Research demonstrates that parent involvement in a child's learning is positively related to achievement and as educators who know the importance of parental involvement we should be engaged in the task of getting more parental involvement.
To help facilitate the discussion, Dr Joyce Epstein, Director of the National Network of Partnership Schools at John Hopkins University, has devised 6 Types of Involvement. Though this list may not be complete, it provides a stable footing for us to begin the conversation.
Lets talk about the 6 types starting with Type 1, Parenting.
Parenting involves ways schools can assist families with parenting and child-rearing skills, understanding child and adolescent development, and setting home conditions that support children as students at each age and grade level. Parenting also assist schools in understanding families.
When was the last age-level workshops on child development available at the school or online.? A workshop could be centered around applying to financial aid for the transition to college, maybe a Parents University where they could learn math skills to help their students do homework, or perhaps a CareerTech 101 course where parents could become involved in learning about the activities and procedures of the technology center.
Parental workshops neither have to be long or complicated. An opportunity for the parent to see what the child is learning and how they can reinforce that knowledge is an opportunity that should not be wasted.
What are you doing to encourage Parental Involvement at your technology center?
More later on the other five, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making and collaborating with the community.
Epstein, et. al. 2002. School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action, Second Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.
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