Train up a child in the way they should go; even when they are old they will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
Let’s face it parenting is not an easy job. Each child is a unique individual perfectly made by God with his or her own strengths and weaknesses. Therefore a one size fits all approach to parenting just doesn’t work. But don’t lose hope! Research shows there is one area parents can engage in that will have direct and positive results. A study of 51 school-based parent involvement programs concluded that student achievement is directly linked to teacher-parent partnerships, teacher-parent communication, checking homework and shared reading. So the bottom line is parental involvement is key to student academic success. Children whose parents are connected to their education are more likely to do better academically, behaviorally, and emotionally.
Across all studies the only exception was parental help with homework. Doing homework for your children doesn’t make them a better student; checking homework does. As students reach middle school and parental involvement changes researchers at Harvard found that a “let go, but stay close” approach works best.
Interestingly, the study also noted that involvement that reflected “academic socialization” yields the greatest student achievement. Academic socialization means connecting to your student and their teachers by “communicating expectations for education and its value, linking school-work to current events, fostering educational and career aspirations, discussing learning strategies, and making plans for the future.”
Connections are a priority at Grace Lutheran School. Our theme for the year is, Connected to Christ, Connected to Community. We’re here to help you stay connected as well. Below are some ways you can stay connected and become involved in your child’s education here at Grace.
Daily: Use your conversations with your child to extend learning. Ask specific, positive questions about their day. Questions like, “Who did you talk to the most today?” give you a great opportunity to follow up with life lessons and learning reminders. Even a simple question like, “What did you do at recess?” can lead to a great talk with your child.
Weekly: Read your teacher’s newsletter, use the app for school news, and open up Fast Direct to view grades. Knowledge is power! When you know what’s going on in the classroom and on the campus, you can check in with your child and talk about the things that are going on at Grace.
Occasionally Volunteer: Field trips, class parties, and PTL events are the perfect way to connect with the teachers and staff of Grace. Relationships between parents and teachers are important, and this is a fun way to help build that school-home connection.