Our social environment and other factors around us shape our views of ourselves and how we learn both at home and in school. Children grow up in different environments. Home, school and community are settings for socio-intellectual engagements from which students acquire, learn and nurture the skills, attitude and attachments.
What they learn in turn depicts them as individuals and shape their choice and performance of adult responsibilities.
Other than to instill values in children, the primary objective of schools and education is to provide academic excellence. The child’s success can come from a myriad aspects of his or her social environment from home as well as school.
Children learn a lot from home environment in their formative years before moving to school to acquire knowledge.
There are a number of ways in which the school environment affects the learners’ performance.
Firstly, parental interest in their children’s success is gauged by how much they are into school affairs and programmes. Parents’ knowledge on what happens in school, their involvement in decisions about their children’s educational career paths and constant communication between them and teachers has proven to be vital for the academic success of the learners. It also creates a good relationship of love, concern and motivation between parents, teachers and students.
Secondly, if the values of the institution entrenched in the mission, vision and motto of the school are achievement-oriented, they are more likely to inspire excellence in school. Students’ conformity to these values may see them concerned about school work. Learners who follow school rules are morally, socially, mentally and academically upright. As the saying goes, discipline and success are Siamese twins.
Thirdly, teachers’ expectations and judgement is pivotal in students’ academic achievement. Teachers being the primary sources of knowledge and information in school easily influence student performance. This ability is considered an important element of professionalism and competence.
Teacher expectations are based on improvement and success of students across the learning period. Teachers’ judgement also provide a systemic and holistic understanding of students’ success because constant interactions provide a richer and broader picture of students’ ability and knowledge than tests alone.
Success, therefore, involves more than just attainment. It comprises of motivation that allows one to capitalize and benefit from one’s education. For education is not a name of any degree or certificate that we can show to others as proof. Education is the name of our attitude, actions, language and behaviour with others in real life.
By Judy Moraa
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