Highlighting Parent
Involvement in Education
Family Involvement
• Research demonstrates that parent/
family involvement significantly
contributes to improved student
outcomes.
• Everyone -- students, parents,
teachers, administrators, and
communities -- benefits from family
involvement.
What are the Benefits?
• More positive attitudes toward school;
• Higher achievement, better
attendance, and more homework
completed consistently;
• Higher graduation rates and
enrollment rates in post-secondary
education;
• Better schools to attend.
Benefits for Parents
• Greater knowledge of education
programs and how schools work;
• Knowledge of how to be more
supportive of children;
• Greater confidence about ways to help
children learn;
• More positive view of teachers; and,
• Greater empowerment.
Benefits for School Staff
• Greater teaching effectiveness;
• Higher expectations of students;
• Increased ability to understand family
views and cultures;
• Greater appreciation of parent
volunteers; and,
• Improved morale.
Benefits for Communities:
• Greater strength;
• Greater impact of services through
comprehensive, integrated approach;
• Increased access to services for
families.
Research on Involvement
• Effective parent/family involvement
improves student outcomes throughout
the school years.
• While parent/family involvement
improves student outcomes, variations
in culture, ethnicity, and/ or
socioeconomic background affect how
families are involved.
• Parent/family involvement at home has
more impact on children than
parent/family involvement in school
activities.
• The nature of effective parent/family
involvement changes as children reach
adolescence.
• Parent/family involvement in early
childhood workshops help children
succeed in their transition from EYFS
to KS1.
• Parent/families may need guidance
and assistance in how to effectively
help their children with homework.
• Parent/family involvement will differ for
ethnic and cultural groups. These
differences should be considered
when planning parent/ family
involvement programs.
• Improved student outcomes have been
documented in math and reading when
families are involved.
• The most promising opportunity for
student achievement occurs when
families, schools, and community
organisations work together.
• To be effective, school programs must
be individualised to fit the needs of the
students, parents, and community.
• Effective programs assist parents in
creating a home environment that
fosters learning and provides support
and encouragement for their children’s
success.
• Teachers must be trained to promote
effective parent/family involvement.
Outdated Thinking
on Parent Involvement
• Parents should come to school only
when invited;
• Stay-at-home mothers serve as
“homeroom mothers”;
• Parents visit school mainly for
children’s performances and open
houses;
• Parents help raise money for school.
• Schools that have been the most
successful in involving families look
beyond traditional definitions to a
broader view that considers
parents/families as full partners in the
education of their children.
• These schools view children’s learning
as a shared responsibility among
everyone involved in the child’s
education.
What is a Family?
• Traditional?
• Blended?
• Extended?
• Multi-generational?
• Migrant?
• Minority?
• Single-parent?
• Divorced?
• Other?
A Personal Definition
• For the purpose of today’s
conversation, “Parent” or “Family”
refers to anyone actively involved in
raising and educating a child.
Factors in Involvement
• Parents are a child’s first teachers.
• The typical family has changed
dramatically over the last 50 years.
• Schools aren’t always knowledgeable
in how to encourage involvement.
• Parents don’t always recognise the
importance of becoming involved or
know where to begin.
Ten Truths of
Parent Involvement
• All parents have hopes and goals for
their children. They differ in how they
support their children’s efforts to
achieve those goals.
• The home is one of several areas that
simultaneously influence a child. The
school must work with people in the
other areas for the child’s benefit.
• The parent is the central contributor to
a child’s education. Schools can either
ignore this fact or recognize the
potential of the parent.
• Parent involvement must be a
legitimate element of education. It
deserves equal emphasis with
elements such as program
improvement and evaluation.
• Parent involvement is a process, not a
program of activities. It requires
ongoing energy and effort.
• Parent involvement requires a vision,
policy, and framework. A consensus
of understanding is important.
• Parents’ interaction with their own
children is the cornerstone of parent
involvement. A program must
recognize the value, diversity, and
difficulty of this role.
• Most barriers to parent involvement
are found within school practices.
They are not found with parents.
• Any parent can be “hard to reach.” Parents
must be identified and approached
individually; they are not defined by gender,
ethnicity, family situation, education, or
income.
• Successful parent involvement nurtures
relationships and partnerships. It
strengthens bonds between home and
school, parent and teacher, parent and
school, school and community.
Barriers to Involvement
• Lack of a school environment that supports
parent/family involvement;
• School practices that do not accommodate
the diversity of family needs;
• Child care constraints;
• Families’ past negative experiences with
schools and/or feelings of uncertainty about
“treading on school territory.”
• Cultural differences (language barriers,
attitudes toward professionals, lack of
knowledge of the American education
system);
• Primacy of basic needs (food, clothing,
and shelter take precedence over
educational needs);
• Feelings of inadequacy associated
with difference in income or education;
• Safety, especially in inner-city school
neighborhoods;
• Uncertainty about what to do; and,
• Lack of time.
100 Ways
• The brochure, “100 Ways for Parents
to be Involved in Their Child’s
Education” is available from the
National PTA;
– http://www.pta.org/
– Based on the National Standards for
Parent/Family Involvement Programs.
Remember These 10
Guiding Principles
• Family members are equal partners in
a child’s education.
• The home environment is the “primary”
educational environment.
• Schools must respect the diversity o
families and their varied needs.
• All families care about their children.
• Family involvement is important
through all years of a child’s education.
• Family involvement takes many forms
and may not require a family’s
presence at school.
• Families, schools, and communities
are closely interconnected and must
collaborate in educating children.
• School leaders and staff need to focus
upon how to encourage family
involvement.
• One size does not fit all when
developing school-family partnerships.
• Change takes time and building
successful partnerships requires much
effort over time.
• Become involved in your local school
by joining our PTA or AAG.
Thank You!

parental-involvement for students success

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Family Involvement • Researchdemonstrates that parent/ family involvement significantly contributes to improved student outcomes. • Everyone -- students, parents, teachers, administrators, and communities -- benefits from family involvement.
  • 3.
    What are theBenefits? • More positive attitudes toward school; • Higher achievement, better attendance, and more homework completed consistently; • Higher graduation rates and enrollment rates in post-secondary education; • Better schools to attend.
  • 4.
    Benefits for Parents •Greater knowledge of education programs and how schools work; • Knowledge of how to be more supportive of children; • Greater confidence about ways to help children learn; • More positive view of teachers; and, • Greater empowerment.
  • 5.
    Benefits for SchoolStaff • Greater teaching effectiveness; • Higher expectations of students; • Increased ability to understand family views and cultures; • Greater appreciation of parent volunteers; and, • Improved morale.
  • 6.
    Benefits for Communities: •Greater strength; • Greater impact of services through comprehensive, integrated approach; • Increased access to services for families.
  • 7.
    Research on Involvement •Effective parent/family involvement improves student outcomes throughout the school years. • While parent/family involvement improves student outcomes, variations in culture, ethnicity, and/ or socioeconomic background affect how families are involved.
  • 8.
    • Parent/family involvementat home has more impact on children than parent/family involvement in school activities. • The nature of effective parent/family involvement changes as children reach adolescence.
  • 9.
    • Parent/family involvementin early childhood workshops help children succeed in their transition from EYFS to KS1. • Parent/families may need guidance and assistance in how to effectively help their children with homework.
  • 10.
    • Parent/family involvementwill differ for ethnic and cultural groups. These differences should be considered when planning parent/ family involvement programs. • Improved student outcomes have been documented in math and reading when families are involved.
  • 11.
    • The mostpromising opportunity for student achievement occurs when families, schools, and community organisations work together. • To be effective, school programs must be individualised to fit the needs of the students, parents, and community.
  • 12.
    • Effective programsassist parents in creating a home environment that fosters learning and provides support and encouragement for their children’s success. • Teachers must be trained to promote effective parent/family involvement.
  • 13.
    Outdated Thinking on ParentInvolvement • Parents should come to school only when invited; • Stay-at-home mothers serve as “homeroom mothers”; • Parents visit school mainly for children’s performances and open houses; • Parents help raise money for school.
  • 14.
    • Schools thathave been the most successful in involving families look beyond traditional definitions to a broader view that considers parents/families as full partners in the education of their children.
  • 15.
    • These schoolsview children’s learning as a shared responsibility among everyone involved in the child’s education.
  • 16.
    What is aFamily? • Traditional? • Blended? • Extended? • Multi-generational? • Migrant? • Minority? • Single-parent? • Divorced? • Other?
  • 17.
    A Personal Definition •For the purpose of today’s conversation, “Parent” or “Family” refers to anyone actively involved in raising and educating a child.
  • 18.
    Factors in Involvement •Parents are a child’s first teachers. • The typical family has changed dramatically over the last 50 years. • Schools aren’t always knowledgeable in how to encourage involvement. • Parents don’t always recognise the importance of becoming involved or know where to begin.
  • 19.
    Ten Truths of ParentInvolvement • All parents have hopes and goals for their children. They differ in how they support their children’s efforts to achieve those goals. • The home is one of several areas that simultaneously influence a child. The school must work with people in the other areas for the child’s benefit.
  • 20.
    • The parentis the central contributor to a child’s education. Schools can either ignore this fact or recognize the potential of the parent. • Parent involvement must be a legitimate element of education. It deserves equal emphasis with elements such as program improvement and evaluation.
  • 21.
    • Parent involvementis a process, not a program of activities. It requires ongoing energy and effort. • Parent involvement requires a vision, policy, and framework. A consensus of understanding is important.
  • 22.
    • Parents’ interactionwith their own children is the cornerstone of parent involvement. A program must recognize the value, diversity, and difficulty of this role. • Most barriers to parent involvement are found within school practices. They are not found with parents.
  • 23.
    • Any parentcan be “hard to reach.” Parents must be identified and approached individually; they are not defined by gender, ethnicity, family situation, education, or income. • Successful parent involvement nurtures relationships and partnerships. It strengthens bonds between home and school, parent and teacher, parent and school, school and community.
  • 24.
    Barriers to Involvement •Lack of a school environment that supports parent/family involvement; • School practices that do not accommodate the diversity of family needs; • Child care constraints; • Families’ past negative experiences with schools and/or feelings of uncertainty about “treading on school territory.”
  • 25.
    • Cultural differences(language barriers, attitudes toward professionals, lack of knowledge of the American education system); • Primacy of basic needs (food, clothing, and shelter take precedence over educational needs);
  • 26.
    • Feelings ofinadequacy associated with difference in income or education; • Safety, especially in inner-city school neighborhoods; • Uncertainty about what to do; and, • Lack of time.
  • 27.
    100 Ways • Thebrochure, “100 Ways for Parents to be Involved in Their Child’s Education” is available from the National PTA; – http://www.pta.org/ – Based on the National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs.
  • 28.
    Remember These 10 GuidingPrinciples • Family members are equal partners in a child’s education. • The home environment is the “primary” educational environment. • Schools must respect the diversity o families and their varied needs. • All families care about their children.
  • 29.
    • Family involvementis important through all years of a child’s education. • Family involvement takes many forms and may not require a family’s presence at school. • Families, schools, and communities are closely interconnected and must collaborate in educating children.
  • 30.
    • School leadersand staff need to focus upon how to encourage family involvement. • One size does not fit all when developing school-family partnerships. • Change takes time and building successful partnerships requires much effort over time.
  • 31.
    • Become involvedin your local school by joining our PTA or AAG.
  • 32.