Parental Involvement

"Educators need to tear down the artificial wall between schools and parents"

-Jane D. Hull

Learning Targets:

Explain the meaning of Parental involvement
Discuss why Parental involvement is important
Discuss how the lack of parental involvment can affect their children in school

Do you remember when you were little, your parents always helped you count and sing your ABC's? Those are also some skills you learn in preschool (if you went) and kindergarten. Since you were practicing counting and singing your ABC's at home you picked up on it so much faster rather than just practicing at school. This is a perfect example of parental involvement.

What is the meaning of Parental involvement (engagement)?

There are so many ways people think of parental involvement. Some may think it’s just in after school activates, others can think it’s helping at home with their child’s schoolwork of any kind. All of those can be true but we are going to elaborate on that in this section. I believe that Parental involvement means when the parents support their child(ren) in school and outside of school. In a blog by Jeri LaBahn, he states “Parental involvement, in almost any form, produces measurable gains in student achievement” (Dixon 1992, p.16) Like before there are so many ways and or definitions for parental involvement. There’s also an early childhood education blog by Ron Spreeuwenberg, he had a different definition of Parental involvement.

“Parental involvement helps extend teaching outside the classroom, creates a more positive experience for children and helps children perform better when they are in school.” (Spreeuwenberg, 2022) When you are in school you do not only have to be taught by your teacher you can learn from anywhere including at home with your parents.

Why Is Parental involvement so important?

Research shows that as children get older parental involvement decreases. “Parent involvement actually declines as students grow older, so that it is less in secondary schools than in elementary (Stouffer, 1992) Like I stated before it seems to be that parental involvement is better and more active in early education. Even though research shows that early education is more active there could be says to improve parental involvement in the secondary level of school students can have many different teachers so it may be harder to keep up, but each student has the same principle, so that’s where it starts. “Principals are key contributors to helping parents and other educators understand each other” (Duncan, 1992, p.13) As you see it is so important people want to find solutions to increase parental involvement.

Theres also plenty of benefits of students involvement, in this picture it shows the benefits of parent involvement. I am also going going to interview Michael Beacham (boyfriend) on his thoughts and experience on parental involvement/ engagement.

Michaels interview.mov

How can the lack of parental involvement affect their children in school?

When I hear this question the first thing, I want to do is say it’s the parent’s fault that they aren’t involved, but that’s not the case. Life throws rollercoasters at everyone. Parents can only do so much; parents also have jobs they must work for as long as they’re at school or maybe even longer. In a public-school review by Grace Chen, it talks about how time is the top reason for parents to be uninvolved in their children’s school. “Lack of time is the top reason parents give for not participating more in their children’s education” (Chen, 2021). In the beginning I said that I would say that it’s the parent’s fault not knowing their background, the school and or teacher doesn’t know their background either. Not every family is the same, families struggle with all different types of things and cope in different ways. This statement backs up exactly what I’m saying, “Schools must understand that lack of participation by parents does not necessarily mean they are neglecting their responsibilities.” When these tragedies occur within families, they will definitely affect their child in school, not because their lack of involvement at the time but just simply they are dealing with at home.

Quiz Questions:

What impact does parent involvement have on children achievement?

A. Being on active parent motivates students to reach for higher success in education.

B. Being an inactive parent and ignoring your child’s needs.

C. It doesn't affect children at all.

Answer: A

What are the two most common reason parents give for not being involved with their children’s education?

A. It's the teachers job not theirs

B. They don't have enough time

C. They don't want to be involved

D. It's the teachers job not theirs

E. They don't know what to do.

Answer: B and D

Conclusion (My views on parental involvement):

While in school my parents were going through relationship problems, that really took their time away from me and my siblings school. My dad was military so we traveled every three years or so. My parents really didn't have time to be involved. They ended up getting a divorce in the middle of middle school. We then ended up moving away from my dad, back to where I was born. Once they were divorced my mom was engaged in school a little bit more. I feel like she was more engaged with my sports rather then the school itself. I was really good at sports and not so much of the school part so I believe that's why.

Citations:

Brooks, A. (2019, November 18). Experts Discuss in Education.Rasmussen. https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/parental-involvement-in-education/

Chen, G. (2021, August 14). Parental Involvement is key to student success. Public School Review. https://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/parental-involvement-is-key-to-student-success

Fan, X., Chen, M. Parental Involvement and Students' Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis. Educational Psychology Review 13, 1–22 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009048817385

LaBahn, J. (1995). Education and parental involvement in secondary schools: Problems, solutions, and effects. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved [date] from http://www.edpsycinteractive/files/parinvol.html

Ohio Families engage. (2021, March 15). What is family engagement? What are the benefits?. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY5w2N_TAfE

Page updated

Report abuse