Introduction
Students’ development has been the main concern of most educators in
the world including in Indonesia. Teacher should always try to observe and find
the best treatment in order to foster the students’ development. The problems
occur when teachers do not really understand the real context of situation
faced by their students. The limited access of interaction between teachers and
students in a classroom usually creates the wrong presumption on teachers. When
it comes to the multicultural countries like in America and Indonesia, getting to better know students and their
families can make teachers powerful advocates in their children's education. Therefore
the idea of home visit raises up. Home visits can give teachers the insight
they need to help all students succeed (Nicolas, 2012). It means that
understanding the condition of students is a cornerstone for teacher to create
better teaching and learning.
Home visit places
teachers and other educators in their students’ homes of in order to improve
the relationship and communication among teachers, parents/guardians/families,
and students (Nicolas, 2012). Some teacher employs this home visit as the
initial contact with the family of the students. Some other teachers use this
home visit to gain information and home assessment for their students (Dantas
& Coleman, 2010 ). Whatever the purpose is, the home visit is part of
teachers’ responsibility for their students. This paper examines the beneficial
functions of home visit for teachers. More specifically, I argue that home
visit is beneficial because it can: (1) breakdown the frame clashes, (2) create
stronger bond among teachers, students, and parents, (3) support the existence
of partnership education.
Breaking the Frame Clash
In a classroom, teachers —usually the new one— often find the frame
clashes during their home visit. Dantas & Coleman (2010) eloquently argue
that “Frame clashes are a disruption of what one counts as the “normal” or
taken-for-granted ways to participate in social interactions”. He also argues
that in school contexts, they lead to misunderstanding, faulty assumptions, and
negative stereotypes. It means that frame clashes mostly occur when teachers
have the ideals toward particular situation which are not exactly happening in
reality. I believe that teacher tend to have this preconceived perception because
their cultural background or certain expectations toward particular situation. This
perception will mislead teachers in treating their kids in the classroom. for
example, if teachers has presumption that all students from rich family will
always perform well in the classroom, they will think that it is fine to give
less attention to them because they already have what they want. But sometime
teachers forget to involve the students’ socialization with their friends and neighborhood
to their concern. Therefore, teachers should find alternative to cope with this
frame clashes.
Home visits serve the needs of teachers to cope with
frame clashes. It has unique characteristics that other methods of approach do
not have which is the intimate observation (Nicolas, 2012). It provides the
better opportunity for teachers to understand their students’ family and
environment which a classroom observation does not provide. This might open up
the insight of teachers toward certain presumption. For example, during the
home visit, teacher can ask several questions to the parents about the kid’s
habit at home or what kids concern the most. By having this, the teacher will
be able to construct the more sophisticated and comprehensive view about the real
students’ ability.
In addition, by having full knowledge toward students’ socio-cultural
complexity and understanding the frame clashes, teacher will be able to develop
better strategy and approach for the students. It can be a good alternative of
self-reflection for teacher as well. This notion is
in accordance to what Nicoles (2012) believe that educators
today are finding that showing up at students' doors -- establishing a positive
relationship with students' families -- is an important tool in school reform,
particularly in low-income, urban districts where educators traditionally
struggle to build parent involvement. She also believes that successful family
visit involve transformative shifts perception of others and “what counts” as
knowledge. Therefore, After having home visit, teachers are expected to have
better view and perception toward students’ ability and eradicate the frame
clashes they might have.
Creating stronger bond between teachers, students, and
parents
The home visit will create stronger bound between teachers,
students, and parents. Why do I believe so? In democratic country, we need to
redefine the concept of role of teachers and students, along with their family
and environment. It should not be separated part anymore. According to Dantas
and Coleman (2010) “learning and teaching need to be addressed within the socio-cultural contexts in
which they occur rather than viewed as an individual act and accomplishment”.
The education of students is not an exclusive responsibility of schools and
teachers. Seeing that urgency, home visit could be one of the efforts from the
teacher to try to involve the students’ parents and environment in student’s
development. It appreciates the existence of society as part of student’s life
and their role to the students’ development.
Most parents tend
to think that their students’ education is the responsibility of school and
teacher (Nicoles, 2012). She also thinks that they are reluctant to involve in
their students learning. The parents are busy with their works, thus it creates
less opportunity for creating stronger bonds between teacher and parents.
Through home visit, the teacher well be able to manage and communicate with the
parents of the students. Teachers will be able to tell the parents about the students’
improvement at school. I believe This
communication will establish the intimate relationship between parents and
teachers..
Teachers have so
many students to take care of in the classroom that makes them difficult to observe
deeply each of them. Teachers should divide their attention to all students. I
believe that the communication of students-teachers during the home visit is
more intimate and meaningful. Teacher can ask and observe their students more
personally such as: seeing their
room, knowing their neighbourhood, etc. I believe that the students will be more motivated
because children know how much teachers care. This message of close
communication will create better understanding and trust from the children too.
Supporting the partnership
education
Home visit is actually part of effort to establish the partnership
education. According to Eisler (2009) the core configuration of the partnership
model is a democratic and egalitarian family and social structure, partnership
between women and men, and no institutionalization or idealization of violence
(p.136). Why I believe that establishing the partnership education through home visit is
very important? The partnership education enables every party to actively involve
to the education of students, in this case, in teaching and learning process. Home visits show
the partnership education characteristics in a way that it tries to advocate
the equal role between school teachers, parents, and students.
There is no superiority in home visit. Teachers, parents, and students are working
together to create holistic education environment. This
program actually includes strong emotional components from all of them. Home visits can be viewed as a “magic
bullet” or the third leg of a three-legged educational stool which includes parents, students, and
teachers. Without parental involvement, most students will not succeed in their education. Home
visits by teachers get parents involved in their child's education. Home visits
give teachers the insights they need to help their students succeed
academically and to help families feel connected so they can be a support to
their children. These are all the
very purpose of the partnership education; creating holistic education.
Conclusion
As teachers, do we really agree to implement the home visit to our students? The
answer can be yes or can be no. It really depends on someone’s commitment. We
all know that
home visit is beneficial in three ways. Firstly, it breaks down the frame
clashes of teacher. It is important because as a teacher we must work harder to
eradicate the preconceived perception toward our students. Secondly, it creates stronger bond between
parents, children, and teachers. Home visits provide the intimate relationship among teachers, parents, and students.
The last, it supports the partnership education. It is very important because
the partnership education will enable all parties to create holistic education for the students.
In fact, I strongly suggest this home visit to be
regularly implemented in Indonesia especially for the primary education. The
huge socio-cultural diversity that Indonesia has needs a serious bridge to connect all the gaps, necessarily
for students’ education. It should not only be implemented for the “troubled”
students but also for all students. It is because the home visit can be a good
alternative in bridging students, teachers, and parents to support holistic
education. I know it is hard, but
nothing is impossible, moreover when it comes to our young generation future.
Reference
Dantas, M. & Coleman, M. (2010). Home visits: Learning from
students and families. In M. Dantas & P. Manyak (Eds.), Home-school connections
in a multi-cultural society: learning from and with culturally and
linguistically diverse families. (pp. 156-176). New York: Routledge
Eisler, R (2009). Education for a partnership world: Building
cultures of piece. In H.S. Shapiro (Ed.), Education and hope in troubled times
(259-271). New York, NY: Routledge
Nicolas, J. (2012). Conducting the Home Visit in Child Protection. Glasgow:
McGraw-Hill Education
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar