Family Educational Environment: Styles, Roles and Parent-School Communication

The Educational Environment of the Family

The family is the first educational environment in which a child grows. From the very beginning, family life shapes the child's personality, habits and learning. Several aspects are key to understanding the importance of the family's role in education.

Functions of the Family in Education

1. Primary groups of socialization: The first group a child belongs to is the family, which provides affection, security and the first relationships. The influence exerted by parents and siblings is decisive.

2. Communication and transmission of values and norms: Children learn values, norms and attitudes through daily coexistence and through the attitudes shown by all family members.

3. Socializing agent: The family is the first social space in which the child integrates into the community.

4. Training agent: The family is where children develop their first skills and achieve their first learning milestones (speaking, walking, touching, etc.).

5. Models of behavior: Older siblings, parents and even relatives serve as models that children tend to imitate.

Educational Styles

Each family has its own educational style, which is applied in a more or less intuitive and often unconscious way. Within these styles, there are several distinct models:

Authoritative Style

Parents consider themselves in constant opposition to their children. They establish a unidirectional communication system in which parents give orders without any explanation, and restrict the child's autonomy. They often use punishments and threats. Children raised this way are characterized by high demands and little warmth.

Consequences:

1. Low levels of self-stimulation and autonomy.
2. Frustration, and difficulty expressing feelings or maintaining desires in front of parents.
3. Passive, shy children who always seek the approval of adults.

Democratic or Assertive Style

Children and parents are considered equals. Parents explain the reasons for the rules, acknowledge children's rights, and make joint decisions with them.

Consequences:

1. They develop a sense of responsibility.
2. They facilitate interactions.
3. They allow attitudes of cooperation, decision-making and respect for rules.

Permissive Style

Parents tolerate almost everything and exercise little control. Their demands are low. They show tolerance and little aggressiveness, and avoid confrontation. They tend to meet all their children's wishes and avoid difficulties, even when children break the rules, with little emotional involvement.

Consequences:

1. They tend to be egocentric and dependent.
2. They lack self-control and struggle to put the desires of others before their own.
3. They usually have high levels of self-esteem.

Negligent Style

Demands are very low due to a lack of parental attention and sensitivity to the children's needs. There is little emotional expression and no communication.

Consequences:

1. Negative self-concept and serious deficiencies in self-confidence.
2. Holistic effects on personal development.
3. A greater predisposition to psychological disorders.

The School Council

The School Council is the body of participation of the whole educational community in the governance of schools maintained with public funds. In the first cycle of early childhood education, the creation of a school council is not obligatory.

Composition

• A. The principal of the center, who will be its president.
• B. The head of studies.
• C. One representative of the municipal council or city council where the center is located.
• D. Teachers elected by the teaching staff, who may not be fewer than one third of the total members of the council.
• E. Parents of students elected by and among parents. Students from the first course of compulsory secondary education may also be elected members, and they may not be fewer than one third of the total members of the council.
• F. One representative of the administrative and service staff.
• G. The secretary of the center, who acts as secretary of the council with a voice but without a vote.

Competencies

• A. Approve and evaluate the projects and annual general programming of the center, and the rules of organization and functioning of the center.
• B. Approve and evaluate the annual general programming of the center, without prejudice to the competencies of the teaching staff.
• C. Know the candidates for the direction and the projects of direction of the candidates presented.
• D. Take part in the selection of the director of the center.
• E. Decide on the admission of students, subject to the provisions established by law and its development regulations.
• F. Know the discipline of students and ensure that conflicts are resolved in accordance with current regulations.
• G. Propose measures and initiatives that favor coexistence in the center, equality, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
• H. Promote the conservation and renovation of the facilities and equipment of the school, and adopt the obtaining of complementary resources.
• I. Set the guidelines for collaboration with educational, cultural and local administrations, other centers, entities and organizations.
• J. Analyze and assess the general functioning of the center, the performance of the school and the evolution and results of internal and external evaluations in which the center participates.
• K. Develop proposals and reports, on its own initiative or at the request of the competent administration, on the functioning of the center and the improvement of educational quality management.
• L. Any other competencies attributed by the administration to the educational center.

The AMPA (Parents' Association)

The AMPA is a non-profit association formed by the parents or guardians of students of an educational center. Its purpose is not university-related. Its participation in the management of the center is aimed at fostering the education of the city and accomplishing achievements in coexistence within the center itself.

Family and School Communication

Families and educational centers share the education of the child, and it is essential that both maintain a stable and fluid relationship with the professionals who work with the child during early childhood.

Types of Daily Communication

Daily communication between the center and the family is necessary. It can take the following forms:

1. Informal comments or brief conversations at the entrance: Up to 4 or 5 years old, the child is usually accompanied by an adult into the classroom or handed over to an educator responsible for them. These informal contacts depend on the needs of the child and the incidents that have occurred. They also help ensure that information is conveyed in a timely manner through communications, circulars, etc.
2. The announcement board: This is a one-way information system through which the center publishes information of interest to families. When important information must be sent, reminders are placed in the child's bag.
3. Periodic meetings (interviews): These are professional conversations with one or more persons who seek information to record, analyze and study. Each child has two interviews per course: one at the beginning of the school year, and one when the child is already in an advanced stage of the course.

Types of Interviews

1. First interview (initial): Held at the beginning of the course, especially when students first enter the center. It collects background information: personal data, family data (siblings), educational history (if they have attended other centers), developmental habits, and any special educational needs or disabilities.
2. Follow-up interview: Held in the middle of the course, to inform families of the child's adaptation process and progress at the center.
3. Extraordinary interviews: Held in circumstances when it is deemed necessary, either by the center or the families.

Adaptation Process

The period of adaptation to the center is important. The child's full integration into school usually takes place gradually, with rapid or slow adjustment depending on each child. The adaptation period may vary: some children adapt on the first day, while others need progressive adaptation. Parents should inform the teaching staff of any relevant information that may help the child during this transition.