Involved Parents: The Hidden Resource in Their Child's Education

Becoming involved - Laying the groundwork in the elementary school years

The reality is that some parents have more time than others to become involved, but it's important for even very busy parents to examine their priorities and carve out some time, even if it's brief. Some schools are working out more flexible schedules so that working parents have more options. The National Education Association recommends some specific ways for parents to become more involved in their child's education.

At home:

• Read to your child - reading aloud is the most important activity that parents can do to increase their child's chance of reading success
• Discuss the books and stories you read to your child
• Help your child organize his/her time
• Limit television viewing on school nights
• Talk to your child regularly about what's going on in school
• Check homework every night

At school:

Meet with a teacher or other school staff member to determine where, when and how help is needed and where your interests fit in. Volunteer time. Parents can:

• Be a classroom helper
• Tutor or read with individual children
• Assist children with special needs
• Help in special labs, such as computer or science
• Plan and work in fundraising
• Plan and accompany classes on field trips
• Assist coaches at sporting events
• Help out with arts and crafts workshops
• Assist with a special interest club or drama group
• Speak to classes about your career or special expertise
• Help write press releases, local news articles
• Work as library assistant; help with story time

The possibilities are endless.

• Vote in school board elections - know what the candidates stand for
• Participate in parent-teacher associations and school decisions
• Help your school set challenging academic standards
• Become an advocate for better education in your community and state.

Staying involved - The middle and high school years

In adolescence children become more independent and usually don't want their parents in school. In middle and high school students have to deal with more courses and more teachers in a more impersonal way, so parent involvement, although less direct, is still critical. Parents can participate in events at school, monitor homework, provide experiences and materials that supplement course work, and help children with organizational strategies. Parents can influence their children's academic progress by encouragement, reinforcement and modeling. Children learn from their parents' own learning style and activities such as discussions, newspapers and other reading materials, television habits and other quests for information and knowledge.

How parent involvement pays off

When parents contribute effort and time, they have the opportunity to interact with teachers, administrators and other parents. They can learn first-hand about the daily activities and the social culture of the school, both of which help them understand what their child's school is like.

The child and the school both benefit, and parents serve as role models as they demonstrate the importance of community participation. In addition to improving academic progress, parent involvement pays off in other significant ways. Numerous studies have shown that parent involvement is a protective factor against adolescent tobacco use, depression, eating disorders, academic achievement, and other problems. By staying involved with their child and teenager, parents can be a source of support, create a climate for discussing tough issues and serve as a role model for responsible and empathic behavior.

About the NYU Child Study Center

The New York University Child Study Center is dedicated to increasing the awareness of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders and improving the research necessary to advance the prevention, identification, and treatment of these disorders on a national scale. The Center offers expert psychiatric services for children, adolescents, young adults, and families with emphasis on early diagnosis and intervention. The Center's mission is to bridge the gap between science and practice, integrating the finest research with patient care and state-of-the-art training utilizing the resources of the New York University School of Medicine. The Child Study Center was founded in 1997 and established as the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry within the NYU School of Medicine in 2006. For more information, please call us at (212) 263-6622 or visit us at www.AboutOurKids.org.