• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

School Bells Call Parents Educators Say Mom and Dad's Participation Helps Their Children Succeed in School.

Posted on: Tuesday, 23 August 2005, 21:00 CDT

As school doors open this fall, educators across the Omaha metropolitan area are concentrating not only on reading, writing and arithmetic but also on another key to classroom success: parental involvement.

Research shows that children with involved parents get better grades and have higher attendance and graduation rates than those whose parents aren't involved.

According to the National Committee for Citizens in Education, when parents take an active role, students' test scores improve, as do their attitudes and their likelihood of staying in school.

Parents benefit, too. According to the committee, involved parents have greater confidence in the school and its teachers.

That's why educators do everything they can to get Mom and Dad to step up.

"You can't be a spectator parent," said Elizabeth Kish, principal of Marian High School in Omaha. "You've got to engage yourself with their activities."

Reading school newsletters, keeping in touch with homework and grades via the Internet and attending parent-teacher conferences are some ways to do that, Kish said.

But it's crucial to do even more.

At Marian, for example, every parent belongs to the Home and School Association, and 25 of them make up the association's advisory board, which regularly meets with Kish to help set school policies and practices.

In addition, nearly 100 women belong to Marian Moms, a group that hosts special school lunches and a mother-daughter brunch, among other events.

Asking children about their day and talking with them about school lessons is important, Kish said, as is setting a good example.

"Be careful in not interfering," Kish said. "Be engaged in your daughter's life. They do like to be noticed and watched, even if they say they don't."

Increasing parental involvement is a big push this year for the Papillion-La Vista school district, said spokeswoman Annette Eyman.

"Being in classrooms is not realistic for everyone," she said. "But we want parents to be involved in their child's education."

Teachers are an important piece in that puzzle, Eyman said. Most welcome e-mails, phone calls or visits from parents.

Any information parents can share about their children is helpful, Eyman said.

At home, parents can help their children succeed by making sure they get enough sleep and eat a nutritious breakfast.

It's also important to make sure students do their homework, Eyman said, and talk about what they are learning in school.

"We want parents to be at school and volunteer in the classroom," she said, "but it's equally important for parents to reinforce what teachers are doing."

In elementary school, a good way to do that is to know what vocabulary words students are learning and use them in sentences at home, said Martha Bruckner, associate superintendent for educational services with the Millard Public Schools.

Some Millard teachers also provide take-home packets with word and number games, she said.

When children bring books home, parents should ask them about the story, Bruckner said. And reading books together is a great educational tool.

For his doctoral thesis, Steven Constantino of Manassas, Va., followed a high school pushing for better communication with families. Over four years, he wrote, parent satisfaction rose from 34 percent to 59 percent, teacher satisfaction jumped from 39 percent to 76 percent, the average SAT score rose 61 points and the dropout rate fell from 11 percent to 3 percent.

At Omaha's Gomez Heritage Elementary, 83 percent of students come from Spanish-speaking families, said Principal Mary Morrissey.

So to help parents become more involved, school officials send home newsletters in both Spanish and English and offer English as a Second Language and General Equivalency Diploma classes to parents.

Aside from that, parents are welcome to visit the school anytime, Morrissey said, especially at breakfast or lunch.

Teachers also are willing to schedule evening appointments with moms and dads who work during the day, and a bilingual family liaison is always on hand.

A parent's interest in education shows children that learning is important, Morrissey said. And that, she said, helps teachers do their job.

One involved parent, Mary Ann Mulligan, said she can't count the number of hours she spends volunteering at Marian.

As co-chairwoman of Marian Moms, she helps put on lunches twice a month, make pies for teachers at Thanksgiving, organize school fundraisers . . .

It's important - and fun - to be at school, said Mulligan, whose daughter, Maureen, is a junior.

"The biggest part of this is service," she said. "If kids see their mothers doing things, they might want to get involved, too. Plus, if they see you here, they know you're interested in their lives."

GETTING INVOLVED

Area educators offer these suggestions for becoming more involved in your child's education: Practice spelling and math at home. Read to young children or listen to children read. Discuss the story and help students think about what they are reading. Encourage students to write -- in journals, to friends or just for fun. Check your school's Web site. Officials often post hints for parents and explain current school topics. Read the school and classroom newsletters. They often outline topics children are studying. Find ways to add information to the unit being taught.

When parents are involved

Studies have found that students with involved parents, no matter what their income or background, were more likely to: Earn higher grades and test scores and enroll in higher-level programs. Be promoted, pass their classes and earn credits. Attend school regularly. Have better social skills, show improved behavior and adapt well to school. Graduate and go on to postsecondary education. Source: National Center for Family & Community Connections with Schools

Source: Omaha World - Herald

More News in this Category