Posted on May 30th, 2022

According to Waterford.org, an organization seeking to help children succeed through access to lifelong education, the participation of parents in the educational process means that teachers and parents share the responsibility to teach students and work together to achieve educational goals. To this end, the organization suggests that teachers invite parents to regular school meetings and events and that parents voluntarily commit to prioritizing these goals. 

Lamentably, parents' involvement in the educational process has been in decline since 2016, according to data from Blackboard. Many parents believe that the communication between them and teachers is ineffective, so they prefer online communication (via texts, emails, or social networks) methods rather than to attend conferences or briefings with teachers face-to-face. Although getting more involved would help improve communication, this low attendance reflects declining support and time availability of the parents.

According to a meta-analysis of more than fifty studies on parent involvement in high schools, there is a direct connection between students' academic performance and the participation of parents in their children's education. Furthermore, the earlier that a connection is established between parents and the educational process of their children, the more robust is the foundation for the success of the student. 

Advantages of parental involvement

Parental involvement is essential for student development and offers many benefits. There are many studies, including those mentioned above, that explore how parental participation can improve students’ success and also teachers’ work. Some of the advantages are: 

• When there is good communication between parents and teachers, absenteeism decreases. According to a report by Johns Hopkins University (JHU), this helps reduce student absenteeism by 24 percent.

• Academic performance increases. According to JHU, aspects such as comprehension and reading fluency improve when there is parental involvement, even more so if parents spend time reading with their children. The students feel more motivated to learn, and their grades improve

• It also helps improve student behavior in the classroom. Having parents and teachers communicate more helps students feel more motivated in their classes; their self-esteem and attitudes in class improve.

• The benefit extends to all ages. Although the benefits are usually discussed in the context of preschool or elementary school students, there are other studies focused on high school students. Parental involvement is something that makes a difference at all educational levels, although it’s influence decreases as the student progresses in age. Still, in high school, for example, having the parents involved can affect the decision of whether the student wants to continue studying or not.

• Parental involvement improves teacher performance. When parents have better communication with teachers, they learn to value the work and the challenges that teachers face, which makes the teachers feel appreciated. It also helps the teachers to get to know the student more, allowing them to teach in a more personalized and effective way.

• It helps when the parents feel happier and more involved with their children's education. A good connection with the school lets parents understand the curriculum better and the advancement of their children. It also helps them feel more comfortable and happier with the quality of education. It can even motivate those who did not finish their education to continue it.

Disadvantages of parental involvement

Although parental involvement helps students, it can also have negative connotations. There are several cases where parents become excessively involved, constantly calling the teachers to check their children's progress, which uses up a lot of the teacher’s time. This can also damage the self-esteem of both the teacher and the student.

There is also concern on the part of the teachers about the extent to which parents should be involved. Teacher recruitment, book selection, and curriculum development, among others, are areas where teachers believe that parents should not be included. To this end, schools should work with parents and teachers to develop policies regarding parental participation and create boundaries so that parents know the limits of their involvement.

Challenges of parental involvement

One of the biggest challenges is for parents to find the time to attend school events or support their children; this is especially true for families with low economic resources. It is also challenging for the teacher when the children are expected to perform well academically, but the students do not receive any support at home. 

It is difficult to establish a connection between schools and households or create a safe environment for parents of all socioeconomic statuses. In cases where parents do not know how to read or write, or when their mother tongue is another language than the one that prevails in school, it is difficult for them to feel comfortable attending talks or school events. That is why educational institutions should work even harder to make such parents feel welcome and accepted.

Parental involvement is associated with various benefits for students of all ages. There does not even need to be a high level of commitment; simply by asking the child how he or she did in school and attending school meetings, parents can positively influence the student's future. According to experts on the subject, the best indicator of a student's success is the extent to which families are involved in their education. Feeling their parents' support, students become more motivated and develop a love of learning. 

From another viewpoint, teachers see important changes in their classrooms when parents get involved, such as improvements in the motivation and performance of the students and even their character. Also, collaboration with parents can help identify needs and goals, and there can be discussions about how parents can contribute. The communication with the parents presents the opportunity for the teacher to listen to parents' concerns and explain to them more about their children's’ education.

Thus, parental involvement offers benefits to everyone, including the school, the teachers, the parents, and above all, the students.

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