Making Connections With Parents

By Garrett, Joyce Lynn

That parental involvement in schools has a positive impact on academic achievement seems intuitive. A Web search indicated that educators and researchers demonstrated the greatest interest in this topic during the ’80s and ’90s. Though most of the articles written then were qualitative in nature, there were reports of a few well- done studies. A review of that research revealed, however, that the strongest correlates of student success are parental aspirations and parental expectations (Fan and Chen 2001). Given this finding, how do educators reorient parental involvement strategies toward increasing parental aspirations and expectations for their children and, at the same time, promote higher academic achievement? The superintendent of Lake Oswego School District near Portland, Oregon, takes a novel approach to this question. Superintendent Bill Korach developed and implements a program that raises the level of parental involvement from back-to-school nights, listserves, and monitoring homework assignments to working with children to improve thinking and problem-solving skills. The program he delivers includes “how to” lessons designed to raise expectations, define aspirations, and increase student achievement.

Through the Raising Minds(TM) program, parents are taught a sequential set of strategies using varied content ranging from flirting to evolutionary theory. They are introduced to principles of learning and thinking designed specifically to improve instruction and academic achievement. The 4 three-hour sessions focus on basic topics such as time management, reinforcement, and communication; but they also tackle more sophisticated subjects such as the different types of thinking (e.g., alternative thinking and consequential thinking); thinking for different purposes (e.g., doing, understanding, application); metacognition; and explicit teaching. In addition, parents explore issues related to their children’s self-concept and confidence levels; and they discuss relationship building and its importance to learning.

How did this superintendent get parents to give up three hours on four Saturdays? He used some basic common sense and excellent strategies. He met with small groups of parents in private homes over coffee. He exploited the natural desire of parents to see their children succeed. He started small. And he spent time building credibility and legitimacy.

How did this superintendent get parents to explore extremely complex issues? He simplified complicated concepts by making session content concrete, relevant, explicit, and practical. He provided parents with the opportunity to give input, and modified presentations accordingly. He kept the focus on giving students a performance edge. And he capitalized on parents as experts, role models, and valuable resources.

At the same time parents are engaged in learning how to be more effective with their children, school administrators and teachers are engaged in a similar program, based on the same principles, learning how to get the most from their students. Parents, teachers, and administrators hear the same messages using the same language. At the end of the program, parents establish a “Family Plan,” and school personnel establish a “School or Classroom Plan”-both with an eye toward increasing aspirations, expectations, and achievement. In the Lake Oswego School District, as it should be everywhere, the focus is all about added value in the educational endeavor.

A little exploration will reveal that the Lake Oswego School District may be a step ahead of many, because parents tend to be college educated, affluent, and interested in their children’s school progress. Developing such programs for any parent population is possible, however, according to Korach. The key is to make parents comfortable by allaying the fears many of them associate with the schooling experience. Other parameters may need to be considered as well, including length of sessions, time offered, session content, and examples used to illustrate points. Yet, the basic principles of teaching and learning remain constant.

Whatever we do, we must expand our thinking about involving parents in their children’s education. If teachers and parents are to be successful, we need more innovative thinkers and leaders like Superintendent Korach.

Reference

Fan, X., and M. Chen. 2001. Parental involvement and students’ academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review 13(1): 1 -22.

by Joyce Lynn Garrett

Academic Editor

Joyce Lynn Garrett was a teacher and an administrator in the public schools and in higher education for 35 years, most recently serving as dean of the College of Education at Boise State University in Idaho. She now resides in Prineville, Oregon.

Copyright Kappa Delta Pi Winter 2008

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