he child couldn’t believe her mother was in her class
and kept sneaking looks at her. It was a glorious mo-
ment for her. Her mother – HER MOTHER – could
finally see all the things she is doing at class. She was so proud
to show off her drawings on the wall. And oh so proud to sound
off the Arabic letters knowing her mother was listening nearby
(and so very pleased to quickly whisper in her mother’s ear who
the “naughty” ones are in her class). And every so swiftly, with-
out anyone really noting, she planted a quick kiss on her moth-
er’s cheek as she made her way past her. Her eyes were shining
and she smiled broadly. Her mother smiled back. It was only
then that her mother began to relax. Her little girl was happy
and seemed to understand the lessons. She participated in class
– albeit shyly. She answered the questions correctly but a bit too
hesitantly. She communicated well with her classmates.
Although the mother could study her child forever, she was
put to work. There were letters to be cut and games to be super-
vised. All too soon, her time was up and she had to go back to
work. But, she comforted herself, the next day she will be sitting
in her son’s class and reading a book to his nursery class – it
was all part the school’s “Parent Involvement Program.”
“We tend to think that our children are the smartest or on
the other side of the continuum,” said Randa Khoury, the direc-
tor of the preschool. “But when you the parents see their child
among their peers, this is when you are
objectively evaluating
your own child.”
The parent involvement program began 16 years ago when
Khoury approached the then school Deputy President for per-
mission to reinstate such a program (there was a similar failed
attempt a few years back). Research has shown that parent in-
volvement in a classroom is important for healthy learning and
Khoury was eager to use it in the preschool. The Deputy Presi-
dent gave her one year as a trial fearing that parents will misuse
it. But the response of parents and children was so positive that
the program is today’s one of the preschool’s main features.
“This is a chance for parents to see who their children are
playing with, how the teacher is guiding the students, how we
are discipline them, how they work as a group, how their lan-
guage is developing,” said Khoury. “They see the totality of it.”
As for children, a teacher-parent friendly relationship gives
them a feeling of security thus enhancing their learning. Since
this is not a simple visit to the classroom, parents are equipped
with a set of rules. They cannot converse with the teacher or
take her aside for a parent-teacher conference, they cannot go
to the teacher lounge and they cannot bring their mobiles to
class. They can and are expected to help out in class as required
by the teacher. Teachers themselves have also been trained,
through workshops, to work with parents.
Khoury reported a high attendance of parents
– mostly mothers but father participation is in-
creasing.
“We note a big difference in the children,” she
said. “They come to class and they know that
the teachers and parents are close. They see this
friendly relationship. Unless we are all partners
in the education of the child, we will both fail.”
The mother returned the next morning to
attend her son’s class. A dozen three-year olds
gathered eagerly around her as she read them
a book. Her son insisted on standing next to
her and later squeezed next to her as they
formed a shape of a cat with some clay. She
observed him. As the youngest in his class,
he was not as verbal as the others. But he
shared eagerly and listened attentively to
his young teacher. She made a mental note
to read more books and ask him more
questions to encourage his speech. After
a fond farewell with her little boy, she
made her way out.
There was a new pride and resolve
about her. She looked forward to reading
and cutting out shapes, and coloring numbers with her children
later that afternoon.
Her mother, her teacher
Mother in class helping her daughter and a classmate