If you boil it down to just a few words, that’s what several people had to say to parents last week at the Rockingham Housing Authority.
Shirley Fuller, the principal at Rockingham Middle School, tried to impress on the parents the enormous role they play in the education process. There wasn’t a big crowd at Friday’s event, but we wish the message could reach every adult in Richmond County. Sadly those who attended probably already understand the importance they play. That’s why they were there.
Despite the millions of dollars we spend on education here at home, little can be done if a child thinks it doesn’t matter.
“We cannot hold others accountable for our students’ success,” said Angela McGill, the executive director of the housing authority. “We have to hold ourselves accountable. The resources are available, all you have to do is come get the information, then apply it, but the first thing you have to do is show up.”
If you think about it, McGill is right on the money. Some people believe that since they pay taxes, their responsibility for educating children has been satisfied. It doesn’t work that way. The best school buildings and the brightest teachers don’t impact education as much as the attitude of the kid sitting behind the desk. And that attitude is where parents can play a huge role.
“They need to be involved in their students success,” Fuller said before the session began. “Parents should make contact with the school their children attend and find out where their child stands. Even at this late date, we have teams set up to help students succeed on the end-of-grade and end-of-course testing, and they can help the parents understand what they can do to help their child be successful.”
“All of these things will make a difference,” Fuller said. “The most important thing is when your children see that you value education, they will appreciate and value it even more.”
You may not have a college degree. You might not even have graduated high school. That doesn’t mean you can’t impress on your children and your grandchildren that education is important. Decades ago it might have been OK not to do well in school because there were entry level jobs available that didn’t require it. In just the last few years the economy has shown that a high school degree will just barely get your foot in the door. Some technical training can make a big difference, but without the basic skills even that may be impossible to get. You have to master the basics of reading, writing and math, and you do that in public school. Once you’ve got those down, everything is possible.
We can’t undo the past. We can change the future. If every parent reached out to the school system and made it clear they want to be involved in their child’s education it would open a dialog. If each parent spent a half hour a day just talking with their child about their education, that would send the message that Mom and Dad also value it, not just their teacher.
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