In an effort to enhance the educational journey of their children, a group of dedicated parents from diverse linguistic backgrounds recently completed the Home-School Partnership (HSP) programme at De Doorns Primary School, which was administered by the non-profit organisation, Wordworks, which focuses on early language and literacy development for children aged eight and younger.
Voluntarily participating in this initiative, the parents gained valuable insights and practical skills to support their children’s learning and development. The programme engaged parents in informal learning at home that supported their classroom learning.
The HSP programme attracted a group of proactive parents who recognised the importance of actively engaging in their children’s education. Recruited by trained teacher-facilitators, the parents willingly enrolled in the eight-week after-hours course, displaying their commitment to becoming instrumental in their children’s learning process. What made this group exceptional was the fact that many of the parents were former students of the school’s educators who now trained them in the HSP programme, creating a cycle of education and growth.
Each session lasted two and a half hours and covered essential aspects of early childhood development and education. Starting with parents as the first teachers, each subsequent session focused on different topics, such as language skills, storytelling, drawing, writing, reading, and promoting physical and mathematical development, all through informal, playful activities.
For parents to graduate from the HSP programme it was mandatory for them to attend all eight sessions, which ensured that they received a comprehensive understanding of the programme’s principles and practices. Additionally, parents were required to actively engage with their children at home, implementing the strategies they learned during the sessions.
Sharing their experiences with other parents during the meetings further enriched the learning process and fostered a supportive community.
At the celebratory graduation event, the HSP parent group stood out for its diverse group of participants, comprising both mothers and a dedicated father. The programme celebrated the multilingual nature of the community, with parents from both Xhosa and Afrikaans backgrounds coming together to support their children’s education.
The HSP programme is being implemented in over 50 schools throughout the Western Cape and beyond. For more on the programme as well as Wordworks https://www.wordworks.org.za/ can be visited.
