Head, Heart, Hands…and Home: The Role of Parents at DLRC

Parents are an important part of the DLRC community

Education today is evolving rapidly, and the role of parents has become more significant than ever before. Parents are our first teachers, the people who introduce us to the world. This means that they have an influence on how we think, how we act, and, most importantly, the habits we develop over the years. They give us perspective, a way to look at the world. This has a direct impact on our education, and how we absorb what is taught to us. At DLRC, the aim is to enhance all that has been given to us, and to build upon that knowledge.

The role of parents here is viewed from a completely unique perspective. Here, parents are viewed as partners or collaborators rather than solely people who cooperate. They are an active part of the DLRC community, and we have many different initiatives that promote parent participation. 

For example, this year, we have introduced a new subject, Environmental Literacy and Farming (EVLF), in which parents are provided with the opportunity to co-facilitate, assist, as well as learn alongside the students. A few parents have even volunteered to help design the EVLF curriculum, and some have also been part of insightful class discussions. They have helped our team come up with innovative new ideas that are waiting to be explored.

Uma Deshpande, a parent, writes on her blog, 'They [DLRC] really care about who the child is becoming. There’s a big focus on helping them build confidence, express themselves, and handle emotions — things that matter just as much as academics. I’ve seen my son grow — not just in school, but as a person. That means the world to me.'

In their testimonials about DLRC, many parents point out that the founders and facilitators are driven by passion and purpose to instill the right values in children. This is an example of how learning can change the way the kids — and parents — think.

The responsibilities of parents are endless. From planting the seeds of curiosity to encouraging children to ask questions, parents are the ones who are constantly urging kids to explore. They are responsible for taking what has been taught at school, and diving deeper, giving the children real-world experiences and opportunities. They not only look at academic development, but holistic growth. They help children make social connections as well as deal with emotions. They instill values that cannot be taught through the pages of the textbook — responsibility, respect and kindness, amongst many others. They are the people constantly cheering us on, pushing us to our limits. 

DLRC is on the same page about the holistic growth of children. Sean Mathew, a parent, shared an anecdote that perfectly captures the essence of DLRC’s pedagogy. He said, 'While helping my daughter with Math homework, I kept teaching her the steps I had learned as a kid. I was getting frustrated that she wasn’t following my method. She calmly said, 'That’s not how we do it.''

Out of curiosity, he decided to explore this new method and attended a Math session for parents led by Ajay Sir, DLRC founder and facilitator. 'Ajay wasn’t just teaching techniques. He was helping us unlearn — to see Math as something visual, flexible, and deeply intuitive. It shifted something in me,' he said, after attending the session. This gave him new insight, and he gratefully added, 'This is the kind of education I had always hoped for my daughters — one that invites them, and even us, to keep growing, thinking, and staying open.'

This is what learning together at DLRC offers. Our campus is a space that gives everyone in the community an opportunity to explore — children, facilitators and, of course, parents, who are an invaluable part of the DLRC ecosystem.

 By Aadya Satpathy, Grade 9