Involved Parents = Better School Performance
Q. Why
are educators so concerned about getting parents involved in school? Are they
just trying to get parents to do more of the work of education, and trying to
make their own jobs easier?
Yes,
and that's good. The research is clear: everyone's better off when parents accept
the responsibility for shepherding their child through the maze that is K-12
education. Certainly, that includes teachers, who by definition deserve a
smaller share of the load than parents bear . . . but more importantly, it's
good for the students when parents are involved and engaged with them in their
schooling. After all, one of the most rewarding things about parenting is
seeing your child succeed. What's not to like about that?
Involved
parents don't have to be an expert on education, but they can, and do, put
their best effort into monitoring homework, attending school functions and
conferences, volunteering, understanding school policies and procedures, and
helping the student set goals and plan for the next level of education in order
to get where he or she wants to go.
The
research shows that students with involved parents are more likely to:
n
Earn higher grades and
test scores, and enroll in higher-level programs
n
Pass their classes
n
Attend school regularly
n
Have better social
skills, show improved behavior and adapt well to school
n
Graduate and go on to
post-secondary education
So smart
educators WILL get parents involved. And that's a good thing all the way
around.
This is
why the national Parent-Teacher Association has a strong policy on building
parental involvement: www.pta.org/ia_pta_positions_1116959239593.html
Also see
the substantial online library of articles on fostering better parental
involvement from the national Parent-Teacher Organization, http://www.ptotoday.com/magParent.html
The
National Coalition for Parental Involvement in Education is a wealth of
information on programs that work, including the benefits that occur when the
larger community is involved and engaged in a school. See:
http://www.ncpie.org/WhatsHappening/researchJanuary2006.html
According
to a research synthesis of more than 50 studies on parental involvement by the
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, there are specific ways that
schools in general and teachers in particular can foster parental engagement in
school activities. See:
http://www.sedl.org/pubs/catalog/items/fam33.html
Homework: For
parents who want to make their school-based parent group the best it can be,
enjoy these "75 Tips for a Great Year" from the Parent-Teacher Organization
parent-coaching website, http://www.ptotoday.com/articles/article.php?article=0807tipsforyear.html
Also, two resources especially for educators
who wish to build better parental involvement are from Dr. Steve Constantino, www.familyfriendlyschools.com,
and the Family Involvement Network of Educators, www.finenetwork.org