The GRE Issue task evaluates candidates' ability to analyze critically about the given topic of general interest and to precisely communicate their thoughts about it in writing. This particular GRE issue sample essay focuses on how all the parents should volunteer time to their child’s school. There is a wide range of similar topics available for candidates in GRE writing practice papers.

Topic: Parents should Volunteer Time

Answer:

It could definitely be said that all parents should volunteer time to their child’s school. Volunteering is itself restricted to the ones who are willing to do the same considering several facts like jobs and other social and professional affairs. Therefore, parents shall never be made to abide by another set of norms that will simply add on to their list. Rather, willful participation shall be focused on.

Schools must provide the opportunity to the parents to engage more often with their school’s environment. This will not only enhance the entire teaching – learning process but shall also work in favor of recalibrating the triangular ties between student, teacher and parent. Most of the time, the gap between the three of them allows children to frame up certain excuses and escape from the academic or other co – curricular activities. The participation of the parents shall be emphasized but not imposed. There could be several reasons for the statement I mentioned.

Firstly, the most important reason for not imposing the participation of the parents in their child’s school shall be that not every child is brought up by their parents. Sometimes, they live with their guardians who look after them or they are close to their grandparents. Although, any such situation could prevail about which the outer world is not so sure about. Therefore, restricting the child or their guardians to volunteer shall prove problematic for both. Moreover, most children belong to families which do not believe in engaging with the school on every event or might feel inferior while socializing. Such fears and pressures shall be reduced and then removed over a period of time. Online webinars, one – to – one counseling sessions, workshops are some of the options to manipulate the parents to overcome their social restrictions and participate in their child’s academic and cultural events. But this persuasion and manipulation could be better done through psychologists or other professionals to maintain the ethical norms.

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Secondly, the focus should also be on the problems faced by working parents. Their work life and workload, both may play as a hurdle in their volunteering activities. In such cases putting any external pressure might prove troublesome. In order to resolve such issues, the school must frame their activities in a flexible manner. Generally, parents prefer being around their child and indulging in their school life. They are also aware of the fact that their reasonable volunteering shall help children develop better personalities. But sometimes, the parents are bound by the factor of giving more priority to their livelihood which is certainly obvious. So, imposing another handcuff of responsibility might not work much.

Thirdly, the physical presence of the parents in the schools might lead to another set of problems. Volunteering shall work more if the routine for the same is according to the parents. The cost of transportation and investing more time in travelling might lead to lack of interest. Virtual volunteering shall be emphasized upon, especially during the contemporary phase of the pandemic outbreak. Some online workshops, virtual events involving both parents and children, online parent teacher meetings, etc. might be fruitful. Simultaneously, another focus shall be made on the maintenance of democracy in the schools. A teachers and parents association could work better for discussing various events related to the children and for reaching a reasonable conclusion. This will help in framing the solutions that will be in the favor of both teacher and parent. Proper debates and discussion shall encourage parents to participate in the events of the school.

Therefore, it could be said that it is an extremely delicate issue to be implemented. Parents should volunteer in their children’s school but only if the circumstances allow them. Reaching to the conclusion would be not easy as in volunteering if taken only as volunteering if they want might be fruitful but if the same is imposed on the parents, then this might work adversely.

Although, parents should definitely be encouraged to volunteer time and this encouragement might have some positive outcomes if the policy framing of the schools regarding the same are not rigid enough. Most of the time, parents themselves will hesitate in stepping back from participation because of the love and care they have for their children. But in case of the unprecedented problems, the parents and teachers should cooperate in giving the best learning to the child. Overall, the emphasis shall be on the learning outcomes of the children, none of the restrictions or limitations shall be encouraged to their development. Equitable participation of the parents in their child’s school shall be there and they should always be given a choice to volunteer as per their schedules. The role played by schools in all such developments shall be more reasonable and sensitive.