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Is engaging parents in their children's education a major factor in turning around low-performing schools?
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Results so far:
| No | 12% | 71 votes | Total: 581 votes | |
| Yes | 88% | 510 votes |
No
by Angel Advocate
Created on: May 28, 2008
The more important question is- whether or not schools really want parent involvement? Parent involvement from parents from any socio-economic background means accountability of schools if they are truly informed. School officials who are incompetent and not in compliance with state and federal laws do not want accountability.
Many educators play on the prejudices of the public by blaming parents of poor and minority students for the failure of their districts. They do not have the voice or the resources to to defend themselves. In fact that there are many incompetent education leaders who are in positions of power and privilege. We deny facts that hundreds and thousands of children are failing through the educational cracks because of the biased belief that if they are poor they parents work menial jobs then the child can't be successful. It's called low expectations.
Media has presented us with proof that educators are not exempt from being unethical. Many districts do not apply for funding to help schools from low -income districts because they do not believe that investing money will not make a difference because the students either innately can not learn, or they are already "four hundred years behind". Lack of Cultural competency skills to reach students from various cultures is responsible for the failure of many students and segregates students based on personal biases.
I think that parent involvement is necessary to both to improve their children's academics and to keep those who are unscrupulous and unfair within the educational system accountable.
Educators deny parents from low socio-economic backgrounds the opportunity to be involved many times based on bias thinking that because they are assumed to be unsuccessful they can't help the school or their children. This is not a one size fits all theory as it relates to why students drop out of school.
Some reasons for poor and minority students as well as students form rich to middle class backgrounds dropping out include: the environment was not conducive for learning, personal reasons,feeling of exclusion and being treated discriminatingly. Testing has caused many students to quit school after being held back numerous times for failing a test while passing curriculum. They are academically left behind and end up as behavior problems and eventually quit school.
Parent involvement really matters in schools where there is a closed system of management. It's time to stop blaming poor and minority children and their parents for the failure of our schools. They are victims of a system that employs people who have not looked inward at their own biases and have made a solid decision to work to help every child to the best of his/her ability.
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Yes
by Jessi Michaels
Created on: October 17, 2009 Last Updated: October 18, 2009
It is a sad commentary that this debate needs to be a debate at all. One would hope that parents would have an active interest in their children's education without having to be nudged. The ugly truth however, is that we do have to have this debate because there are too many children who are without support in their education. It is a rippling effect that begins with too many parents not being involved in the fundamental human needs of their children.
As a teacher, and I am sure I have plenty of back-up here, I see children come to school each day, tired, hungry, therefore, totally unprepared to learn. They are too young to attend to many of their own needs and they do not have a responsible adult to so do so for them. It is heartbreaking. Children take their cues from their parents or caregivers. If they are interested and show enthusiasm and support for the child's needs, so too will the child. On the other hand, if there is an apathetic behavior towards the child's need, that too becomes obvious in the child.
If we want children to do better in school, if we want children to stand a better chance at a productive, healthy life their parents must become involved. They must develop an interest or at the very least seem interested, so that the child feels worthy and that school and life become important. Engaging parents that seem uninterested or uncaring in their child's education need to be pulled into their lives sometimes kicking and screaming. Encouraging uninvolved adults is extremely difficult. The truth is that in many cases, this has to be done as if they are small children who need to be led into the classroom on the first day of school. Anything that works without force must be tried.
Parent Social Night:
Inviting parents into the school for an evening of refreshments, and socializing with other parents is a start. Get them in the building, that is step one. This is not a night of meeting and talking with teachers, though representative selections of friendly staff should be included. There will be no long lectures by administration rather those parents who understand the fragile nature of this situation will have the chance to speak. No blaming, no finger shaking, only positive behavioral tactics should be used. If you ever want these parents to voluntarily come back, do not shame them away.
Inform parents of areas where their participation would be appreciated.
Show off some of the really amazing things going on at the different grade levels.
Bond, so there is that feeling of a united cause they can belong to.
Leave literature around for parents to take home and read about statistics of success with children who have support at home compared to those that do not.
Sign up sheets for upcoming events or classroom helpers, even for parties.
Do anything to entice and excite them into the school even for a day. That day will mean so much to their child.
In a perfect world, we would not be having this discussion. We would not need to lure the parents of children to promote and activate an interest in their needs. This, however, is reality; this is what we have to work with and the well-being of those children are at stake. To me and I know to so many others this is truly a call to duty.
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