Unit Three: Partnerships

What is a Partnership?
A Short Review SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
Partners and Partnerships Advantages of Community Involvement
Case 3.1: School/Community Participation ideas for Fostering Partnerships between
the School and the Community Parents’ involvement
Case 3.2: Strengthening Home Work
Activities 3.1: Assess and Improve Community Cooperation
Case 3.3: National Celebrations
Case 3.4: School/Community Partnership
Activity 3.2: Community Resources for Development
Partnerships
Former DepEd Secretary Florencio Abad once said,

“The problem of Education is everybody’s problem. As building

literacy is our collective responsibility, so too is improving the
quality of our schools, our collective responsibility. We must
build bridges between the school and the home. We must build
bridges between the school and the community.” (2005
Educators Congress).

You must remember that schools belong to the public,

and the public is entitled to be informed about the
operation of the school system. Schools operate best
when they have positive relationship with the
community.
A Short Review
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
The Community: Its Social, Political, Economic and Cultural Features
INTRODUCTION
Let us view the school as part of the whole system. Consider this: A school is situated in a specific
community and its students are members of this community or a nearby one. The teaching and learning
that goes on in a school is affected by these communities. When we view a school, then, we must see it as
part of a community.
A Community (also called a social group) is a plurality of
individuals with the following essential characteristics
(Chalfant and Labeff, 1988):

1) regular and sustained interactions, though not

necessarily directly, between members
2) shared decision making
3) sense of common identity
4) shared interests/goals
The members of a community may have diverse language and occupations. They
may even have varying ages but they form a unity or group and can be identified as
such for as long as they share the aforementioned characteristics.

ACTIVITY 1
Were you able to identify only one? Then that means your group is homogenous,
meaning, people have the same background.

If you identified several on the list, that means you belong to a heterogeneous
class and school. You come from different communities.

Do you have a student who comes from a community that is not on the list? Given
the variety of communities around us, that is very likely to happen. You can add
that kind of community to the above list (and you can congratulate yourself for
being observant)!

Do you think different kinds of communities would have different social, political,
economic and cultural conditions?

If your answer is yes, you are right! Read on so you will know exactly how these
communities can vary.
Examine this grid and take note of the different aspects of each kind of community.
Can you think of other communities? Is your school within a mining community, fishing
community or suburbia (or sub-urban)?
You can continue filling up the matrix by characterizing the social relations, politics,
economy and culture of these communities.
Before doing that, bear in mind these distinctions:

Social Features–refer to the typical relationships of people in a community (impersonal

or personal? close, direct, face-to-face and highly emotional or indirect, brief and
instrumental/utilitarian? clannish or individualistic?)

Political Features–refer to how power is distributed in a community. Those with power

are known as leaders, elites, authorities and the like. Power can be formal/official or
informal/unofficial.
Examples of individuals holding formal power are the elected officials, designated or appointed authorities in business
corporations, government agencies and NGOs. People enjoying informal power may not be easily identified by a
newcomer to a place because they don’t have formal appointments. Their power rests on the influence they wield
over others. Example: Sharon Cuneta’s influence over her fans, the respect we automatically give to the elders, the
deference we accord to priests. Celebrities, older people and priests enjoy informal power.

Economic Features–refer to the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. These days, the
economy of communities is classified as either predominantly agricultural or industrial. The people in a community
can be classified economically in terms of the socio economic status.

Cultural Features–refer to the beliefs, norms or rules of conduct, and values in a community. Today, we differentiate
between modern, westernized culture, and traditional culture. Modern culture can be traced to industrialized US and
Europe. It has reached our shores through the power of technology (think of Internet, satellites, computers, 10 and
mass media). Traditional culture refers to the beliefs, norms/rules of conduct and values that can be traced to our past
and which have survived the colonialism and /or modernization and westernization of our country. Examples of these
are the beliefs in nuno sa punso, or the practice of skipping a bath on Tuesdays and Fridays in the belief that these
are “bad” days.
ACTIVITY 2
The first sentence you read in this lesson bears repeating at this point:

Let us view the school as part of the whole system.

As you went through the exercises, you learned that school performance is linked to the community where the
school is located and the communities to which its students belong.

Simply put, the social relations, politics, economy and the culture of the community can greatly affect how the school
performs its functions and how students learn.

ACTIVITY 3

As a future teacher, it is likely that you will be assigned to a school where students have varied social, political,
economic and cultural conditions. Some of these students are likely to come from poor communities. What
adjustments can you make in your school and in your class so that the students and parents from these poor
communities can participate more actively in school activities? (write your answers)
The Community Resources
Every community has resources. These can be in the form of human, social, material, financial, and
natural/physical environment assets.

• Human resources refer to the skills, talents, qualities, and attitudes of the people living in the
community.
• Social assets are those relationships, rules, established course of action, and practices that can
serve as instruments in attaining specific goals in a given situation.
• Material resources are man-made things such as equipment, property, facilities, tools, and the
like which are at the disposal of a community.
• Financial assets consist of monetary, income or cash resources. ™
• Natural resources refer to the physical environment.

Most of these resources surround the school. There is a need for you as beginning teacher to be
thoroughly aware of these resources in order to tap and utilize them as you go on your teaching
journey.
 ACTIVITY 4
Let’s do some resource mapping of the community where your school is located.
NAME OF SCHOOL: _____________________________________________
KIND OF COMMUNITY: __________________________________________
1. Enumerate at least 5 human resources of the community where your school is located.
2. Enumerate at least 5 material resources in the community where your school is located.
3. Where does the community get its financial resources? Do you think the community is rich in financial
resources? Why do you think so?
4. Rules/norms and tradition are established practices to be followed in recurring situations. These can
either be informal/unwritten or codified/written in a formal document. For each of the school objectives
listed in the table next page, write down some community norms/rules and traditions that contribute to its
realization. A sample answer is given for your reference. (see next slide)
5. Identify at least two natural resources in the community and the benefits the school derives from them.
Now, compare your answers with the answers seen in the Answer Key. Are there
answers common to both lists? There are no cut-and –dry answers to these
questions, actually. Resources vary from community to community. It’s up to people
using these resources to optimize the benefits they can draw from them.
Key answer for ACTIVITY 4
The Community Resources
Possible Answers:
Name of School: SAN JUAN MATEO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Community: Nearly Urban (Most of its pupils come from the Poblacion)

1. What can you derive from the human resources of a community?

Talents – singing, drawing
Skills – UP – trained professionals; tupig-making
Knowledge – see skills
Attitude – Optimism, Volunteerism
OFW Experiences Trust, Respect, Religiosity
2. Material Resources. Gymnasium (1), Drying and Storage Facilities (3), Rice Mill (6), Basketball Court (10)
3. Where it gets its income/financial resources Farming, Business, OFWs, Stable Employment Is the community
rich? One-third of its population do not have sufficient source.
4. Examples of community rules are already listed in the exercise itself.
5. Waterways that serve as irrigation source and outlets for runoffs. Trees that still abound that serve as anti-
population guards.
Teaching and Learning From and In the Community
The school and the community can share resources in ways that can benefit both of them.
The dynamics of this relationship is illustrated below.

You may wonder what resources the school and community can share together. For one, they
can share human resources.
Students learn through discussion, simulation, reading, writing, etc. These are
common activities inside the classroom. But there are lessons that can be
effectively and enjoyably taught and learned by going to the community and
observing, asking the experts and actively participating in, or even initiating,
community activities (Lardizabal, 1988).

Through these varied and practical strategies, teaching and learning becomes
more interesting and meaningful.

Learning and the areas to be learned should not have boundaries. Education, as
public property, should belong to everyone, not just the academically successful but
also those who have wisdom outside the school (Sayer and Williams, 1989)
Go over this table that lists down classroom lessons which can involve the community.
COMMUNITY-BASEDROLES OF THE TEACHERS

Community Expectations of the Teachers

Teachers play various roles beyond the boundaries of the school. Local communities, which are just a block away
from the school, turn to teachers for a lot of needs.

ACTIVITY 5

Analyze the following caselets and then answer the questions that follow.
The teacher give the instruction on how to submit your answers online .

Caselet A
A mother of a first year high school student complained to Mrs. Aragos, the adviser of her son. “Why did you
place my son in the Bridge Program? I know my son too well. He can read, he can write, and he can even
speak English. I heard him talking to the American husband of his aunt and the latter could understand him
well. Besides, another year of schooling means additional expenses. I really don’t understand this program”.
Mrs. Aragos was a little bit rattled but she managed to explain to the mother why her son had to go through
the Bridge Program
1. What problem is presented in the caselet?
2. How did the teacher react?
Caselet B

Ms. Guerra, a new teacher in Bangkal Barangay High School noticed that one of her students was
unusually quiet, and hardly recited in class. She would not participate in group activities and seldom
interacted with her, classmates. The teacher noticed also that she was untidy and shabbily dressed. She
was habitually late and often absent. So she talked to her and asked her if she had a problem. The girl
hesitated but after some prodding, she confided her problem which shocked the teacher – the girl was
being sexually abused by her own father.
1. What problem is presented in this caselet?
2. How did the teacher discover the student’s problem?
3. Describe the reaction of the teacher when she learned about the problem of the student.

Caselet C
Mr. Vallejo was informed by one of his students that a fraternity initiation was being conducted at an abandoned
warehouse within the vicinity of the school campus. He hurriedly went to the alleged place and found that five of
his students were the ones conducting the initiation rite.
1 What is the problem in this caselet? Why is it a problem?
2. How did the teacher find out that a prohibited activity was going on within the school premises?
3. What did the teacher do when he learned about the activity?
Caselet D

The Barangay Chairman of Brgy. Tala-Tala wanted to initiate an information campaign about illegal drugs. But he
and his councilmen lacked the knowledge and resources about this particular topic. They didn’t even know how
to start, so they asked the help of one of the teachers in Tala-Tala High School.

1. What problem confronted the barangay chairman?

2. What step did he take to address the problem?
COMMUNITY-BASED ROLES OF THE TEACHERS
Identify the role expected of the teacher in each caselet.
Choose from the following roles: a. an agent of change b. a legal counsel c. a person in authority d. a source of knowledge

In Caselet A
1. The teacher has to be
_____________________________________

In Caselet B
2. The teacher is expected to be
_____________________________________

In Caselet C
3. The teacher has to assert his being
______________________________________

In Caselet D
4. The teacher has to prove that she is
______________________________________
COMMUNITY-BASED ROLES OF THE TEACHERS

Class Discussion

1. If you were the teacher in each caselet, what would you do to address the
problem presented in

Caselet A?

Caselet B?

Caselet C?

Caselet D?

2. Do you think you are ready to perform the roles that the community is expecting
of you? Why/why not?
COMMUNITY-BASED ROLES OF THE TEACHERS

Apply what you have learned

Make a journal on how to be a better

a. agent of change (making people understand and observe policies, programs, and
projects of DepEd and government)
b. legal counsel / person in authority ( informing/ advising the community of actions /
decisions to make based on the country’s laws and Department Order, etc. )
c. person in authority (knowing and exercising authority with regard to student’s
discipline and working relationship with others based on existing laws and DepEd
Orders.)
d. source of knowledge (knowing current events / issues; ability to share information
with others.)
THE SCHOOL-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

Quality education is not the sole responsibility of the school. It is and it

should be the community’s responsibility as well. After all, as pointed out in the
preceding lesson, it is in the interest of the community to see to it that its children are
well taught.

Poorly educated children will result in an undeveloped community. It is

important for the school and the community to build a partnership in the business of
educating the young.

In this partnership, it is the school that must initiate the move for a
positive linkage, nurture it, and sustain it in the long term. The relationship must be
based on mutual respect and trust, and must rest in the belief that quality education is a
shared responsibility.
 Partnerships and Participation
What is a Partnership?
The term ‘partnership’ connotes part-ownership or shared
responsibility. A partnership in marriage, or within the family, would be the
husband and wife; in sports, the coach and players; in education the teacher
and learner, the teacher and the Department of Education; or the teacher
and various representatives of the community. Each school is sited in a
neighborhood, district, town or community1. The purpose of the school is to
prepare the children to participate in the social, economic and cultural
activities of the community it serves. A partnership has been defined as a
“ relationship characterized by roles, responsibilities, rights, obligations,
and accountabilities. The relationship may be based on law, shared ethical
standards, rules and/or conventions. Partnerships for Capactty BuildIng and Quality Improvements In Education)
(
Why Partnerships?

Education is a long-term investment; its rewards are only reaped later in

life. The primary investor is the Government, but the ultimate beneficiaries are
the individuals and their families, the private sector, the community and society
at large. It would be advantageous for the beneficiaries to share in the
investment, by becoming a partner in educating the child. Additionally, many
schools with multi-grade classes tend to have inadequate resources and
personnel. Partnerships, therefore, provide an avenue through which resources
can be strengthened, and the community can participate in the education of the
child, and the life of the school.
Partners and Partnership?

The “business of education has two major actors: the State and Civil Society”.
Partnership with the civil society refers to general community participation, private sector
involvement and parental cooperation. Community participation, in this sense, refers to
the involvement of various groups and individuals in the life and activities of the school.
This is a two-way relationship. Members of the community can be resource persons. They
can raise funds and assist in the planning of the future of the school. In many places the
community shares in the ownership of the school, particularly the physical premises. This
is especially so in communities where religious organizations have started schools.
Advantages of Community Participation

The community, which includes the parents of the students, is a valuable

source of support. Representatives of the school should participate in the
social and economic activities of the community. Cooperation and partnership
with the community can be mutually beneficial to the community and the
school. Some of the benefits are:
1. Parents and other members of the community may serve as teacher aides,
or resource persons with various skills.
2. The school can also count on the help of the community in such activities as
celebrations, fundraising and the building and maintenance of the school.
 Advantages of Community Participation

3. The learning environment will be enhanced by support from the community.

For instance, if the school has a close relationship with parents and other
community members, this can help to improve discipline, and there will be closer
communication to assist the child in overcoming the challenges of schoolwork.
4. The school would become a central point for activities in the community. For
example, it may be used for adult literacy classes, or as a community meeting
place. In addition, the children may play an active part in village activities, such
as the cleaning of roads, and beautification of the surroundings.
5. The transfer of skills such as weaving, dyeing, embroidery, carving, playing
traditional instruments, traditional dance, storytelling, etc.
 Case 3.1 School/Community Cooperation

Josefa dela Cruz the teacher at San Juan Mateo Elementary School, wished to
develop an agricultural plot with her pupils as a means of teaching them the
advantages of natural fertilization and weeding. She had no idea what seeds to use, so
she wanted to get this information from the Agricultural Information Centre in town. To
go to town, she would have to be absent from the school for two days, and this would
be detrimental to the students’ education. Fortunately, the shopkeeper was going to
town to buy his supplies. She knew him as a member of the school committee, and so
she asked him if he could get the information for her from the Agricultural Information
Centre. He agreed, and when he returned, he not only had all the information she
needed, but had also bought sufficient seeds for all pupils to plant in their plots. in the
island. In addition, several parents, for status reasons, prefer to send their children to
private.
Building Partnerships

Building a partnership is a long term process. There must be trust, and an

underlying rapport, prior to building a partnership. As in any form of
cooperation, a partnership between the school and any area of the community,
does not come automatically. It has to be developed, nurtured and fostered. To
develop a two-way relationship, it is not only important for the community to
become involved in the school, but the school has to be responsive to the needs
of the community.
For example, the school program has to be flexible enough for
adjustments to be made when students have to help out at harvest-time, or take
on household responsibilities, or as in Case 3.1, community members share
responsibilities when it is convenient.
Building Partnerships
Below are some ideas for creating an environment for forming partnerships between the
community and the school:
1. An open-day at the school at least once a term, for the pupils to show and discuss their work
with the parents.
2. Regular communication between the School/Community members or Village Education
Committee and the parents, through meetings, newsletters, and home visits.
3. Special workdays when teacher and students go into the community, and help with
harvesting, and other community-based activities.
4. Fun-days involving students, teacher, school/community members or members of the Village
Education Committee, parents, and other community members.
5. Building a strong Parents/Teachers’ Association (PTA), which can give a better structure to
the partnership between the school and the community. For example, the PTA can:
a. Help the teachers to make teaching aids;
b. Encourage children to work with their teachers leading to improved achievement;
c. Help teachers to organize field days for the children;
d. Help to raise resources for the children
Ways of Helping
Parents and other community members should be fully integrated in the running of the
school. They can supplement the resources of the school in many ways.

Among the areas in which partnerships can be developed are:

1. Student supervision while the teacher is teaching another group;

2. Coordinate small group work with students, in subject areas where they are strong, e.g.
agriculture, to help students under- stand the subject matter, and complete assignments;
3. Homework supervision;
4. Facilitate practical activities, such as gardening, sports and dancing;
5. Assist training in handicrafts, agriculture and home crafts, or in the purchase, or making, of
resources, as in the case;
6. Teach the children about the community’s culture and customs;
7. Facilitate student’ summer work programs.
Ways of Helping

Parents and other community members can also play a vital role in the
educational process by:
 Helping to develop and support the school curriculum to make it more
relevant to community needs; Hiring a private teacher, if the need arises;
 Identifying teacher aides in the community;
 Providing information about the background of the pupils; Monitoring the
behaviour and progress of pupils and the school;
 Organizing special projects (such as building and expansion) and
fundraising activities;
 Helping to resolve disputes.
10 Ways in Building School and Community Partnership

1.Give young people a voice

2.Plan for effective collaboration
3.Develop a shared vision
4.Establish clear roles and responsibilities for each partner
5.Engage in joint professional development
6.Blend school and community staff in a specific way
7.Share accountability for a specific accountability
8.Engage the right leaders
9.Get help identifying diverse funding sources
10.Use the toolkit for expanding learning
 Activity 3.1 Assess and Improve Community Cooperation
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to assess the level of community cooperation and suggest ways of
improving the situation.
Questions:
1. Does the type of relationship, which is demonstrated in Case 3.1, exist in your community or our country?
Describe.
2. Will the villagers volunteer to purchase materials for the teacher? Explain your answer
3. Give some examples of cooperation, and/or partnerships, between the community and the school in your
village.
4. If there is no cooperation, and/or partnerships, between the community and the school in your village, can you
identify the reasons behind this lack of cooperation?
5. Give some ways in which cooperation can be improved
6. Would it be useful to sit with community members and work out a plan of cooperation? Explain your answer.
7. In what other ways do you think the community can help you and you can help the community?
 Case 3.2 Strengthening Home Work

Mr Dela Curz, the headteacher of San Juan Mateo Elementary School, meets Mrs. Tomas,
who is illiterate, and who has a child named Maria in Grade 5.

Mrs. Tomas: I am worried. My child failed this term, and I know she is clever.

Mr. Dela Curz: You are right. Her reports show that she is not doing well in Mathematics and
English. She had the same trouble last year.

Mrs. Tomas: But, Mr. Taba, she is good in the other subjects. Why?

Mr. Dela Cruz: I will call her teacher, Miss Marikit. Maybe she can explain what is happening.
Miss Marikit comes and explains to Mrs Tomas that it is not unusual for a child to be good in some subjects and weaker in
others. She said that there are other children who also have trouble with English.

Mrs Tomas: I cannot help her very much, since I do not know much English.

(Miss Marikit mentions that Maria often stays at home to help with her brothers and sisters and goes to the market with
her mother. She tells her mother that her work would improve if she came to school every day She suggested that Mrs.
Tomas can help by making sure that Maria comes to school every day)

Miss Marikit: Mrs. Tomas, I really need your support. Your child is a hardworking pupil, and, together, we can help her
succeed.

Mrs. Tomas: I see your points. I promise to send Maria to school every day I did not realize that not coming to school
would affect her work so badly I am glad we discussed this. Thank you.

Miss Marikit discusses with other teachers, parents and farmers, the kinds of materials she can prepare for students who
need help in Mathematics and English. With their help, she prepares them for the next class.
Activity 3.2 Community Resources for Development

Purpose: This activity is a role-play of a panel discussion, which aims to increased awareness:
a. of the importance of students attending school;
b. in classroom teachers of the benefits of using outside-school resources for teaching;
c. in the local community of the role its members can play in education;
d. in the community of the role the school can play in the affairs of the community.
The panelists play the roles of those who will participate in the discussion:
 The school head;
 The director of the community library, or community center;
 A school teacher;
 A representative of the farming community, local chamber of commerce, or industry;
 A community leader.
 The purpose of the discussion is to examine ways in which the school can use the
knowledge and experience of community leaders, and how the school could be integrated within
the community, to develop the relevance of its education, and promote the philosophy of lifelong
learning. For each role, there is a suggested reference point.
Roles:
School Head
Welcome the participants, and thank them for coming to the meeting. Explain why you believe that
it is important to link the school more closely with the social, cultural and economic life of the local
community. Invite those who have come to the meeting to share in a joint partnership to provide
truly relevant education.
Director of Library or Community Centre
Welcome the idea and say what the library/center could do. Point out the implications for funding
and staffing. For example, you could set up a special children’s section, show videos, and have
seminars or talks once a week, and hold poster, poetry and/or essay competitions for the children.
The library could also prepare exhibitions for special occasions, e.g. International Women’s Day,
Child Month, No Smoking Day, or Environmental Protection Week. Special arrangements could be
made for students to use the facilities after school, for research and homework
Schoolteacher
Express support for the idea and recognized its potential to con- tribute to meaningful
learning. Indicate that you are very happy, because you will be able to get help in designing
teaching materials, which reflect the culture of the community. However, there are some
concerns. What will it mean for timetabling, syllabus completion, examinations and pressure of
the next level of education on primary education?
Farming/Business/Industry Representative
Special arrangements would have to be made for students to visit farms, factories, and
other workplaces. Some students may be a safety risk. They may be too young to understand
what is going on, and their presence will disrupt production. They would be happy to work with
teachers in developing teaching materials that reflect what they are doing. Having been
convinced by the school head and the teacher, you reluctantly agree to be a partner.
Community Leader
Applaud the move to integrate the school into the community. The move has been long
overdue. Participation will enable the community to provide an input into the cultural and civic
education of children. The community would also like to see the school participate, through its
education activities, in helping to solve community problems. Would teachers be prepared to assist
illiterate parents to read and write? In return the community leaders would try to inform parents
about the importance of sending their children to school every day, and to persuade them to do so.
Case 3.3 National Celebrations

It is the normal practice in Philippines and other countries that National Holidays,
such as National Heroes Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day, engender
considerable collaboration between the school, the community and the private
sector. This may take the form of plays, exhibitions, concerts, competing sports
activities, fairs, a poster competition, and other activities. For Independence Day
celebrations, representatives of many schools participate by singing and dancing
during the road march, and at the Grand Gala celebration. Students also prepare
performances, such as drum corps presentations, dancing traditional/folk dances
such as the fiestas, shows and contest in various forms, which they do during
eliminations, for gold, silver or bronze medals, leading up to the highlight of the
celebration. There are some celebrations which helps teachers to prepare the
performances..
Case 3.4 School/Community Partnership
Every rainy season in Philippines, there was an outbreak of fever, flu and diarrhea, that killed many
people in both urban and rural areas. The Department of Education, Health and Social Welfare launched a
vigorous campaign to educate people in how to minimize the risk of contracting the disease. One of the
pieces of advice the department gave, was that people should desist from the traditional practice of washing
hands in a communal dish before taking a meal, particularly on gatherings and celebrations. People were
advised to wash their hands from running water and soap. A very laborious practice indeed! What could be
done?
In such a situation, schools and their communities can join in the search for solutions. An inter-
school competition can be organized so that schools, through their teaching of subjects such as craft and
design or design and technology, can design a device that could provide a solution to the problem.
An appropriate design brief should be worked out in consultation with the community One condition
would be for the design to use low-cost materials, and another for it to be one which could be easily
understood and made by rural craftspeople.
The solution would then be funded through local government or other agencies for production,
using the technological skills available in the community.
Activity 3.3 Planning for School Community Collaboration

Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to:

1. Make sustainable plans for school/community collaboration in the event of a
disaster;
2. Identify the roles which various personnel will play in implementing plans for
collaboration.
Questions
1. Can there be an agreement about the ways in which the school and community
can collaborate in the event of a disaster, such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes
and drought? Case 3.4 suggests one kind of collaboration. There could be a
disaster prepared- ness committee, on which both school and the community are
represented, which assumes responsibility for continuous planning.
2. Is there collaboration between the school and the community for national events and
celebrations? Can there be planning for this kind of collaboration and can those plans be
supported by an agreement? Some reference could be made to Case 3.3
3. Agreement to implement the proposed measures should lead to the formulation of action
to be taken. Would it, for example, be feasible and worthwhile, to: (select one below and
explain)
a. Invite speakers from the community, farms,
b. businesses and industry to visit the school?
c. Participate in special school afternoons at the library/community center? Organize weeks
during which there are visits to local farms, business and industrial enterprises?
d. Schedule activities allowing for the preparation for participation in the national celebration
4. Are there other activities, which would be especially appropriate in your local situation?
Explain
Summary

The school and various representatives of the community can enjoy

mutually beneficial relationships. These can be based on partnerships,
whereby different groups, associations, and/or individuals, assume
responsibility for various activities. In return the school may allow young
people and adults to use the playing fields, and/or school grounds for
fairs, etc. The multi-grade teacher has a critical role to play in building
these relationships.