This article was very interesting because it focused more on home issues, and the problems that could be fixed outside of school doors. One thing that stood out to me in the beginning of the article is that not only did the author say that parental support was important, but that encouragement and expectations play a large role. I personally thought this was crucial wording because when I went through school I had a single mother with multiple jobs, so a lot was left on me. I always knew that I had to do well, and I did. Sooner or later my mother came to expect good grades of me, and this worked out well for the both of us. I like the fact that the article mentions parents such as my mother who are viewed as “uncaring” or the like, but are really just unable to participate at every little thing. I would like to say that that fact I knew my mother supported me, and expected a great deal from me, led to my academic success even though it was not the “traditional” manner of supporting a child. The fact this author takes this motivation into consideration when analyzing these studies is smart and observatory, because it could be just as beneficial. I was curious about how the class feels about this. Obviously everyone in the room has had some sort of academic success due to the fact we are all in college, but I wondered what level (or style) of parental involvement did they receive? Do you think this directly contributed to your success? I personally did not think my mother contributed to academics up until recently when I was old enough to put all my past behaviors in perspective.
Another thing about the article that stood out was one small, but very strong, statement in the conclusion. “When any one of the system’s parts is missing or out of
sync, the entire system falters.” This sums up our entire semester. We have argued about funding, parental involvement, location, playgrounds, food, equality, and the list goes on and on. In the end one thing can throw off the entire system, and if I had to pick one at the top of the list it would be parental involvement. This is not to say that babying your child and reviewing their homework everyday for their life is the key to success–far from it. What I am suggesting is that most lessons, morals, and skills in life can, and should be learned from the parents. If parents are sensible enough to instill good life lessons and habits than their child can mature to be a better and more well rounded person. Plain and simple. Anyway, I was wondering if the class agrees with this standpoint, or do you feel that socialization, and institutional lessons are more important?
