Parental involvement in school is integral to the academic achievement and overall success of children, among other benefits. According to research, children whose parents participate actively in their schooling process have been discovered to excel better than children whose parents are passively involved.
However, parental involvement in school is sometimes minimal due to barriers like work demands, busy schedules, adolescents’ clamour for independence, inadequate knowledge about the benefits of parental involvement in school etc.
Regardless of these obstacles, we believe that parents will go the extra mile to be actively involved in their children’s school when they have a good knowledge of its benefits. Meanwhile, some schools try to make it convenient for parents by creating several engagement mediums for parents to choose from.
For instance, at Greensprings School, we have a series of avenues and activities all year round for parents to be involved in, such as tea parties, fun day, open day, sports day events etc. We also have a vibrant parent-teacher association. We do this because we value the importance of parental involvement in schools as it is a sure way of setting up children for future success.
In this article, we explain 10 benefits of parental involvement in schools. But first, here are some ways in which you as a parent can be actively involved in your child’s school.
Forms of Parental Involvement in Schools
Parental involvement in school refers to the active participation of parents in their children’s education and school community. This involvement can take many forms, such as attending parent-teacher conferences and being part of the Parent-Teacher Association, regular communication with your child’s teachers, attending and volunteering at school events, having meaningful engagement with your child’s teachers during open day events, helping with homework and school projects, or advocating for educational policies in your child’s school that will benefit students.
Setting Up A Child For Future Success With Mr Kunle Osunkunle | PTA Chairperson, Anthony Campus
Parental involvement in school has immense benefits and should be embraced by all parents.
Here are 10 of its benefits:
10 Benefits of Parental Involvement in Schools:
1. Increased Motivation and Engagement in Children. Children are more motivated to do well in school when their parents are involved in their schooling. Attending your child’s school activities like the open day, sports day, concerts, PTA meetings etc., and keeping track of his or her academic achievements encourages your child to put in more effort. It also encourages your child to believe in his or her abilities when your child sees that you believe in him or her. This leads to increased engagement in schoolwork and school activities.
2. Improved Behaviour in Children. Your child’s behaviour improves as he or she sees your involvement in his or her school activities. As your child begins to put in more effort in school, he or she imbibes positive behaviours like diligence, responsibility, sacrifice etc.
Also, as a parent who is actively involved in your child’s school, you are able to notice negative behaviour in your child and help him or her out of it by reinforcing positive behaviour and discouraging negative ones. Improved behaviour in children leads to a more positive school environment and better social interactions with peers. So, it’s a win-win for you, your child and the school.
3. Improved Academic Performance. Children whose parents are actively involved in their school ultimately perform better academically. This is because by attending school events like open days and building a rapport with your child’s teachers, you are able to monitor your child’s progress carefully, offer needed support, and encourage academic excellence. This eventually leads to improved grades, higher test and exam scores, and overall better academic performance in your child.
4. Better Understanding of Children. As you start to get involved in your child’s school activities and interact with your child’s teacher(s) and school administrators, you will have a better understanding of what is happening in the classroom and your child’s learning ability. This way, you can have better communication with teachers and school staff, which can benefit your child’s academic progress.
5. More Support At Home. Your involvement in your child’s school makes you aware of his or her strengths and weaknesses. This awareness helps you to know how best to provide beneficial support to your child at home.
There are a number of home support you can give your child such as providing a place and time at home for homework, checking on assignments and projects, talking with your child about his/her activities each day, expressing high expectations and standards for your child’s learning, promoting literacy by reading to your child, buying books for your child and reading yourself, limiting and monitoring TV watching, gaming, social media, and computer time etc.
See also https://www.greenspringsschool.com/help-your-child-succeed-in-school/
6. Encourages Children to be more involved in activities. Apart from academics, there are many extracurricular activities that your children can participate in at school. When your child sees that you attend school events like concerts, sports day, art shows etc., your child is encouraged to participate in those activities since he or she knows you will always be there to cheer him or her on.
7. Good Parent-Teacher Relationship. A vital aspect of parental involvement in school is frequent communication between parents and teachers. This usually leads to a good relationship between you and your child’s teacher(s). Both of you can then collaborate and cooperate to help your child’s academic progress.
Mrs Ekong shares her experience on being the PTA Chairperson at Greensprings Lekki Campus
8. Increased Child Confidence. A child’s self-confidence rises with parental participation. Your active participation in your child’s education, school associations and events etc., provides the message that his or her education is valued and regarded. This helps to boost your child’s self-esteem.
9. Teacher Enthusiasm. Parents and children are not the only ones that benefit from parental involvement in school, teachers also do. Teachers who have more parental support benefit from parents’ involvement because they are able to connect with their students more effectively and clarify whatever misconception they might have previously had. Your child benefits from this because it helps his or her teacher make a beneficial contribution to focusing on his or her interests and abilities.
10. Opportunity to Ask Questions. When you are involved in your child’s education, you have a platform like parent-teacher associations where you can challenge policies and raise issues that need to be addressed. More parents being involved opens up the possibility of a constructive dialogue between the school and parents, which would benefit both parties.
Parental involvement in schools is crucial for a child’s overall accomplishment and future success. By taking an active role in your child’s schooling from pre-school to secondary levels, you can provide support, encouragement, and guidance, which leads to increased motivation in your child, improved behaviour, improved academic performance, better educational foundation for your child and better preparation for the future.
