Article #13

           This particular study looked at “Distance Education: A route to family and school partnerships”. This study was commenced in MA, and focused on Mass Interaction’s attempts to educate poor immigrant families in life skills using the television and free television programs aimed at helping families better prepare children at home for skills they will need at school.

            Mass Interaction produced two educational programs. Both focused on three themes; family culture in teaching and learning, the home as a learning environment, and family and community values. The first program was called “Taking the First Steps” and focused on educating toddlers and preschoolers. The second program was named “Building Bridges” and focused on educating primary school students. The programs were designed to be aired live with listener call in participation, and a variety of support staff available. The programs focused on early literacy, and the role the home experience can have in improving the future lives of young learners. The programmers felt distance education on television was an optimum medium to reach into households and educate families about ways of supporting early learning and literacy development.

            “Taking the First Steps” supports parents as teachers, and helps parents realize the tools available every day at home for an educational experience without the structure of formal education. It’s focused on a diverse population and offers a real hand on approach. It utilizes current theory and research to support its advice and conclusions.

            “Building Bridges for Excellence” focuses on primary grade aged students. Again it has many of the same goals and initiatives of “Taking the First Steps” but focuses more on the primary grade student. The program stresses the home as a learning environment and stresses family and community values.

            What is being valued here is the family as an educational tool. Parents and guardians need to take a vigilant approach to their children’s at home. Both programs stress daily routines most families go through that propose perfect opportunities to educate young children. Many modern families feel under siege the study suggests. Dual working parents, not enough quality home time, illiteracy etc… were all common concerns expressed by young families. These issues contributed to a sense of inadequacy amongst some small families. These programs aimed to help families feeling this way.

            I think the idea behind the programs is respectable. Taking home lessons via the television is not a bad idea. Cooking programs proliferate, why can’t education programs for families work. The values being thrust here are based on the family as a learning unit. Education needs to begin at home; you can’t expect schools to have the ability to remedy poor educational experiences at home. Education begins first and foremost in the household.  Again the concept it takes a village to raise a child is evident here.

            Ethically, all parents should know that education begins in the household. By making children understand how the household works and runs can go a long way to educating students daily in literacy etc… Education requires the family unit to be actively involved from the beginning of a child’s life. These programs were designed to help families understand that education can be as simple as an exercise in feeding the birds, setting a table or asking for something to eat. Everyday, families must utilize the tools at their disposal to educate their children in a positive healthy way.

Breitborde, M., & Swiniarski, L. (2002). Family Education and Community Power: new structures for new visions in the educational village. Educational Studies (03055698), 28(3), 305-318. doi:10.1080/0305569022000003744