Parental Involvement
Parents are their children’s first teachers. Children learn about life from the examples and expectations set by their parents or guardian. Once children start attending school, their social and educational world expands by leaps and bounds. But it is essential for parents, those first important teachers, to stay involved in their child’s education and encourage learning.
According to an article about parental involvement at Education Week.org, children who have an encouraging support group earn better grades, attend school regularly, and have better social skills.
Parental involvement is more than just showing up for a scheduled parent teacher conference or popular school sporting event. Parents need to take an active role in their child’s “educational career”. As the majority of U.S. students will complete 12 years of school, long term success requires encouragement and participation from a supportive parent/guardian.
Tips to Stay Involved
There are many different ways to get involved in your child’s school, at any grade level. Some of the most basic, but nonetheless important, are listed below.
- Keep in touch with teachers. Be sure to exchange phone numbers and email addresses at the beginning of the school year. Teachers will gladly keep you informed with what is going on in the classroom.
- Visit your child’s school website often. The majority of schools update their websites frequently. Academic and social event calendars are listed. Contact information for administrators and faculty can be found on the school website as well.
- Success relies on support at home, too. Parents should try to supervise homework. Ask about upcoming assignments, projects and deadlines, and encourage children to keep an organized planner or notebook. Although sometimes difficult, try to provide a place where schoolwork can be done with little disruption. If your student is easily distracted, a room filled with disturbances (i.e., tv, music, cell phones, etc.) might not be the best place to be
productive.
- Be sure that your children attend school regularly. If possible, schedule any appointments for after school hours.
No Parent Left Behind
The implementation of the Common Core State Standards has created some (often debated) changes in education. It is important for parents to understand these changes to be able to help their child adjust and continue on the path to success. Here at DataWORKS, we believe that parental involvement in a child’s education is a crucial part of student success at all grade levels.
The No Parent Left Behind Program was created in 2005 to reach out to parents with information and support. It encourages involvement in their child’s education. Under our No Parent Left Behind Program, DataWORKS provides information and clarification about what parents can expect with Common Core State Standards, and how parents can provide appropriate support for their children at home and at school.
This workshop is held at your local school site, during a time that is convenient to parents’ busy schedules. It is open to all parents, family members, and guardians who want to play a more active role in the success of their student.
