Education support encompasses a broad range of resources and services designed to help students at every stage of their learning journey. These services range from academic assistance to emotional guidance.
Education support services should be personalized and customizable, with learners able to select and access the services that are most relevant to their needs, preferences, and goals. They should also foster innovation and transformation.
1. Improving student achievement and well-being
Education support services can provide valuable resources and improve learning outcomes. They can also foster innovation and collaboration, as well as strengthen accountability and governance. However, they can face many challenges, including ensuring quality and relevance, managing costs and resources, and adapting to changing needs and contexts.
Students in high-poverty communities continue to face a lack of access to core academic services that increase student achievement, such as mentoring and tutoring programs. Providing these services is one way to close the equity gap and give students a better chance at success in school and beyond.
Research shows that students who receive educational support have higher academic achievement and a more positive attitude toward learning. Teachers play an important role in delivering educational support by encouraging a supportive classroom environment and engaging with students. They can help by providing tutoring, counseling, and other academic assistance. Additionally, they can encourage families to get involved in their children’s education by attending school events and communicating with their teachers.
2. Fostering school improvement
Education support professionals are a critical part of school life, but they are often overlooked. They are the paraeducators, cafeteria workers, security and technology staff, office assistants, and bus drivers who make schools run smoothly every day.
It is crucial that teachers be involved in the process of fostering school improvement, as they are uniquely positioned to understand student needs and barriers to learning. In order to ensure that educators are able to contribute their expertise, it is important for schools to provide the right resources and tools to allow them to do so.
Education support services should offer personalized recommendations and guidance to learners based on their learning patterns, preferences, and outcomes. This may include providing them with access to a network of tutors, mentors, and counselors that they can select, engage with, and customize according to their own needs. It is also necessary to empower learners by ensuring that they have the opportunity to explore and choose from a wide range of learning options, such as tuition tax credits, empowerment scholarships, open enrollment programs, microschools, and homeschooling.
3. Supporting teachers
Education support includes a broad range of activities and resources aimed at helping students succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. This can include everything from emotional guidance to financial assistance.
As learner needs evolve, schools will need to provide more integrated and personalized education support services. This may involve connecting learners to tutors, mentors, and counselors who can tailor their support to meet their individual goals, preferences, and learning styles.
Administrators can also support teachers by fostering a positive work culture, offering professional development opportunities, and promoting work-life balance. They can also encourage teachers to take regular breaks and engage in mindfulness exercises, as well as offer access to counselling services. By showing their dedication to supporting teachers, administrators can help them feel more empowered to go above and beyond for their students. This is what true leadership is all about. It takes a team of educators to make a difference in the lives of young people.
4. Involving parents
Parents are the first educators in a child’s life and their involvement can impact how students perform at school and at home. Whether it’s attending parent-teacher conferences or helping with homework, the role of the parent is crucial.
Research shows that children whose parents are involved in their education tend to do better on tests, earn higher grades and be more likely to enroll in post-secondary education. Moreover, they often have better attendance and more positive attitudes about school.
Many schools lead a strong push for parental engagement through the PTA, committees and classroom volunteering. However, many parents are unable to participate in these ways due to work commitments or other circumstances.
Schools can promote meaningful and productive parent participation by creating an environment that welcomes families. This can include implementing workshops and virtual meetings, allowing for flexibility around work schedules, and providing support for parents to communicate with teachers. Parents can also be a positive influence at home by monitoring their children’s backpacks for assignments, reading with them and encouraging them to take responsibility for their own learning.