A workshop aimed at informing parents and guardians of primary and secondary school students on practices to support their children’s academic growth took place on Saturday at the Lowmans Hill New Testament Church.
The “Helping Parents to Support their Primary and Secondary Learners Parents’ Workshop” and was made possible with a federal grant provided by the United States Department of State – US Embassy Bridgetown.
The workshop provided parents with supplemental information on how diverse learning occurs amongst children and parents, indicative behaviours or signs of underperformance and hands-on strategies that can be implemented in the home environment.
These objectives aimed to place parents in a strategic position where they can be productive in their home-based involvement as well as school-based engagement in their children’s academic journey.
One father noted that he liked the information on he sections, the habits, how you can check for poor performance and how you could check [for] improved performance”.
A mother also added that she enjoyed the workshop, saying, “I got to meet new people, I got to learn as a parent at this age how to teach my children, and I learnt a technique in which I [can] learn as well”.
Parents who attended the workshop represented students from the Barrouallie Anglican, Questelles Government, Lowmans Leeward Anglican, Clare Valley Government, Bethel High, Buccament Bay Government, Central Leeward Secondary, St. Martin Secondary, Girls’ High School and the Thomas Saunders Secondary schools.
The facilitators were Vincentian educators Roderick McKree, Delisa Marshall, Samantha Porter, Julae Delves, Roosevelt John, and Leytisha Jack.
A US facilitator, Robert ‘Bob’ Tornberg, a Syracuse University professor and evaluator expert, also took part in the one-day workshop.
“The one-day workshop was dubbed successful due to the high engagement rate portrayed by the parents who readily asked questions and sustained insightful dialogues during the training,” a press release said.
“Several parents expressed that the workshop was informative and enjoyable. Facilitators admit that the parents were robust in their engagement, insightful and sustained critical thinking dialogues in the sessions.”
Is it too much to ask that when this type of workshop takes place, some effort be made to make it accessible to parents in the Grenadines, particularly the Southern Grenadines? I’m delighted to see that parents from so many parts of the mainland were able to attend and found the session useful. However, every time one of these opportunities passes us by, it grieves me. Let’s see more indications that those who plan these events remember that the Grenadines are part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.