Your thoughts?

What defines parental involvement?

What is positive parenting?

Setting the Stage

Parental involvement - partnership among home, school, and community members to support a child’s education process (Perroncel, 1993); active, ongoing participation of a child’s parent(s) or guardian(s) in his or her education (NREL, 1999)

Positive parenting - refers not to a particular type of relationship, but rather to the quality of the interactions and actions of adult caregivers who create conditions or contexts for optimal growth of children both within and outside the home (Hutchinson & Baldwin, 2005)

Parenting Types

Authoritarian – cold; overly demanding; over-controlling; non-responsive; obedience without explanation; drill sergeants/employers

Authoritative - firm limits; clear expectations; fair; responsive; warm; said to be single most important family protective factor (Moon, Jackson, & Hecht, 2000)

Permissive - little structure; low expectations; best friend parent; may not care

Neglectful - not there (work; family problems; health issues); disengaged

Why aren’t parents involved?

OST Settings• Family structure/socioeconomic status

– Family circumstances– Assumptions regarding parents

• Parent schedule– Work– Family obligations

• Educational level of parent regarding activities

• Expectations of program providers

Why aren’t parents involved?

Military Settings• Role and boundary issues

– Family roles often shifted due to employment

• Household management– Newfound independence or anxiety

• Honeymoon effect– Reunion is often romanticized; unfamiliarity after

• Social support– Returning personnel may withdraw

• Parent rejection and anxiety– Lack of comfort interacting with child

• Physical and mental condition– Physical injury (limits engagement); mental injury

(detachment)

School Settings• School and teacher practices– Lack of understanding of how to involve

parents– Poor communication strategies– Lack of interest in involving families

• Family practices– Lack of time, energy, economic resources– Lack of knowledge– Cultural belief systems– Feelings of incompetence– Lack of understanding of how to get involved– History of negative interactions with school

Why aren’t parents involved?

Quotables…

When parents are involved in their children’s education, they do better in school, they go farther in school, and the schools they attend get better.

Anne T. Henderson Author of The Evidence Continues to Grow

The school will teach children how to read, but the environment of the home must teach them what to read. The school can teach them how to think, but the home must teach them what to believe.

Charles A. Wells

From the Research

Why is parental/family involvement in education so important?

Programs and interventions that engage families in supporting their children’s learning at home are linked to improved achievement (Epstein, Simon & Salinas, 1997)

Families of all cultural backgrounds, education, and income levels can, and often do, have a positive influence on their children’s learning (Clark, 2002)

From the Research

Parent/family involvement has a significant positive impact on student outcomes throughout the elementary, middle school and secondary years (Simon, 1999)

The most promising opportunity for student achievement occurs when families, schools and communities work together (Sanders & Epstein, 2000)

What can schools do?

• Communication is key!– School personnel must make contact

with parents• Consistent, regular contact in varied formats• Clear, straightforward methods

– Avoid educational jargon– Be sensitive to language differences– Invite ‘two-way’ flow of information

• In person – Home visits– Phone calls– School visits– Community based meetings

What can schools do?

• Communication is key!– School personnel must make contact

with parents• In writing

– Newsletters– Emails– Websites– Blogs– Notes home– Handbooks

What can schools do?

• Communication is key!– School personnel must make contact

with parents• Via technology

– Email– Websites– Blogs– Online programs such

as GradeSpeed Parent Connection

– Social media

What can schools do?

• Accommodation and inclusion are essential!– Schools should be sensitive to parent needs

• Work around parent work schedules• Consider language and cultural differences• Provide child care and food for meetings

– Let parents know that involvement does not have to be a complicated process

– Include parents in decision making process• Needs surveys• Solicit suggestions• Incorporate a ‘parent platform’ at meetings to give

parents an opportunity to speak about concerns and ideas

• Active inclusion on site-based decision making teams

What can schools do?

• Accommodation and inclusion are essential!–Make sure parents feel comfortable at school

• Create a ‘Family Friendly’ school• Hold meetings and conferences in non-threatening

environments (not the principal’s office!)• Give parents specific suggestions on how to

become involved• Conduct activities in multiple languages if needed• Create a room at the school specifically for parents• Offer orientation and training activities• To solicit parents from diverse cultures, have

representatives from each target group serve as parent liaisons

Activities Within Schools

• Create resources for parents– A school website

• Section specifically for parents – Opportunities for involvement in campus activities– Information on current standing of their student

• Teacher pages – Homework assignments– Topics under study– Opportunities for parent involvement in lessons

– Provide workshops on topics of interest• Helping kids with homework• Single parenting issues• Improving grades/study skills• Drug and gang awareness• Bullying

Activities Within Schools

• Create resources for parents– Parenting Resource Center

• Brochures, articles, magazines• Copies of textbooks in use• Instructional CDs, videos, tapes• Opportunity to serve as resource person to others• Information on state standards• Information on discipline plan and expectations• Information on graduation plans, applying for

college• Information on special programs

– Special education– Gifted and talented education– Bilingual/ESL education

Activities Within Schools

• Reach out through community groups–Hold meetings in churches or community

centers– Involve community and faith-based

organizations in school activities– Partner with youth service organizations– Involve local businesses – Involve higher education institutions

Activities Within Schools

• Provide training for teachers– Specific strategies for encouraging

parent involvement–Ways to conduct positive parent

conferences– Educate on cultural and community

values and practices

Activities Within Schools

• Hold specific family involvement events– Monday Morning Coffee Drive-Thru– Principal’s Perspective– Community Days– Family Dinner– Saturday Success Academy– Dad’s Club– Family Game Night– Family Reading Night– Craft Night– School Tours– Family-Student-Faculty

Sports Event– Career and Job Fair– Freaky Fridays

What can teachers do?

• Provide class newsletters • Suggest parent-child activities to reinforce

concepts• Encourage volunteer activities in the

classroom• Create a warm atmosphere for parental

involvement within the classroom• Keep teacher page on school website

updated with lessons and activities• Provide a ‘what we did in school today’

message to students• Positive phone calls home

What can parents do?

• Encourage and value learning at home (but don’t pressure)

• Discuss child’s progress with teachers and child

• Check homework every night• Read to and with children• Limit TV viewing on school nights• Volunteer at school• Attend child’s school functions

What can parents do?

• Emphasize a regular bed time • Emphasize school attendance• Model good learning practices

through their own continuing education activities

• Support school rules and goals• Call teachers early if there is a

problem• Provide resources at home for

learning

What can parents do?

• Don’t try to be a ‘teacher’, but be a ‘reinforcer’! Learning activities at home:–Hidden Letters– Sorting and Stacking–Writing Instead of Talking– Trip to the Grocery Store– Family History Time Line– Easy Family Essays–Managing Money

Guiding Principles

• Positive Youth Development– Process that enables youth to move along pathways to

adulthood by providing SOPS (supports, opportunities, programs, and services)

– Addresses broader developmental needs of youth, in contrast to deficit-based models which focus solely on youth problems

• Ecological Approach– Youth develop in multiple contexts– Individual (well-developed problem-solving skills and

intellectual abilities)– Family (close relationship with parent)– Peer (close friends)– School (positive school climate)– Community (nonparent adults)

From the Research

40-50% of youth’s time = free/residual(Caldwell & Baldwin, 2003)

OST activities have the potential to promote PYD(Mahoney, Larson, & Eccles, 2005)

After-school programs and initiatives can make significant social, physical, and/or educational differences(Little & Harris, 2003; Little, Harris & Buffard, 2004)

Community characteristics and activity choice have a significant impact on who an adolescent is and who they will become(Luria, 1929; 1978)

From the Research

Children learn much about the value of civic involvement through parental actions(Almond & Verba, 1963)

Variations in ecological contexts greatly influence child development outcomes(Bronfenbrenner 1977, 1986)

Parenting style serves as a moderator between parental involvement and developmental competencies(Fletcher, Elder, & Mekos, 2000)

While peers become increasingly important, parents are most important influence in adolescents’ lives (Collins, Maccoby, Steinberg, Hetherington, & Bornstein, 2000)

Involvement Within EAs

• Current views of OST activities– Extended care provider– Means to an end

• Unique opportunities to foster development

• Kids do not develop in programs or schools, but in communities

• Affective and didactic learning

Potential Risks

• Create magical experiences for children– Burdensome on women

• Feeling the need to perform

• Excessive extracurricular activities

• Youth sports

Increasing Involvement

• Encourage parents– Significant influence on their children

• Case-by-case approach– Find constraints and address gaps

• Establish a rapport with parents– Encourage positive communication with parents about

their children

• Chapter 1 Program– Provide both child and adult education

• Ask parents/children– Utilize as partners

• Remain positive– Do not criticize or judge

Increasing Involvement

• Childcare• Transportation• Meals• Quality of instruction• Integration with other

youth-serving and social service programs

• Empower parents as change agents• Organic strategies

– Know the pulse of your community– Use data to fuel programmatic decisions

• Be aware of cultural considerations

Program Examples

Strengthening Families Program - family skills training program targeting substance abuse and other problem behaviors; provides a context to learn and practice skill/strategies

Putting Family First - national grassroots organization; promoting family civic engagement (Eat Together Week; TV Turn Off Week; building partnerships with faith-based and other community organizations; family-to-family parent action groups)

Program Examples

National Fatherhood Initiative - addresses problem of father absence; education media; online discussion forums; National Summit on Fatherhood

Time Out! For Better Sports for Kids - collaboration between NRPA and NAYS; changing culture of youth sports; code of conduct for parent behavior; Silent Saturdays; orientation meetings with parents; removal of scoring; team-switch strategies

Let’s problem solve…

Scenario 1You are a parent education consultant for a local

YMCA Boys and Girls Club. It is located in an midsized urban city with a military base. Identify some strategies for increasing positive parental involvement in club activities.

Scenario 2You are a parent liaison for a small rural elementary

school with a high Hispanic population. What are some ways you could promote parental involvement in school activities?

Let’s problem solve…

Scenario 3You are a parks and recreation administrator for a

midsized suburban city. The parents of the kids involved in youth sports activities tend to view this as a ‘babysitting’ service. How could you promote positive parent participation in youth sports activities?

Scenario 4You are a parent liaison for a large urban high school

located in a city with a large military base with a high rate of active deployment. How could you promote parental involvement in school activities?

Thank You…Questions?

Diane Taylor, PhDTarleton State Universitydtaylor@tarleton.edu

Chris Harrist, PhDUniversity of New Hampshirechris.harrist@unh.edu