If you want to help your child avoid drugs, get better grades and eat healthier, get involved with her school. Across the board, parental participation in education is one of the biggest predictors of all-around success for a child's total well-being, trumping even social standing and high family income brackets, according to the Michigan Department of Education. Understanding the important role parents play in schools is the first step in offering your child a better educational experience and a brighter future.
Academic Significance
One of the earmarks of parental involvement is open communication with schools and it's one of the most academically beneficial. If you maintain an open dialogue with teachers, you'll be able to understand and reinforce your student's academic goals, curriculum and classroom expectations. Families who are involved with the school also are more prone to adopt a learning atmosphere and encourage reading. A study published in 1987 by the Journal of Educational Research and conducted by researchers from the University of Iowa, concluded, "Parental involvement also leads to increased time spent on homework, which in turn has a positive effect on grades."
Substance Abuse Prevention
Kids who reach age 21 without smoking, abusing alcohol or using substances are very unlikely to take up these harmful practices later in life, according to data from Linn Together, which is a coalition of volunteers unified against substance abuse in Linn County, Oregon. If you're an involved parent, you'll be aware of after-school events and can effectively monitor your child's activities and enforce curfews--all of which curtails your child's early exposure to substances. Parents can also volunteer with local organizations like Linn Together, who work within schools and communities to educate families and students about drug and alcohol abuse prevention.
Improving Schools
"The parents' role in education should begin with ensuring their children are receiving a high-quality classroom," says Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett. Parents who actively participate see tax dollars at work and also become savvy about school budgeting constraints. Families who are aware of needed supplies are more likely to pitch in with fundraisers or may elect to volunteer time to improve classrooms, which is a boon for not only their own children but also the entire community.
Healthier Children
If the next generation is healthier and more physically active, it may be traced back to parental involvement in schools. When schools and families adopt the same attitude toward nutritious eating, fitness and constructive behavioral choices, children are surrounded by positive role models, says one of the nation's leading experts in parent involvement, Barbara Flis, the founder of Michigan-based Parent Action for Healthy Kids and advocate on behalf of children's health.
Potential
Chosen as one of 10 panelists to offer insight for First Lady, Michelle Obama's healthy kids "Let's Move" initiative, Barbara Flis has seen stellar effects of family participation, from fitness and yoga programs taught by parent volunteers at schools, to nutritional improvements in school lunches due to parental input and even workshop trainings which unify families and schools with a common goal toward enhancing kid's health. "Parental involvement is really about engaging parents and it's different for everybody, but everyone can be a champion for their child," she says.
References
- Michigan Department of Education: What Research Says About Parent Involvement in Education
- The Journal of Educational Research: Home Influence on School Learning: Direct and Indirect Effects of Parent Involvement on High School Grades
- Linn Together: About
- Indiana Department of Education: Dr. Tony Bennet Biography
- Parent Action for Health Kids: About Parent Action for Healthy Kids
