It is a fact that many parents actually know little about what goes on in school with their children. The idea of Learning Walks, however, may actually be able to change that, as an article by Gwen Pescatore for Edutopia suggests.
What Learning Walks are about
According to Pescatore, a Learning Walk is basically a guided tour of parents of the school/classrooms for a set period of time on a typical school day. A Learning Walk, however, is not just about sitting in on a class and observing their child. It’s about learning more about the learning that’s taking place in the school in general. There will be a theme or topic for each Learning Walk, and it will serve as a guide for the discussion as well as a way to pick which classrooms to check out and observe the educational process in action. The Learning Walk will then be followed by a discussion among the participants.
This, Pescatore says, is basically a chance to build, improve and strengthen relations between the home and school, and I totally agree. If you’re a parent, suggest one to your local school – or if you’re a member of the teaching staff, maybe your school would like to hold one. The fact that parents get to witness lessons that do not involve their own children makes it a great way to witness what “really” goes on at school.
Click here to read the full article.