Week Five - Home School Connections

Allen, 2009 and Comber & Kamler, 2004, gives an insight of the strong and imperative value of students home and school connections and how it holds a strong benefit for students as avid learners as it aims to provide students with a supportive environment, and a heavy communication reliance between students, teachers and parents and overall, a positive and engaging school experience. 

As mentioned in the previous blog, students bring to the class a whole array of attributes and knowledge’s, cultural experiences and understandings.  In a class of 24 students, it is near impossible that on a day to day basis the teacher deeply understand and have knowledge of a student and their home life.  It is beneficial to have an understanding of this home life as it may give an indication of how a student may learn and the different literacies they learn best with.  There are many different ways in which a teacher can learn certain attributes.

I reflect on my time in school and the connections made between home and school life.   All throughout my schooling my parents played a vital role in the communication between me, the school and us.  In early primary, I remember being provided a journal which I made entries in about what happened on the weekend.  The would then read and write notes back.  Another example of this type of home school connection was with Lamby the class "pet".  We each had a week with Lamby and would take photos and write a recount of how we spent the week.  This correspondence provides the teacher with knowledge of my home life, my interests and a vague idea of the family structure, without being invasive.    

The Bronfenbrenner Ecology Theory System is based on human development and how it is influences by the array of environmental systems that can impact on a child's development. Children's home life plays a major part in the child's development at school.  Below is a diagram of the factors that are evident in my life, and impacted on my schooling and development.

It is vital in the 21st century for teachers to be aware of students' home life as it provides insights to their learning capabilities, strengths and weaknesses.  The Bronfenbrenner Ecology Theory System is a way to view the home life of children and their developmental progress.