Parental activity consists of voluntary activities organized by parents in nursery schools, schools or educational institutions that support and promote the learning and well-being of children and youths. The parents may operate in class teams, informal parents’ forums for the whole school, or within registered parents’ associations.
What ever form the activities take, the objective is always to reinforce beneficial cooperation between homes and schools/nursery schools and to promote a community-led culture of operation. The activities are centered around all of the children and youths within the community.
Being present in the everyday life of children and youths
By participating in parental activities at the nursery school or school you demonstrate to your child that you take interest in their everyday life, friends, and well-being.
Strength and wisdom
for parenthood
Being present and actively cooperating with the staff of the nursery school or school shows the child that the parents want to act together to benefit the child. The presence of parents is also important in upper comprehensive school, upper secondary school, and vocational institutions. Youths appreciate positive and goal-oriented cooperation with adults at the school
Strength and wisdom for parenthood
Parental activity provides a good picture of the everyday life at the nursery school or school and lets us see into the growth and operational environment in which the child or youth spends large amounts of their time.
Every school and teacher works in cooperation with parents.
Could more be achieved through cooperation?
Through parental activities you become familiar with the adults at the nursery school or school, the friends of your child and their families. When we know each other, it is easier to share everyday joys and issues and find solutions to our problems. Shared discussions and operation allow parents to affect the well-being, comfort, and safety of the children, youths, and the entire nursery school or school community in a concrete way.
Parents as partners at nursery schools and schools
By actively participating in the everyday operation of the nursery school or school, the parents can support the teachers’ work in multiple ways. At its best, parental activity means working together, creating a shared understanding with the nursery school or school on how we can support the growth, learning, and comprehensive well-being of the children and youths. Activities organized by the parents at the nursery schools and schools promote community spirit. A communal culture that is open to everyone supports the coping of the staff, promotes an environment of positivity, and increases the sense of safety and mutual confidence.
Effective operation to benefit the children, youths, and families
The purpose of the influential activities is to defend the right of all children and youths to a safe, healthy, and good life as well as high-quality early childhood education and teaching. A parents’ forum that operates in the nursery school, school or on the local level may prevent adverse effects on children and youths by actively participating in the public dialogue and communicating its positions on the decision-making regarding families with children.
Everyday activeness
Making the most of transition points-> ”getting a hold of” new parents right from the start.
Making individual choices. Not all parents take part in communal, common events. How to reach different kinds of parents and families?
- Parents with different language and cultural backgrounds.
- Parents of children who need special support.
Telling parents about everyday activities and the fantastic pedagogy.
- Utilizing different channels
- Describing, showing, offering chances to try out
Allowing parents to take part in everyday activities.
- Outings, events, reading moments, tying the laces of skates, baking…
Making the most of the parents’ competence.
- Professions, competence, studies, interests..
Joyful communality
Organizing low-threshold encounters, including the whole family
- Celebrations, theme days, sports events, game nights, pop-up school days, Family-School Get-together, family evenings, low-threshold clubs.
Sharing parents’ contact information, grouping parents on a class/group level.
Daring to give parents opportunities to influence things
- School development, communal student welfare work, school-specific student welfare group.
Reforming parents’ evenings.
Organizing cooperation between the parents’ association/committee and the students’ union / children.
We would like to change attitudes and cooperation methods
More courage for teachers and principals…
- to meet with parents and listen to their thoughts
- to try out new ways of doings things and communicating
- to open their eyes to parents’ competencies
- to include parents in school activities.
More understanding for everyone to see the importance of the matter.
More courage for parents…
- to support the growth and learning of their child
- to take part in school activities
- to share their ideas and thoughts on school activities and cooperation
- to help strengthen the wellbeing of the school community.
Good cooperation…
- Supports: children’s growth and learning, teachers’ work and pedagogy, parenthood.
- Increases: children’s wellbeing, communality, and a sense of belonging to a community, the wellbeing and safety of the entire community.
- Strengthens: interaction between children and parents, Finnish early childhood education and care and basic education.
- Decreases: loneliness, bullying.
Vanhempainliitto – a partner to nursery schools and schools
Vanhempainliitto (Finnish Parents’ League) is a national builder of cooperation between the home and the schools and nursery schools. The membership of the association consists of approximately 1,300 parents’ associations operating in nursery schools, schools, and educational institutions.
Safe, healthy, and good life for all children
Vanhempainliitto supports and guides the parents’ associations, nursery schools, and schools in building a communal, equal, and inclusive culture of operation. The association provides ideas and tools for joint work by homes and schools/nursery schools as well as for parental activity with more than 100 years of experience. Close and effective cooperation between the home and the schools and nursery schools responds to the objectives specified in the early childhood education and care plan and the curriculum. Vanhempainliitto uses its expertise to promote the realization of these objectives.