What Are the Advantages of Parent Involvement?

Source : David Stewart, eHow Contributor

Family and school are two important institutions in children's lives, playing a crucial role in their overall development. Effective integration of these two institutions can benefit not only students but also schools, teachers and parents. A report titled "A New Generation of Evidence: The Family is Critical to Student Achievement" by Anne Henderson and Nancy Berla explains the various benefits of parental involvement in their child's academic activities. Schools can play a major role in their students' academic growth by involving parents in regular school activities such as PTA meetings and student field trips, or school fundraising programs and school advisory boards.

Benefits for Students

Students whose parents participate actively in their academics attain higher grades and score high in exams. Such students complete homework regularly and are not prone to absenteeism. They have a positive attitude with healthy self-esteem and motivation and exhibit positive behavior. Active parental involvement motivates children to succeed in overcoming differences in backgrounds, such as race and culture, or economic status and educational levels of parents. Students with active parental involvement are more likely to enroll in post-secondary education and their graduation rates tend to be high.

Benefits for Parents

When parents interact frequently with teachers, they become more aware of their children's school curriculum and expectations. As such, they become sensitive to the social and learning needs of their children. Parents that undergo educational programs offered at schools are well-prepared to handle their children's learning needs at home. This knowledge can motivate them to use affection and positive reinforcement to tutor children at home rather than the punishment approach. Parents get a better perception of the school. They become more knowledgeable and more active about the school policies and their implications when made part of the school decision-making team.

Benefits for Teachers

Active interaction between schools and parents leads to better communication between parents and teachers. Parents get to know the teacher's job better and they become aware her efforts for student development, and come to respect her profession. Teachers tend to get well-informed and improved performance ratings from parents. Teachers get a better understanding of parents' qualifications and skills and are more sensitive to their constraints and respectful of parents' time and abilities. Student achievement increases. Teachers experience greater job satisfaction.

Benefits for Schools

Schools that encourage parental involvement succeed in earning parental support. Administrators get to know more about their students' families, their cultures and diversity. As such, they would be better-equipped to address learning needs of students. There is an increase in student achievement. Such schools develop good recognition and reputation in the community.