Every parent wants to increase the academic success of their children. However, too intrusive and excessive involvement of parents in the educational process can cause negative results. Considering the benefits of parents’ participation, Epstein et al. (2018) suggest discursively shifting attention from involvement to partnership because it may better frame the issue. In this respect, volunteering and collaborating with the community may strengthen a child’s partnerships in middle and high school (Epstein et al., 2018). The former means attending school activities in middle school to perform useful tasks. The latter focuses on bringing effective community service programs to schools, such as sharing part-time job lists or inviting services to provide a free-drug environment. These activities can be performed through participation in School Family Community Partnership (SFCP).
Another consideration that deserves to be discussed is the evaluation of how parents’ partnership or involvement may directly influence academic achievements. The literature emphasizes that there is no significant way how direct parents partnership may increase academic results (Muller, 2018). Nevertheless, when grading is based on a subjective teacher’s perception, parents’ involvement may play some role (Muller, 2018). As for the basic ways of increasing academic achievements, involvement in the child’s study in middle school positively influences their academic achievements (Boonk et al., 2018). In high school, direct help fades into the background, while constant communication about learning and support in moments of success have a big impact (Boonk et al., 2018). To summarize, the literature extensively discusses how children may strengthen their school positioning and academic results. Although research provides a great volume of recommendations, volunteering and communication with the community, combined with additional help and support outside school settings, are considered effective strategies.
References
Boonk, L., Gijselaers, H. J., Ritzen, H., & Brand-Gruwel, S. (2018). A review of the relationship between parental involvement indicators and academic achievement. Educational Research Review, 24, 10-30.
Epstein, J. L., Sanders, M. G., Sheldon, S. B., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C., Jansorn, N. R., VanVoorhis, F.L., Martin, C. S., Thomas, B. G., Greenfield, M. D., Hutchins, D. J., & Williams, K. J. (2018). School, family, and community partnerships: Your handbook for action. Corwin Press.
Muller, C. (2018). Parent involvement and academic achievement: An analysis of family resources available to the child. In J. S. Coleman (Ed.), Parents, their children, and schools (pp. 77-114). Routledge.