Five reasons for parents to get involved in their child's education

Five reasons for parents to get involved in their child's education On 16 October, many Northbridge parents came to school to spend time meeting with their child’s teacher for the annual Parent-Teacher conferences. During the conferences our parents found out how their child was doing in class both socially and academically, and I trust that you all found the meetings informative and left with a clear idea of how you can best support your child at home.

On 16 October, many Northbridge parents came to school to spend time meeting with their child’s teacher for the annual Parent-Teacher conferences. During the conferences our parents found out how their child was doing in class both socially and academically, and I trust that you all found the meetings informative and left with a clear idea of how you can best support your child at home.

The main reason why we hold these conferences is to bring both teachers and parents into a shared understanding of a child’s progress so that together they can support the student.

Research has shown that having parent involvement in schools has a very positive effect on a child’s education. The Harvard Family Research Project concluded that parental involvement is associated with higher student achievement.

They found that student success was higher in a variety of areas including academics, work habits, social skills and successful further education.

Below is an excerpt from an article on the School Family Website that speaks about this connection. We trust that you feel encouraged by the positive impact that you can have on your child’s education, and we look forward to welcoming you again in December for the Student-Led Portfolio conferences.

Higher grades and better behavior are just a few of the benefits of parent involvement.

What if you could help your child enjoy school more, get better grades, and reduce behavior problems at the same time?

Reams of research has shown that regardless of parents’ income and educational background, their involvement in education helps their kids do better in and out of school.

Here are 5 reasons you should get involved in your child’s education though there are many more than just these:

• Higher grades - Kids whose parents are involved in their education get better grades and have higher test scores. And the more parents are involved, the more their children seem to benefit. A study of parents highly involved in the educational process showed that their children were more likely to improve in reading and math.

• Better behavior - Kids develop better social skills and show improved behavior when their parents are involved at school. Studies have also shown that kids are less likely to skip school, less disruptive in class, and more likely to do their homework when their parents are involved. One study showed that when dads are highly involved in schools, their children enjoy school more and are less likely to be suspended, expelled, or required to repeat a grade.

• Improved education - Research shows that parent involvement can help improve the quality of schools, raise teacher morale, and improve a school’s reputation in the community. Involved parents gain the respect of teachers; as a result, teachers have higher expectations of their children. Involvement pays off in the long term, too: Children stay in school longer and are more likely to continue their education after high school.

• Increased confidence - When students feel supported at home and school, they develop more positive attitudes about school, have more self-confidence, and place a higher priority on academic achievement. Children of involved parents are more likely to feel that they’re accepted, included, and respected and at school.

• Parents benefit too - When parents become involved in their children’s education, they become more comfortable in the school building, gain confidence in their parenting skills, and feel more capable of helping their children learn. They’re also more likely to continue their own education.

Involvement is easy. You don’t have to log hundreds of volunteer hours for your child to benefit. Even if you can only volunteer a few hours a year, every little bit counts.  

Source: http://www.schoolfamily.com/school-family-articles/article/754-5-reasons-to-get-involved