Time and time again multiple studies and my years of experience with children have shown that parental involvement is a detrimental factor in a child’s development, especially when dealing with their academic achievement and behavior. One of the greatest benefits of having an adequate amount of parental involvement and encouragement is that the child’s self-esteem and their standards on what is expected of them increases. If a child does not have anyone setting up any guidelines, this may put them under the impression that no one is preoccupied over their academic standing. Although this is not the case for every child, this is a notion that runs through the minds of many children. Though some parents, especially in urbanized cities, claim to not have enough “time” to be heavily involved in their child’s academics there are multiple ways in which they can positively contribute to their success. Simply motivating a child after knowing that they have a spelling test or congratulating them after receiving a high test grade or influencing them to work to their best abilities when they perform poorly are small signs that indicate to a child that their parent is aware of their accomplishments.
Undoubtedly, while factors outside of schools such as a family’s economic standing, demographics and culture contribute to a student’s scholastic performance, schools that foster a constructive environment for both children and their parents provoke a sense of reassurance. This school-family relationship allows for teachers to openly speak to parents about ways in which they can become involved to support student learning. Their been cases where schools limit family participation within a school, where parents are not allowed to shadow their child for a day or the school does not offer enough parent-child workshops; what is a parent to do in this sort of case? Since most children spend up to 70% of their waking hours in school, shouldn’t it be equally important that teachers also motivate children since they are around them more than their own parents?
