Content area
Abstract
The researcher established a need to conduct a study, resulting from his experience of parents' lack of involvenent in their children's school and activities. An endeavour to allow parents of pupils in his register class to realise the necessity for greater involvement in the school and their children's activities, he decided to visit then at home.
The purpose of this study is therefore, to establish whether the researcher could by means of hone visits succeed in achieving the following:
* greater involvement by parents in their children's school activities,
* establishing contact between parent and teacher,
* bringing parent and child closer to eaoh other in order to improve their relationship, and
* involving the shy parent, to enable him to develop the necessary frankness to express his grievances, but also take the liberty to communicate with a teacher.
According to the research literature it is apparent that hone visiting has already been done overseas as mentioned by Fusoo (1964:17) where a headmaster encouraged members of his staff to visit homes of their pupils. A member of the governing body of a school also did home visiting (Cyster 1979:48). It is not obligatory for a teacher in South Africa to do home visiting, although the Department of Education would certainly welcome it. A dedicated teacher with the necessary inclination would take the trouble to visit the pupils of his register class at home..Such a visit enables him to get to know the pupil better but also become aware of the socio-economic nilieu of the child's home.
The research method applied to this study is that of descriptive research in which a transverse survey of existing conditions is made , id est spesific information is obtained by way of questionnaires at a specific time (De Net, Honteith, Venter § Steyn 1981:12). This information was obtained by questionnaires at a specific time, having been November 1992.
The investigation group existed of all the eldest and only pupils of a primary school in the Witwatersrand-area, whilst the researcher visited the Std. 4 group at home.
The measuring instrument was a questionnaire containing 41 questions which had to be completed by the parents of the pupils.
The following were highlighted by the study:
* Homevisiting succeeded only to a minor extent in improving parents' involvement with their child's school activities and school itself.
* Homevisiting succeeded in establishing contact between parent and teacher.
* Homevisiting did bring about an improvenent in the relationship of certain parents with their children.
* Homevisiting could involve the shy parents, enabling then to take the liberty to communicate with the teacher at any time. Hopefully this study would motivate these teachers who regard their teaching as a calling and not nerely as an occupation and who are concerned about the interests of every pupil entrusted to then through God. This sort of attitude and approach could result in every teacher beooning familiar with the need and problens of pupils in his register class and hence educate every pupil to the best of his ability in order that he could as a worthy adult fulfil his task in life.
