Envolvimento parental na aprendizagem dos filhos ao longo da escolaridade na 7ª, 10ª e 12ª classe

Abstract

The involvement of parents in their children's learning is pointed out in several studies as a fundamental factor for the students' school success. However, in Mozambique, studies report the low participation of parents in schooling, which influences the low levels of student learning in primary and secondary education, hence the call for the promotion of parental involvement actions. However, little is known about how parents are involved in learning throughout their children's schooling. Thus, following a phenomenographic approach, this study aims to deepen the knowledge about the involvement of parents in learning throughout their children's schooling, since, in order to adopt actions that encourage greater involvement, it is necessary to start from research data. This study involved 60 parents of 7th, 10th and 12th grade students from three schools in Inhambane Province. The data collected, through semi-structured interviews, were later submitted to content analysis, seeking to identify the meaning that parents attribute to involvement, its objectives, practices, obstacles faced, promoting factors and perceived impact. The results reveal that parental involvement is defined in three different ways: monitoring the learning process, controlling school life and parental responsibility. The data also show that parents get involved in various ways: support for the homework, granting time for learning, monitoring punctuality and attendance, parent-child communication about good behaviour and the importance of school, support for overcoming difficulties, performance control, homework control, payment of school expenses, participation in meetings and communication with the teacher to find out about behaviour, performance and learning. In addition, in the speeches, there is a tendency for less involvement of parents in the learning of children from 10th and 12th grades. Furthermore, parents get involved with the aim of supporting learning, helping to overcome difficulties, supporting the teacher, achieving good results, having greater mastery of subjects, preparing the future and contributing to the country's development. Parents get involved moved by the responsibility they have in education, in the student's response and also in the expectations for the student's future. Parents see the benefits of their support for their children's educational achievement, behaviour, and commitment. However, the financial conditions, the lack of mastery of the subjects, the lack of time and the characteristics of the student, make it difficult for parents to be involved. It was concluded that parents participate in their children's learning, but with limitations, so they need guidance to know in which aspects they should invest more and how they should do it. Thus, it is suggested the implementation of parental involvement programs that can facilitate knowledge about the strategies that parents should adopt with a view to the success of their children's learning.