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At the Early Childhood Center of Ajusco, Mexico, the Community of St. Paul promotes the role of parents as their children’s first educators. For many years now the UNESCO has cited important reasons for parental participation in the education of their children. This may be obvious to some, but the differing socioeconomic and educational realities of countries, as well as the demands of the working world and new technologies are creating new challenges.
UNESCO begins by explaining the link that exists between parents and children, and how it improves learning. They then emphasize that the father and the mother are their children’s first educators and underscore the positive impact of quality early education in the development and learning of children. Finally, UNESCO stresses that the family occupies a privileged space because of their involvement in the educational process of early childhood.
For the parents who bring their children to the San José Community Center for Early Childhood Development (run by the CSP), education is not easy work. Some parents only see their children at night or on weekends. In spite of difficulties that they encounter, the parents continue to look for opportunities to help their children with their homework. They know that these are special times in which they can interact in a loving, tender and patient way with their children. They want to know that their children are learning and can carry out their activities in the most independent way possible in order to strengthen their self-esteem, their intelligence and their ability to do things for themselves.
During the month of March, with spontaneity, simplicity, pride and the support of their teachers, children presented different topics to their classmates, ranging from healthy foods to the environment to fish that are extinct to different professions. One little girl explained, with great aplomb, that she would like to be a painter when she is older, but not just any painter! Rather, she would like to be a painter like Leonardo Da Vinci, Picasso or Diego Rivera. She then presented several of their most famous paintings and, quite naturally, described what she saw. It was cute to see the conviction with which another child attended an injured sheep while she played the role of veterinarian.
All of this beautiful work was realized thanks to the parents, who know they are their children’s first teachers. From home, parents helped their children look for information, create costumes and the setting to give vision to the professions about which their children dream. With the security of their parents’ support and interest, the children looked radiant presenting their future professions.
