CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (FEBRUARY 25, 2009) -- Organization of American States Director for St. Kitts and Nevis Mr. Starret Greene urged parents on Nevis to get involved in their children’s education both at home and at school.
During a workshop sponsored by his Organisation for parents of children with special needs in Charlestown recently he listed a number of areas in which they could become more involved through proper nurturing, good nutrition and a regular exercise regime for their children which supported their healthy development and improved their ability to think and learn.
“Parents should endeavour to keep a line of communication open with the school their children attend. This can take place through parent teacher conferences …conversation with school staff; paying attention to information sent home from school with your children and taking time out to conduct informal conversations with teachers while dropping off or picking up your children. Always talk to your teachers.
“You can always choose to volunteer in your children’s classrooms or for special activities such as field trips and school concerts - you should attend those, always be there [at] school walkathons and other school events involving your children. You can’t go wrong when you show the school that you are really an integral part of your children’s education,” he said.
Mr. Greens said too that when children returned home from school and they are in comfort of their homes parents should always take time to look through their books and reinforce the work or activities covered in their classrooms.
He also advised parents to make it their duty to become an integral part of the decision making process relating to their children.
“This may involve your participating in parent teacher organisations, parent associations and other related bodies where decisions critical to your children’s development needs are made. So when you are involved at this level you are better able to influence the decisions affecting the education and development of your children,” he said.
The OAS Director urged parents to love their children.
“Show love to your children, appreciate their abilities and always look past their disabilities. Help them become the best persons that they can be. Don’t always make things [easy] so that they will always succeed.
“Allow them to make mistakes and allow them to feel a little bit of the pain for doing so but always, always let them know that they are loved and you think the world of them whether they win or lose and if they fail in return to succeed be happiest of all because they would have learnt one of life’s most important lessons ‘try and try again you will succeed at last’,” he said.
