Monnapule Mosifane
&Boitumelo Moreeng
Faculty of Education
ENHANCING PARENTAL
INVOLVEMENT IN THE
TEACHING OF SOCIAL
SCIENCES: A TRANSFORMATIVE
PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH.
10 October 2014
AIM
• To explore the ways and the benefits of
involving parents in the teaching of Social
Sciences.
CURRICULUM CHANGE - CAPS
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curriculum aims
acquire and apply knowledge skills
promotes knowledge in local contexts vs global imperatives.
improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each
person.
The purpose to “equipping learners, irrespective of their socioeconomic background, race, gender, physical ability or intellectual
ability, with the knowledge, skills and values necessary for selffulfilment, and meaningful participation in society as citizens of a
free country”
CURRICULUM CHANGE AND THE CAPS DOCUMENT
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Social transformation: ensuring that the educational imbalances of the
past are redressed, and that equal educational opportunities are provided
for all sections of the population;
Active and critical learning: encouraging an active and critical approach
to learning, rather than rote and
uncritical learning of given truths;
Valuing indigenous knowledge systems: acknowledging the rich history
and heritage of this country as important contributors to nurturing the values
contained in the Constitution
THE CURRICULUM AIMS TO PRODUCE THE LEARNERS
WHO ARE ABLE-
• identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and
creative thinking;
• organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly
and effectively;
• collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information;
• communicate effectively using visual, symbolic and/or language
skills in various modes;
SOCIAL SCIENCE
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SPECIFIC AIMS
The curriculum has become more learner-centred and activity
based,learners are supposed to be engaged deeply in their own
learning.
• Finding a variety of kind of information about the past
• Deciding about whether information can be trusted
• Debating about what happened in the past on the basis of the
available evidence.
• Writing History in an organised way, with a logical line of argument.
THE PROJECT
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WHAT IS ABOUT- Find different Kinds of information that show aspects of the local area.
From the past and the present.
Collect different kinds of information(pictures and photographs, written information and
small objects from home and the local area.
THE AIMS/THE PROJECT
Find information using different sources.
Identify what kind of information it is and what it tells about the local area.
Summarize the interviews
Information gathered must be arranged
REQUIRE – RESOURCES – HUMAN /PHYSICAL OBJECTS = PARENTS
• Camera –to record interviews or take images
• Written information (books)
• Parents (interviews, sharing personal experiences)
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
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Associated with volunteering, attendance of school meeting and paying
school fees.
Homework supervision, discussion of school related activities and parentteacher communication.
“Parental involvement must engage parents by investigating their
needs as community members and identify the resources and talents”
The Social Science project can only be successful with the
participation of the Parents.
Involve the parents more on the school-related and academic activities
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
CHALLENGES
• lack of formal education amongst parents.
• absent from home(migrant labourers)
• Teachers assumptions/perceptions
• Role of the teachers.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
STRATEGIES
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Value the “indigenous knowledge” the parents possess.
Respect t “informal education” the parents possess.
Communicate school work with parents
Provide training.
Effort to engage the parents of disadvantaged learners. Understand
the background.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
Advantages
• instil pride and interest in schooling, increase student
achievement and enhance community participation and
commitment.
• Parents can become more involved in assisting their children
improve their academic work by providing encouragement,
arranging for appropriate study-time and space modelling
desired behaviour, monitoring homework and actively tutoring
their children at home. And most importantly availing the resources
to be used for learning.
THEORETICAL / CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
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Transformative Pedagogy:
based on critical enquiry which aims to unearth the silenced and
suppressed voices.
dialogic approach
emancipatory process which also challenges the injustices both
within and among the self, and the enquiry of the global issues.
Empowering.
Provides the possibility to change the oppressive structures.
COMMUNITY CULTURAL WEALTH
Based on the different cultural knowledge, skills and abilities in the community.
• Aspirational Capital: High expectations and standards despite of lack of
resources.
• Social Capital: The skills and talent that shapes the society.
• Familial Capital: Historical traditions and values, Knowledge and skills
shared by the familiy,passed to the next generation.
• Linguistic Capital: communications skills or language ability.
• Resistant Capital: discourage inequalities in the society.
• Navigational Capital: “skills needed to navigate through unfamiliar
environments”
COMMUNITY CULTURAL WEALTH
• Aspirational Capital: Education is seen as hope to attain better lifedespite poverty in the community.
• Social Capital: The values shared by the community enrich the
project.
• Familial Capital: The stories narrated by parents to learners during
the interviews: Passing knowledge to next generation.
• Linguistic Capital : The power of Home language. Builds
Understanding.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY-QUALITATIVE
The participants were 30 Grade 4 learners and 15 parents/guardians
The study was conducted in small rural town in the Free State. It is an
area mostly affected by poverty. The population is ageing and most
people survive by government social grants as an income –
library, church, two schools, Sotho – Basotho.
The project seeks investigate the history of the local area by gathering
information from pictures, books and some buildings in the community.
The information was also collected through conducting interviews with
parents and other elders within the community and through written
information found in books.
DATE GENERATION
Preparatory stage
• Workshop – Learners + Parents.
• – how to conduct research – .
• Follow up – Orientations/Parents Meeting- guide the parents on
how they can support the learners to complete the project.
• Individual consultations –during the process.
FROM THE PREPARATORY STAGE- FINDINGS
learners complained about the lack of support and resources
to complete the project.
The parents seemed confused and discouraged by the
expectation. The meeting convened to guide the parents,
and to break the project into smaller units.
“Language – project guidelines”
“Providing resources- expensive”
“Informal v/s formal knowledge”
MINIMIZING THE CONCERNS
The meeting helped the parents understand that they had to assist the
learners with information required - Through reading the project
guidelines together with the parents made understanding because
some parents needs explanation in their own home language.
• Cause: Most of the parents don’t have formal education
• Strategies – concern – resources = also the learners had to use their
cellphones to record interviews and take images of the important
buildings in the community such as churches, schools, historical
places.
The consultations and meetings : the project went well as the parents
were aware of the expectation to support the learners with
information to complete the project.
Parents availed the cellphones and together were able to complete the
project.
DURING THE PROCESS
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QUESTIONS.
DISCUSSION & DEBATES.
DEEPENS THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT.
WHICH PROVIDES MEANING TO THE LEARNERS-.
OUTCOME
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Parents confidence in own knowledge was boosted
Library , Communication , Writing and Research skills.
Adult literacy for the parents.
The interview conducted by the learners to parents and adults in the
community, gave the learners the opportunity to “ask questions about the
past and analyse the stories told about their local area”
Contribute to the cultural heritage of the community.
CONCLUSION
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Present the information in the form of posters.
Give feedback to the community.
Keep information for next grade.
Inform the parents about the project early as possible.
Provide practical training Orientations for parents.
Have as many workshops as possible.