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Paper Abstract: Discusses importance of parental involvement in a child's education. Influence of parents on child development. How parents influence the environment that children are raised in. Impact on student achievement. Quality of home life as critical to educational success. Children's need for parental support. View of teachers and parents on the necessity of parental invovement. Paper Introduction: Introduction There is an old saying: "It takes a village to raise a child". In today's society of multiple marriages, relationships, step- and half-families, family reunions can indeed look like a village. Yet, in these families, as well as in other, smaller, nuclear families, or in single parent families, the most important aspect is whether or not the parents are involved in the development of their child. Contrary to recent articles and books by Judith R. Harris indicating otherwise, because of their dependency on the adults in their lives, children will always be effected by their parents (Azar, 2000). After all, "parents are a child's first and most important teachers" (Fuentes, Cantu, & Stechuk, 1996, p. 16). The question is, however, how will they be effected and to what degree. For this reason, Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. July/August, Vol. It could also mean teachers or other instructors involved in thechild's activities sending out periodic newsletters. . 1-4. 48). 2).Belief Statement 2 - with supporting documentation Another reason that parental involvement is important is that "thequality of the home environment is the most critical indicator ofeducational success" (McDonough, 1995, p. (1999). Furstenberg, Jr., F. "Involving parents lets students and teachers win." The Education Digest. Ina recent survey, 8 percent of parents wanted to be more involved than theycurrently were. (2 ). 47-51. "Migrant Head Start:What does it mean to involve parents in program services?" Children Today.Vol. February, Vol. The question is, however, how will they beeffected and to what degree. 24, no. 31. 36, no. Let us count the ways."APA Monitor on Psychology. Sometimes this involvement means getting outside support, especiallyfor single parents or in homes where both parents must work. However it is done, itis critical that parents get involved and stay involved in their child'slife. 1, p. 48).Furthermore, research indicates that parents "who are involved in theirchild's academic life have a profound effect on the child's ability tolearn an helps instill in them an appreciation for learning that can last alifetime" (p. According to NEA Today (1998), most studiesshow a sharp drop in parental involvement between elementary school andmiddle school. Introduction There is an old saying: "It takes a village to raise a child". 31, no. Yet, in thesefamilies, as well as in other, smaller, nuclear families, or in singleparent families, the most important aspect is whether or not the parentsare involved in the development of their child. McDonough, K. 15. July/August, Vol. NEA Today. "Family Involvement in Education."Commentaries: A Publication of the Policy Information Clearinghouse.July/August, Vol. 6, pp. (1996). (1995). According to Kay McDonough (1995), recent research"proves that almost all of the differences in student achievement acrossstates are attributed to factors which can be controlled in the home" (p.2). (1999). 7. (1998). 5, p. In addition, there are many messages in the current societypressuring parents to "let go" and let the child make his or her owndecisions (NEA Today, 1998). References Azar, B. This is due in part to the fact that as schools advance inthe grade system, they tend to get bigger, are farther away, and are lessopen, in some ways, to parental involvement. . When it comes rightdown to it, however, teachers don't feel trained in involving parents inthe education process, parents feel locked out of the school system, and amajority of parents feel that they need more information on things as basicas how to help with homework (1995). 31). 1, no. 2). 64, no. Yet, as stated before, whenchildren feel the support of their parents, they are much more likely tosucceed in school, and in life, than to fail.Conclusion/Summary Statement Parents want to be involved; there is no arguing with that fact. 5, p. F. Intoday's society of multiple marriages, relationships, step- and half-families, family reunions can indeed look like a village. 16). According to McDonough(1995), "seventy-two percent of students aged 1 -13 would like to spendmore time talking about schoolwork with their parents. 2). Harris indicatingotherwise, because of their dependency on the adults in their lives,children will always be effected by their parents (Azar, 2 ). 16, no. Fuentes, F., Cantu, V. Why Parental Involvement is ImportantBelief Statement 1 - with supporting documentation One of the most important reasons that parental involvement is soimportant is the fact that parents influence the very environment thatchildren are raised in. Contrary to recent articles and books by Judith R. Pape, B. After all,"parents are a child's first and most important teachers" (Fuentes, Cantu,& Stechuk, 1996, p. Some of this may be because educators tend to holdhigher expectations for students whose parents collaborate with theirteacher (Pape, 1999).Belief System 3 - with supporting documentation A third reason that parental involvement is so essential in theupbringing of a child, is the influence that the parent may have on helpingthe child deal with outside influences such as peer pressure and challengesto his or her value system. However, further studies show that whenparents fight to stay involved with their children through the secondarygrades, these students make better transitions from childhood to adulthood,are able to maintain the quality of their work, and develop sound goals andrealistic plans for their futures (Pape, 1999). "Parent involvement: More than kid's play."January, vol. 3, pp. This meant family involvement as basic as "providing a quiet, well-litplace for a child to study, setting limits. This provides the child with a stable environment, effects theirability to learn, as well as furnishing the child with a sounding boardwhen confronted with peer pressure and challenges to their value system.Additionally, children want their parents to be more involved with theireducation and other aspects of their life. . "How do parents matter? Barbara Pape (1999) pointsout that in education programs that are designed to involve parents,disadvantaged students' achievements not only improve, but reach levelsthat are standard for children from middle class backgrounds (p. .two-thirds of employed parents wit children under 18 say they do not haveenough time for their children" (p. Unfortunately, . For this reason, parental involvement in allareas of the child's life, from helping with homework, to getting to knowtheir friends, to understanding how the parents can participate in theschool, is crucial in the development of a healthy and well-adjusted child.Frank Furstenberg, Jr.(1999), in an article about society and the family,asserts that it is not so much the structure of the family in question thatis important as is the fact that the parents, or primary caregivers can"occupy a stable presence in the child's life, are competent care givers,[and] are willing to invest resources in the child (Furstenberg, Jr., 1999,p. That supportcould be in the form of teachers understanding the time constraints onparents and setting up parent/teacher conferences on either weekends orevening. Moreover, 9 percent of parents and teachers surveyedagreed that parental involvement was a necessity for a child's development,especially at the high school level (McDonough, 1995). Given all the information on howimportant this aspect of a child's life is, it would seem that it would begiven a higher priority and progress would be made toward making parentalinvolvement the standard, rather than the exception, to the rule. identifying certain timesthat must be devoted to reading and learning, and sending children toschool healthy and well-nourished" (McDonough, 1995, p. 16. "Is the modern family a threat tochildren's health?" Society. Parents who are notinvolved in their child's education are more apt to have children who dropout of school (Pape, 1999).Belief System 4 - with supporting documentation The most important reason, ultimately, for a parent to be involvedwith the education and life of his or child is that the child wants it.The child wants the support of his or her parent. If parents don't understandhow the system works, then they may not be able to get accurate informationon what their children need to be doing to get into college or technicalschool. & Stechuk, R. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.