parents and principals as partners in creating a culture of learning

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therefore not seek to educate the child on his own, but must do so in
cooperation with the parents. Wholehearted cooperation implies the
removal of stumbling blocks, sympathy for the parent expectations,
consultation, good communication, goodwill, mutual trust, loyalty,
understanding of parents' problems, appreciation for the parents'
upbringing of the child and respect for the parents' authority and status.
The teacher must do everything in his power to uphold the parents'
authority and to encourage the child to trust his parents.
* The principal and teachers must keep the parents fully informed of the
child's progress.
4.2.2 Schools' expectations of the parents
For the partnership between the family and the school to be effective, parents
themselves must assume certain responsibilities and bear certain things in mind
aboutthe school (Van Schalkwyk, 1982: 127; Van der Westhuizen (ed.), 1995:430­
431). The school is the seat of professional educative teaching. In order to
increase the school's effectiveness, both the principal and the school expect the
following from the parent (Van Schalkwyk, 1982:126-127; Dreckmeyr, 1989:545­
57; Munnik & Swanepoel, 1990:81-85; Oosthuizen, 1992: 123; Griessel, Louw &
Swart, 1993:50-52; Van Wyk, 1996b:25-26).
* To ensure that the child receives maximum benefit from education by:
o
o
offering him the security and love which he needs to enable him to
venture out into the world;
caring for his physical needs by providing sufficient wholesome
food, clothing and shelter and looking after his health;