Parent RolesIn a University-Model School®, parents commit to fulfill a specified role related to each course in which their student is enrolled, as prescribed by the course’s description. Each role identifies specific responsibilities that the teacher relies on the parent to perform, thus facilitating effective home/school partnership whereby students are assured of receiving needed support. In general, the assigned role will be one of the following:
Primary Teacher At the primary level, Heritage Academy offers only enrichment courses for students, which provide an opportunity to integrate a variety of emerging skills, including literacy, reasoning skills, and fine motor skills in a classroom setting. However, for students this age, parents remain fully responsible for providing all core instruction – beginning with letter and number awareness and recognition, building basic literacy skills, reading comprehension, writing, math reasoning, etc. Private Tutor Courses involving this role are made successful because each student has a private tutor (the parent) at home, who is willing and ready to assist. Parents will receive instructions from the classroom instructor on a regular basis outlining homework assignments, follow-up study/instruction over covered material, and any preparation or review needed for their child’s next class. Guide for Dependent Study This role will usually relate to parents with children in grades seven through ten. Many courses at this level will begin to cover subject matter that is unfamiliar to many parents. At the same time, the student is at a dependent age where disciplined study habits must be developed, not by parental force, but through positive encouragement and through the student’s growing awareness of personal consequences. In order for these classes to be successful, the teacher is dependent upon the parents to ensure that their son or daughter keeps up with the course material and to communicate to the instructor any difficulties that should arise. Guide to Independent Study Academic courses at the eleventh and twelfth grade level will usually involve this role by the parent. The parent has the opportunity to monitor the independent schoolwork performed by the student while it is still possible to provide additional guidance if needed. Courses offered by Heritage Academy at this level will mimic that of a junior college program where independent study skills and disciplined planning for completing homework assignments are necessary. Course Monitor Some courses will involve equipment or expertise that necessitate that teaching be done in the classroom and leave little instruction for the parent at home. This role, therefore, will require the least amount of time by the parent, but its importance must not be understated. The primary responsibility of the parents is to track the progress of their son or daughter and to monitor how well they are doing. Parents need to show an active interest in their child’s studies and should inform the instructor if problems develop. Project Assistant Parent involvement is needed, but not on a regular basis. This role is in many respects similar to that of the Course Monitor but will be needed one or more times during the semester for specific projects. Drama courses, for example, might involve additional help for student costuming, working on sets, etc. Parent Coach The role of the parent coach is to provide individual practice and instruction to their son or daughter at home. The head coach will organize the sport, direct team practices, and communicate to the parent coaches any information and directions concerning home practice. . |
