Direct parental involvement in school decreases dramatically when a child reaches his/her teen years. Yet such involvement is essential at the middle and high school levels and can be one of the strongest predictors of a teenager's academic achievement.
Parents of teens can be a difficult group to reach. They're often busy, seemingly out of touch and uninvolved in school. Sometimes they seem downright antagnostic. As noted in a study by Public Agenda most teachers don't give parents high marks for involvement in their children's education. Teachers say parents fail to set limits, create enough structure, control time with television, computers and video games, or hold their kids accountable for their behavior and academic performance. 
Yet the vast majority of parents do place a premium on their child's education, so much so that they worry about it more than they do the imminent threat of crime and drugs. "Indeed", as Laurence Steinberg, author of Beyond the Classroom; Why School Reform Has Failed and What Parents Need To Do comments, "the desire to have one's child succeed in school is one of the few common threads that unites almost all parents in this country." And parents are aware that their efforts fall short. 70% of parents say they need to become more involved in their child's education.
Teens also report that there is much room for improvement. Most note that while their family life provides love and support, their parents are not actively involved in helping them succeed in school. What's more, research shows that teens don't give especially high grades to the schools, either. The fact is, when it comes to communications and involvement, nobody's giving anybody else high marks. It's the students and their success that is ultimately impacted.
Yet the vast majority of parents do place a premium on their child's education, so much so that they worry about it more than they do the imminent threat of crime and drugs. "Indeed", as Laurence Steinberg, author of Beyond the Classroom; Why School Reform Has Failed and What Parents Need To Do comments, "the desire to have one's child succeed in school is one of the few common threads that unites almost all parents in this country." And parents are aware that their efforts fall short. 70% of parents say they need to become more involved in their child's education.
Teens also report that there is much room for improvement. Most note that while their family life provides love and support, their parents are not actively involved in helping them succeed in school. What's more, research shows that teens don't give especially high grades to the schools, either. The fact is, when it comes to communications and involvement, nobody's giving anybody else high marks. It's the students and their success that is ultimately impacted.
A simple step back allows us all to see that the goals that we share are the goals that matter, i.e. guiding out teenagers so that they develop abilities, confidence and responsibility in a safe, healthy and responsive environment.
I have found in my professional experiences with parents of teenage middle school students more information is needed to help parents understand the unique stage of emotional and social development of adolescent children. I believe parent education is needed to help bridge the gap of communiucation with their middle and high school children. Please feel free to provide your professional or parental experiences which may be helpful to others.
3 comments:
You are definitely onto something innovative, Clement. I like the diveristy in your post and the nonverbal messages they communicate. Certainly, I tend to agree with much of what is being portrayed, although there is also a flipped side to this and another side too. Each culture has a way of interpreting education, and each generation has seems to determine the extend to which the values, ethics, morals, and so on will be inculcated or not. Definitely, as your pictures suggest, it is time for paradigm shift in research, teaching and learning. How you given brain based leadership any thoughts? You should take a few courses in this area. I like your blog alot. It is so different! Mac
Hello Clement,
Interesting blogsite and very informative.You made a statement in your blog about parent involvement decreasing dramatically when a child reaches the teen years; well, in my school (Title I) this begins to happen in 1st and 2nd grade and by the time they reach 4th grade (I teach) the parents become extinct. You do not see them until there is a problem, and then,it is according to how serious the problem is, whether you will see them or not.
Minnie
I have worked at the elementary level in title 1 schools as a 6th grade teacher. I agree with your comment, however, I also found that if I made the effort to contact the parent most times if not everytime I was supported. The challenge for the parents of children who attend Title 1 schools is the lack of transportation and low household income. Many parents have no telephone or work during the course of the day, which makes it seem like they are uninvolved. Although it does take an extra effort, I did have supportive parents.
Thank you for your comments.
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