Research on Parental Involvement
1.
Based on an extensive and recent review of research on parental involvement in education, Hanne Henderson
concluded that “when parents/guardians participate, children not only do better in school, but they affect and
improve the entire school” (Hand in Hand, p.2).
2.
The Center for Research on Elementary and Middle Schools had the following to say about parent involvement:
“The problem [of parent/guardian uninvolvement] at the middle school level differs from elementary school
because parent/guardian knowledge of school programs and their belief that they can help their children with
school work drops off dramatically... One, the academic subject matter becomes more specialized, and
parents/guardians are less sure they have the expertise to handle the more specialized subjects. Two, middle
level adolescents are becoming more independent and less willing to seek out parental help. Three, parental
participation in middle schools requires working with two, three, or even more teachers, rather than just one
teacher as in elementary school. The task in middle schools is to get them [parents/guardians] more involved
with the school in the first place, which could pave the way for further activities to involve them in helping their
children with school work at home” (Lewis, p.55).
3.
In fact, “parents/guardians often signal, subconsciously and overtly, that they don't have to be involved because
the job has been delegated to the schools” (Seely, p.46).
4.
“Keys to parent/guardian involvement are appropriate recognition and constant communication.... It's hard to
resist a plea for involvement when the school has acknowledged one's child. After all, if a child is doing so
many things right, and the school can see it, then parental skills have been validated” (Davis, p.22).
5.
“Parents/guardians want to be more involved in their children's learning, especially at home [but]...they need
clear direction from the schools... Several studies show that when parents/guardians help their child at home in
a particular subject, it's likely to increase the student's achievement in that subject” (Brandt, p.24).
6.
Many teachers say that their students' parents/guardians are very interested in the schooling of their children, but
their career and family commitments prevent them from coming to the school, especially during school hours.
Brandt says that “it's almost discriminatory against working parents/guardians, parents/guardians who live far
from the school, and single parents/guardians with other family obligations”...to expect many parents/guardians
to come to school often. His advice is to give “more attention t