5 Reasons To Get Involved |
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by Emily Graham
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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.
Parent involvement can be as simple as helping with math homework or
reading a book together at bedtime. Going to parent-teacher conferences
is important, but taking the family to the school spaghetti supper
makes a difference, too. More involvement is better, but you don’t have
to be president of the PTO or run the school carnival. As long as your
actions show that you value education, your child is likely to respond.
Here are just a few of the reasons you should get involved in your
child’s education:
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. If you’re ready to do more, your
school’s parent-teacher group can help you find ways to get involved
that fit both your schedule and your interests.
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