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Listening to the Voices of Latino Parent Volunteers

Posted on: Wednesday, 30 April 2008, 03:00 CDT

By Quintanar, Anita P Warren, Susan R

Within low socioeconomic Latino communities, effective parental involvement practices are key to transforming school performance. Educators have struggled for years to find effective ways to improve student achievement, particularly in low-performing schools. These schools are increasingly comprised of students of color and lower socioeconomic status. Today, nationwide, children of color (including Latino children) represent nearly 40 percent of the total school enrollment, with this number anticipated to increase (National Center for Education Statistics 2005).

Marotta and Garcia (2003) pointed out that "Latinos constitute the fastest growing ethnic minority group in the United States, with varying estimates by demographers as to the year in which Latinos will become the largest minority group in terms of number of individuals in the U.S. census." Unfortunately, many children of color are significantly below their peers on all measures of academic achievement, including standardized test scores, grades, graduation rates, and percentages entering college (National Center for Education Statistics 2005). Worst of all, this gap continues to increase (Haycock 1998).

Proponents of parental involvement (Henderson and Berla 1994; Epstein 2001; Henderson and Mapp 2002) have asserted that it is critical to student success. For decades, federal and state guidelines such as Title I have required schools to show evidence of parental involvement (Elementary and Secondary Education Act 2004). The recent policy No Child Left Behind (2001) also provides for the inclusion of parents in the educational process of their children. For many schools, however, parental involvement is viewed simply as a mandate that must be followed (Sarason 1995) and does not include the voices of parents, particularly low-income Latino parents.

Leading researchers have found that when schools work with parents, everyone involved benefits-students, families, and schools (Henderson and Berla 1994; Henderson and Mapp 2002). Additionally, when parents are invited to participate at their children's schools, families generally become involved. This involvement leads not only to improved academic achievement for students, but also to increased teacher morale. Kellaghan et al. (1993, 13) reported, "today, many commentators would view any attempt at intervention with children from disadvantaged backgrounds that did not include a home component as unlikely to be very effective."

While the literature reflects an overwhelming consensus regarding the value of parental involvement, effectively engaging parents from Latino communities remains a challenge. Some educational researchers have emphasized the lack of effectiveness of schools to reach out to communities of color. They have asserted that educators and schools have placed the blame for lack of academic success on students and their families and have suggested that researchers and practitioners have supported this "deficit model" regarding students and families of color (Delpit 1995; Valdes 1996).

The Harvard Family Research Project (Shartrand et al. 1997) found that many teachers and principals lack training on how to reach out to parents. The existing literature confirms a need to listen to underrepresented parents of color in poor communities to learn how to establish more authentic relationships that will lead to increased parental involvement and student success. The research presented here was conducted in an effort to understand how schools can be transformed to make parental involvement an integral component. Included in the study was an examination of the role that administrators, teachers, and parents can play in promoting parental involvement.

Methodology

This study used a phenomenological approach (Creswell 1998) to understand the factors related to parental volunteerism. Qualitative data were collected from interviews held with 15 Latino parents from two elementary schools located in a low-income community in Southern California. Each school in the study had at least a 90 percent Latino student population; 75 percent or more of students receiving free or reduced lunch; parents who volunteered five days per week for the entire day; and a designated parent volunteer room.

The participants selected for the study were parents who volunteered consistently and therefore knew their schools well. Volunteer activities included working in classrooms, in the office, on the playground, and in the parent volunteer room preparing materials for teachers. The volunteers also served as liaisons to other parents in the community.

Through one-on-one, 60-180-minute taped interviews, parent volunteers were asked 18 questions in English or Spanish. Four of these served as guiding questions:

* Who are you?

* Why do you volunteer?

* What do you know, think, and believe about schools?

* What would you like to see happen for your children and the children in your community?

Audiotapes were transcribed, and statements from the data were extracted and analyzed. A team of two researchers collaborated in determining the initial coded categories and, by process of consensus, reconfirmed, renamed, and regrouped the categories to determine themes. Characteristic of the phenomenological approach, the themes were integrated into a narrative description (Creswell 1998).

Results

Several themes emerged, including parents' expectations; opinions on homework, communication (particularly at the secondary level), home visits, and language; desirable traits of teachers and principals; the importance of understanding parents' worldviews; and their descriptions of confianza (confidence) and al pendiente (watching over). This section discusses these themes in light of the study's four guiding questions.

Who are you?

Collectively, the participants represented a diverse group of volunteers. Included in the study were 13 mothers, one grandmother, and one father. Place of origin, age, language, educational background, marital status, number of children, number of years as a volunteer, and the point at which they began volunteering varied. All participants had volunteered for at least three years on a daily basis; seven had volunteered for 10 or more years at the school sites. All participants had at least one child at the elementary school where they volunteered, and several also had children at the middle and high school levels.

Why do you volunteer?

The participants all shared that the presence of a volunteer room at the sites was a critical factor in committing to volunteer on a regular basis. The volunteer room was described by the participants as a place of joy, where parents worked hard for teachers and lasting friendships were formed among the parents. At one school, the volunteer room was a former classroom; at the other, it was a converted supply room.

The daily activities of the parents in the volunteer room included inviting new parents to become volunteers, answering questions, and helping solve problems of concerned parents. The study participants prided themselves in having a large group of involved parents. They often served as unofficial representatives, being first to invite others to be a part of the volunteer group. One volunteer recalled how the principal invited parents to help in the volunteer room and then encouraged her to do the same. She too began inviting parents.

I also invited the mothers that I would see staying around a little bit there, and I would say, 'Would you like to become a volunteer?' And many times they would tell me, 'Well, yes, I would like to be a volunteer.' (translated from Spanish)

Many of the volunteers shared that these activities and the volunteer room made a personal difference in their lives by providing a meaningful experience and support network. Several described the volunteer room as a second home. These factors motivated the parents to continue volunteering at the sites.

The words al pendiente were threaded throughout all of the participants' interviews. The female participants reported that the volunteer room provided a place for them to be nearby and watch over their children. The parents used al pendiente in reference to the responsibility they felt for their children: waiting in anticipation to see whether their children were having problems and being ready to intervene when problems were noted. The volunteer room at these elementary schools allowed parents to be near their children. Many of the parent participants, however, shared a frustration that at the secondary level, they could not be al pendiente of their children because of the structure and culture of the schools.

Greetings often were credited as critical in making parents decide to stay as volunteers. A friendly smile could make a new and unfamiliar place inviting and welcoming. One participant spoke of coming to a new city and enrolling her children in an unfamiliar school. She made the decision to become a volunteer because of the friendly greeting she received.

And, well, there I didn't know hardly anyone, right? And I began to get to know them and, well, I began to like the environment. I liked the feeling. And because of that I stayed there, (translated from Spanish)

What do you know, think, and believe about schools?

Several of the volunteers shared their convictions about the importance of schools at all levels communicating with parents about their children and encouraging participation. One parent spoke of the differences at the elementary, intermediate, and high schools. She mentioned that the only opportunity to get to know teachers at the secondary level was at Back to School Night, and during that event parents spent only a few minutes with each teacher in a group situation. She believed that this was not conducive to parents getting to know teachers or for teachers getting to know parents. Meetings that the high school scheduled were often at one o'clock in the afternoon, which did not take working parents into consideration. The same parent perceived that the high school preferred this arrangement and intentionally set it up so that most parents would not attend. The approach was contrary to her experience at the elementary level, where parents were encouraged to attend meetings. Many of these parents also related negative experiences at the secondary level where the school had failed to notify them regarding the absences or poor academic achievement of their children. Some of the volunteers connected this lack of communication with a lack of caring on the part of those working in secondary schools. One parent shared that she understood the frustration of high school staff members, but that they needed to know that many parents do care. She wanted them to look closer at the parents and find those, like her, who care.

They didn't bother to call me to let me know my son wasn't going to school. I was very disgusted. It wasn't important to them. Well, if they want to be there fine, if not, how can they force them? But I think in any case there should be communication between the parents and the high school or intermediate teachers.

The volunteers also cited home visits as a vital means for parents to get to know teachers and for teachers to observe the home atmosphere of their students. Ten of the 15 parents were at an elementary school that implemented a policy of home visits by teachers. During a designated two weeks each year, every teacher at the school visited the homes of each of the students. The purpose of these home visits was to build stronger connections to the community. Though many of the parents said that they were embarrassed the first time they experienced a home visit, they quickly realized that the visits were essential in building stronger relationships with the school. One parent explained:

Teachers come to our houses. Once a year they come to our house to talk to us about our kids, to know how we feel about them. It's like a small conference. Like they're not here to see how we live. If we live okay or not. It makes you feel very good, and if other schools have this-home visits-I think it would open communication. It would make the parents feel more important.

Homework was another critical issue expressed by the parents. They were satisfied with the amount of homework given at the elementary level. Parents who had teenage children, however, were insistent that the high school was not giving enough homework or challenging their children academically. One parent of high school students expressed negative comments about teachers not giving enough homework, indicating that she would like schools to consider adopting homework practices found in other countries. The parents articulated the need for homework and rigorous schoolwork.

Language also emerged as an important theme among the parent volunteers. They appreciated the staff's willingness to learn to speak Spanish. Having an administrator or staff member try to speak Spanish to parent volunteers encouraged parents to attempt to speak English. Both Spanish speakers and English speakers believed that the principal should be bilingual to communicate with parents and that the Spanish-speaking parents should learn to speak English. To the parent volunteers, communication was important in keeping the school community united and strong.

The principal's role was clearly defined throughout the interviews. The volunteers wanted a principal to:

* greet parents and students;

* be visible around campus;

* unify the staff and volunteers so that they could work together;

* visit the volunteer room regularly;

* participate in volunteer potlucks and celebrations; and

* acknowledge the volunteers.

What would you like to see happen for your children and the children in your community?

One of the most profound aspirations held by parent volunteers in this study was for schools to have high expectations for their children. For these parents, high expectations were linked to teachers caring about their students. A volunteer with two high school daughters talked about expectations at the different school levels. As part of her job, she often dropped off Parks and Recreation materials at the high school, which gave her the opportunity to observe the staff and students on campus.

High schools don't care about the kids that much. Because with my kids I've noticed it. There are certain teachers who do, and certain teachers who don't. If the kids go to school, the kids go to school. If they don't go to school, they don't. They don't really push it, and I don't know. It's real different from elementary to high school. It's real different. Teachers sometimes don't care what the kids do. The kids go in and out.

Another parent related her appreciation for a high school teacher well-known in the community for his high expectations and caring:

Thanks to God, one teacher in the high school was the only one who always took the time when my children were on vacation to give them homework, and to every student that he has, he always sent a card reminding them what homework they needed to do during their vacation. It's nothing more than a reminder to say, 'You'll read this, ' or 'I'll see the following day when school begins, ' a reminder with love. And because of that, I feel very proud of that teacher.

The parent volunteers also wanted schools that were not only unified with their communities, but also unified within each school. Among those interviewed was common agreement that a strong school is a unified school. Because these parents were in schools on a daily basis, they were able to witness the conflicts that arose among staff members and between staff members and administrators. The parent volunteers expressed a solid belief that these types of conflicts were damaging to students and parents. They related the necessity for school personnel to focus on students and not on the problems among adults.

Finally, the volunteers had an ardent desire for teachers to inspire confianza in their students and in their relationships with parents. Confianza is what the parents wanted in the relationships at their schools. In general, the parent volunteers used this term to mean being treated in a manner that made children or parents feel comfortable, giving confidence, and acting reliant. It also meant committing to take care of another, providing hope, and being trustworthy. Parent volunteers spoke of confianza not merely in terms of giving confianza, but being inspired with confianza. Authentic relationships require confianza, and this is what these parents wanted.

Closing Thoughts

Though the current study is limited by its sample size, listening to the voices of parent volunteers clearly is critical in understanding how to transform schools so that parental involvement is integral. The following recommendations should be considered to increase parental involvement:

* establish a volunteer room for parents to come together;

* greet and welcome parents throughout the school;

* develop multiple means to communicate with parents, especially at the secondary level;

* encourage teachers to conduct home visits;

* create a climate of high expectations for all students, particularly with homework at the secondary level;

* attempt to communicate with parents in their native languages; and

* build authentic relationships with parents.

In any school, potential exists to cultivate a similar core group of parents who can influence a strong parental involvement program. Additionally, the roles that administrators, teachers, and parents assume greatly affect parental involvement. Teachers and administrators must unite with parents to create school cultures that encourage parent volunteerism. Educational reform not only must mandate parental involvement, but also must prompt educators to transform beliefs, practices, and policies in ways that nurture and promote parent volunteerism and the success of all students.

"[Parental] involvement leads not only to improved academic achievement for students, but also to increased teacher morale."

"These activities and the volunteer room made a personal difference in their lives by providing a meaningful experience and support network."

"During a designated two weeks each year, every teacher at the school visited the homes of each of the students."

References

Creswell, J. W. 1998. Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five traditions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Delpit, L. D. 1995. Other people's children: Cultural conflict in the classroom. New York: New Press.

Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. 2004. U.S.C. [section] PL 89-10. Title I, Part A, Sec. 1118, Parental involvement. Available at: vimw.ed.gov/ policy/elsec/leg/esea02/ pg2.htmHsec1118.

Epstein, J. L. 2001. School, family, and community partnerships: Preparing educators and improving schools. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Haycock, K. 1998. Good teaching matters... A lot. Thinking K-16, a publication of The Education Trust 3(2): 3-14.

Henderson, A. T, and N. Berla, eds. 1994. A new generation of evidence: The family is critical to student achievement. Washington, DC: National Committee for Citizens in Education.

Henderson, A. T, and K. L. Mapp, 2002. A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family and community connections on student achievement. Austin, TX: National Center for Family & Community Connections with Schools, Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. Kellaghan, T, K. Sloane, B. Alvarez, and B. S. Bloom. 1993. The home environment and school learning: Promoting parental involvement in the education of children. San Francisco: )ossey- Bass.

Marotta, S. A., and Garcia, ). G. 2003. Latinos in the United States in 2000. Hispanic tournai of Behavioral Sciences 25(1 ): 13- 34. Available at: http://hjb.sagepub. com/cgi/content/abstract/25/1/ 13.

National Center for Education Statistics. 2005. Digest of education statistics, 2005. Washington, DC: NCES.

No Child Left Behind Act. 2001. U.S.C. [section] PL 107-110.

Sarason, S. B. 1995. Parental involvement and the political principle: Why the existing governance structure of schools should be abolished. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Shartrand, A. M., H. B. Weiss, H. M. Kreider, and M. E. Lopez. 1997. New skills for new schools: Preparing teachers in family involvement. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Family Research Project.

Valdes, G. 1996. Con respeto. Bridging the distances between culturally diverse families and schools: An ethnographic portrait. New York: Teachers College Press.

Anita P. Quintanaris the Director of Student Programs & School Relations for Claremont Graduate University's Teacher Education Program and an Assistant Professor. Her research interests include parental involvement, breaking patterns of under-performing students, and teacher preparation.

Susan R. Warren is a Director of masters programs in education and a Professor at Azusa Pacific University. Her areas of research include parental involvement, teacher expectations and efficacy, urban schooling, social justice issues, and action research.

Copyright Kappa Delta Pi Spring 2008

(c) 2008 Kappa Delta Pi Record. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

Source: Kappa Delta Pi Record

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