Strengthening School-Community Interdependence
For developing healthy school community coordination and their mutual interdependence without affecting school work, following suggestions will be helpful:
1. Parent-teacher Association
The school should orgar ze parent-teacher association of some educated parents and senior teachers. This association should organize some meetings in that school at regular intervals, according to the convenience of school. The meetings should be held after school hours. Parent's Day can be celebrated occasionally, inviting all the parents of school children to school. They should be told about the school's programmes, needs and problems.
2. Inviting Community Members on School Functions
The members of the community should be invited to the school on occasions like Sports Day, Prize Distribution Function, celebration of the Independence Day celebration of social and religious functions, the UNO Day etc.
3. Talks by Community Members
The community consists of many people belonging to different walks of life and having varied experiences. Some important persons may be invited to address the students. For example, a doctor can address the students on some health topics. The Chairman of a municipal committee can explain the working of municipal committee.
4. Correlating Teaching with social life
The teachers should correlate their teaching with the day-to-day life of pupils. They should stress the use and application of knowledge of life. They may be asked to tap various community resources for supplementing academic work. For example, they may make certain collections from the surrounding environment for the school, eg. collections of coins, pictures, weeds, specimens of insects etc.
5. Field Trips and Excursions
The school should occasionally organise certain field trips and excursions for educational purposes. They may be done during holidays. When the students visit their social surroundings, they come in contact with various members of the community and their ways of living. They become aware of their cultural heritage and wider social environment.
6. Social Service Campaigns
The school should organise social service campaigns on various occasions. The students may do social service under guidance of the teachers at various public fairs, festivals etc. Opportunity of social service should also be given to the community people. Let them do social service in collaboration with the school.
7. Adult Education Programmes
The school can organise adult education programmes. During the holidays, the teachers and the students may teach adults. Also, firms and other community people are invited to the school.
8. Guidance Services
The school should organise guidance services for the community. A committee of teachers may be formed for the purpose. Some experienced individuals from the community may also be associated. This committee should fix some special time for guidance purposes. The illiterate people of the community need guidance in many matters. Guidance is specially needed in rural areas. The villagers want to know about loans from banks, functioning of banks and post offices etc. This will decrease the gap between the school and community.
9. Library Service
The school library should also serve the community people. Some time, after school hours should be fixed when the community people can visit the library and read books. The books may be issued to them, after securing necessary identity cards. The teacher or librarian should be paid some extra money for this work.
10. Use of School Premises by the Community
The school premises may also be used by the community for a number of purposes. For example, certain social functions may be celebrated on the school premises. Certain common tournaments may be organised on the school grounds. However, the school building or campus should be used in after school hours or during the holidays. The school work should not suffer.
The use of school premises by the community will bring the school and the community together.
Thus, we see that the relationship between the school and the community should be strengthened. This will be in the interest of both the school and the community. The school should function as a community centre. The cooperation of the community in the functioning of the school should also be sought.