GETTING PARENTS INVOLVED

RESEARCH FINDING:  

Parental  involvement  helps  children  learn  more  effectively.  
Teachers  who are successful at involving parents in their  chil-
dren's schoolwork are successful because they work at it.

COMMENT:

Most parents want to be involved with their children's schoolwork 
but  are  unsure of what to do or how to do it.   Many  say  they 
would  welcome  more guidance and ideas from  teachers.   But  it 
takes  more than occasional parent-teacher conferences and school 
open houses to involve parents.   Teachers who are successful  at 
promoting parent participation in the early grades use strategies 
like these:

   . Some  teachers  ask parents to read aloud to the  child,  to 
     listen to the child read, and to sign homework papers.

   . Others  encourage parents to drill students on  math  and 
     spelling and to help with homework lessons.


   . Teachers also encourage parents to discuss school activi-
     ties with their children and suggest ways parents can help  teach 
     their  children  at home.   For example,  a simple home  activity 
     might be alphabetizing books;  a more complex one would be  using 
     kitchen supplies in an elementary science experiment.

   . Teachers also send home suggestions for games or group
     activities  related  to the child's schoolwork  that  parent  and 
     child can play together.

   . Teachers meet parents' wishes for face-to-face contact by
     inviting  them  to the classroom to see how  their  children  are 
     being taught.   This first-hand observation shows parents how the 
     teacher  teaches  and gives parents ideas on what they can do  at 
     home. 


Becker, H. J., and Epstein, J. (November l982).  "Parent Involve-
ment:   A  Survey of Teacher Practices."  The  Elementary  School 
Journal, Vol. 83, No. 2, pp. 85-l02. 

Cattermole,  J.,  and Robinson,  N. (September l985).  "Effective 
Home/School/Communications--From  the Parents' Perspective."  Phi 
Delta Kappan, Vol. 67, No. l, pp. 48-50.

Rich,  D. K. (l985).  The Forgotten Factor in School Success--the 
Family. Washington, D.C.:  Home and School Institute.

Walberg,  H. J. (February l984).  "Families as Partners in Educa-
tional Productivity."  Phi Delta Kappan,  Vol.  65,  No.  l6, pp. 
397-400.