Monnapule Mosifane &Boitumelo Moreeng Faculty of Education ENHANCING PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE TEACHING OF SOCIAL SCIENCES: A TRANSFORMATIVE PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH. 10 October 2014

AIM To explore the ways and the benefits of involving parents in the teaching of Social Sciences.

CURRICULUM CHANGE - CAPS curriculum aims acquire and apply knowledge skills promotes knowledge in local contexts vs global imperatives. improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person. The purpose to “equipping learners, irrespective of their socio-economic background, race, gender, physical ability or intellectual ability, with the knowledge, skills and values necessary for self-fulfilment, and meaningful participation in society as citizens of a free country”

CURRICULUM CHANGE AND THE CAPS DOCUMENT Social transformation: ensuring that the educational imbalances of the past are redressed, and that equal educational opportunities are provided for all sections of the population; Active and critical learning: encouraging an active and critical approach to learning, rather than rote and uncritical learning of given truths; Valuing indigenous knowledge systems: acknowledging the rich history and heritage of this country as important contributors to nurturing the values contained in the Constitution

THE CURRICULUM AIMS TO PRODUCE THE LEARNERS WHO ARE able- identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking; organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively; collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information; communicate effectively using visual, symbolic and/or language skills in various modes;

SOCIAL SCIENCE - SPECIFIC AIMS The curriculum has become more learner-centred and activity based,learners are supposed to be engaged deeply in their own learning. Finding a variety of kind of information about the past Deciding about whether information can be trusted Debating about what happened in the past on the basis of the available evidence. Writing History in an organised way, with a logical line of argument.

THE PROJECT WHAT IS ABOUT- Find different Kinds of information that show aspects of the local area. From the past and the present. Collect different kinds of information(pictures and photographs, written information and small objects from home and the local area. THE AIMS/THE PROJECT Find information using different sources. Identify what kind of information it is and what it tells about the local area. Summarize the interviews Information gathered must be arranged REQUIRE – RESOURCES – HUMAN /PHYSICAL OBJECTS = PARENTS Camera –to record interviews or take images Written information (books) Parents (interviews, sharing personal experiences)

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT Associated with volunteering, attendance of school meeting and paying school fees. Homework supervision, discussion of school related activities and parent-teacher communication. “Parental involvement must engage parents by investigating their needs as community members and identify the resources and talents” The Social Science project can only be successful with the participation of the Parents. Involve the parents more on the school-related and academic activities

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT CHALLENGES lack of formal education amongst parents. absent from home(migrant labourers) Teachers assumptions/perceptions Role of the teachers.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT STRATEGIES Value the “indigenous knowledge” the parents possess. Respect t “informal education” the parents possess. Communicate school work with parents Provide training. Effort to engage the parents of disadvantaged learners. Understand the background.

Parental involvement Advantages instil pride and interest in schooling, increase student achievement and enhance community participation and commitment. Parents can become more involved in assisting their children improve their academic work by providing encouragement, arranging for appropriate study-time and space modelling desired behaviour, monitoring homework and actively tutoring their children at home. And most importantly availing the resources to be used for learning.

THEORETICAL / CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Transformative Pedagogy: based on critical enquiry which aims to unearth the silenced and suppressed voices. dialogic approach emancipatory process which also challenges the injustices both within and among the self, and the enquiry of the global issues. Empowering. Provides the possibility to change the oppressive structures.

Community cultural wealth Based on the different cultural knowledge, skills and abilities in the community. Aspirational Capital: High expectations and standards despite of lack of resources. Social Capital: The skills and talent that shapes the society. Familial Capital: Historical traditions and values, Knowledge and skills shared by the familiy,passed to the next generation. Linguistic Capital: communications skills or language ability. Resistant Capital: discourage inequalities in the society. Navigational Capital: “skills needed to navigate through unfamiliar environments”

Community cultural wealth Aspirational Capital: Education is seen as hope to attain better life- despite poverty in the community. Social Capital: The values shared by the community enrich the project. Familial Capital: The stories narrated by parents to learners during the interviews: Passing knowledge to next generation. Linguistic Capital : The power of Home language. Builds Understanding.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY-QUALITATIVE The participants were 30 Grade 4 learners and 15 parents/guardians The study was conducted in small rural town in the Free State. It is an area mostly affected by poverty. The population is ageing and most people survive by government social grants as an income – library, church, two schools, Sotho – Basotho. The project seeks investigate the history of the local area by gathering information from pictures, books and some buildings in the community. The information was also collected through conducting interviews with parents and other elders within the community and through written information found in books.

DATE GENERATION Preparatory stage Workshop – Learners + Parents. – how to conduct research – . Follow up – Orientations/Parents Meeting- guide the parents on how they can support the learners to complete the project. Individual consultations –during the process.

From the preparatory stage- findings learners complained about the lack of support and resources to complete the project. The parents seemed confused and discouraged by the expectation. The meeting convened to guide the parents, and to break the project into smaller units. “Language – project guidelines” “Providing resources- expensive” “Informal v/s formal knowledge”

Minimizing the concerns The meeting helped the parents understand that they had to assist the learners with information required - Through reading the project guidelines together with the parents made understanding because some parents needs explanation in their own home language. Cause: Most of the parents don’t have formal education Strategies – concern – resources = also the learners had to use their cellphones to record interviews and take images of the important buildings in the community such as churches, schools, historical places. The consultations and meetings : the project went well as the parents were aware of the expectation to support the learners with information to complete the project. Parents availed the cellphones and together were able to complete the project.

DURING THE PROCESS QUESTIONS. DISCUSSION & DEBATES. DEEPENS THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT. WHICH PROVIDES MEANING TO THE LEARNERS-.

Outcome Parents confidence in own knowledge was boosted Library , Communication , Writing and Research skills. Adult literacy for the parents. The interview conducted by the learners to parents and adults in the community, gave the learners the opportunity to “ask questions about the past and analyse the stories told about their local area” Contribute to the cultural heritage of the community.

CONCLUSION Present the information in the form of posters. Give feedback to the community. Keep information for next grade. Inform the parents about the project early as possible. Provide practical training Orientations for parents. Have as many workshops as possible.