Pacific parents (in fact ALL parents) want their children to have a good education that involves them as their children’s first teachers. They see the home as providing their child with a strong foundation that included maintaining their first language. Therefore, Pacific parents want schools to help their children learn English. They expect schools to give their child homework, and that through homework parents would support and learn with their child. They expect communication to be regular and timely and they expect to be consulted on a range of matters. For Pacific parents face-to-face communication is an important part of personalising engagement, having newsletters translated into their first language and posted to them is a good way of informing them about what is happening in the school. For some parents, having Pacific representation on the board of trustees is beneficial because it gives them a voice in the wider functioning of the school. Their involvement in cultural groups and festivals in the school and the wider community helps to build confidence and a sense of belonging. Opportunities to be involved in celebrations, particularly those acknowledging a range of achievements for their children and not just academic success, strengthens relationships with their children and with teachers. Parent support group meetings offer a forum to discuss common interests, issues and ways to help their children with learning at home. Some parents found the experience of being involved in formal home-school partnership programmes, especially those focused on literacy and numeracy, very positive. Engagement works best when their child’s culture was acknowledged and respected. Language and communication are challenges to effective engagement for Pacific parents. Some Pacific parents are reluctant to go to meetings at their child’s school
Pacific parents would like to be contacted more often about their child’s positive achievements. Pacific parents said they would like to be informed about celebrations of their child’s achievement, especially when their child was receiving an award or certificate at assembly. Pacific parents expected honest reporting about their child’s progress and achievement. They also wanted to be contacted sooner rather than later when concerns or issues arose regarding their children’s education or well-being. Some parents commented that having a homework centre at their child’s school built their own confidence in helping with their child with learning. Having a senior manager responsible for improving educational outcomes for Pacific students helped them feel that their children’s learning was seen as a priority. Pacific parents believe that it is important that school staff, particularly teachers, had some understanding about working with Pacific families. Where this was lacking, they thought teachers could be supported by some relevant training from Pacific organisations. Where teachers had an understanding of the different Pacific ethnicities and values it was easier for Pacific parents to develop relationships with the school. Some schools organised meetings for groups of parents based on their ethnicity. When these meetings were well managed, parents found them a good way of getting to know other parents in the community, and as a forum for discussing school-related matters and sharing ideas of common interest.
“It is like a bird needing two strong wings to fly.”
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