Missouri celebrates the importance of parent involvement in student education
The two weeks ranging from September 7th to September 18th mark Missouri Parent and Family Involvement in Education Week.
Those pursuing their Masters of Education at William Woods University will go on to be teachers, principals, superintendents or education administrators – all of which have one common responsibility that will arise at one point or another throughout their career: the responsibility of sitting down with a students’ parents – a skill that can be further developed in our EDU 301 Family and Community Resources course.
A study conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement shows that “home variables” account for 64 percent of the differences seen in academic achievement in the U.S. from one school to the next. These variables include: a home environment that encourages learning, parents’ high expectations for achievement and future careers and parents’ involvement in their child’s education.
Experts in the education field agree that a parents’ involvement in their child’s education is crucial to their success. And beyond that, it is not only beneficial to the student, but also to the parent as well as the teacher and the dynamics of his or her classroom.
A National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) study shows that an estimated average of 10 million children struggle with reading, and 10 to 15 percent of these 10 million drop out of high school. Researchers at the NICHD believe that parents reading aloud to their children at home – or better yet, having children read to their parents – is one of the most useful tools in ensuring student success and graduation rates.
Other ways that parents can engage in their child’s education include:
- Helping with their homework
- Setting aside time every day to talk about their school day
- Establishing a routine for homework, free-time and other after-school activities
- Getting involved with their child’s extra curricular activities, school fundraising events or chaperoning field trips
- Joining the PTA to keep up with school events and policy change
- Attending open houses and parent teacher conferences