Behavior Prevention with Positive Home to School Connections By Emily A. Dalgleish

Parental Involvement in Education Decreases Over Time In a recent study, “the frequency of parent-teacher contacts, quality of parent-teacher interactions, and parent involvement at school declined from Years 1 to 3” –Izzo et al (1999) According to the Michigan Department of Education, “School activities to develop and maintain partnerships with families decline with each grade level, and drop dramatically at the transition to middle grades” One teacher “explained that parents were doing less now in middle school than they were doing in elementary school” –Griffiths-Prince (2009)

Lack of Involvement Contributes to Behavior Problems “Students with parents who are involved in their school tend to have fewer behavioral problems and better academic performances, and are more likely to complete secondary school than students whose parents are not involved in their school.” Child Trends Data Bank (2010) The Michigan Dept. of Ed. reports that decades of research show that when parents are involved students have: Higher grades, test scores, and graduation rates Better school attendance Increased motivation, better self-esteem Lower rates of suspension Decreased use of drugs and alcohol Fewer instances of violent behavior

Often Parent Communication is a Negative Exchange “Teachers rarely call in praise of a child. Usually when parents are summoned to the school, the teacher is reporting on some trouble their child is having” -Edwards (1999) “If a parent has had a negative experience with school or they feel shameful about their own level of education, it may manifest in posturing with his/ her child’s teachers” –ESL Teachers Board

Communication Gap One article describes the divide in communication this way: As a society, we believe a world of difference exists between teaching a child to hold a spoon and teaching that same child to hold a pencil. With the acceptance of this boundary, we have created two separate, sometimes adversarial, worlds- home and school- and have populated them with separate, sometimes adversarial adults- parents and teachers. Children must live in both worlds, moving back and forth at the beginning and end of each school day. While both parents and teachers strive toward a goal of well-educated and well-loved children, various problems appear to hinder achievement of this goal.-Rosenthal, Sawyers (1996)

Greater Parent Involvement Equates Greater Benefits for Child “Fullan (1982, p.93) states simply that ‘emerging from [the] research [on parent and community involvement] in schools is a message which is remarkable in its consistency: the closer the parent is to the education of the child, the greater the impact on child development and educational achievement” –Edwards (1999) “The earlier in a child’s educational process parent involvement begins, the more powerful the effects” –Michigan Department of Education “86% of the general public believes that support from parents is the most important way to improve schools” –Michigan Department of Education

What Constitutes “Good” Communication? Parent communication is more than just sending home newsletters! Communicate early and often “…specific types of communication are important. Two-way informal exchanges between teacher/ parent are much more effective than one-way communication from the teacher (Wanat). Also, friendly contact should be established with parents early in the year before something has happened that makes it necessary for the teacher to contact the parent (Wherry, 1992).” -LaBahn (1995)

Positive Communication with Parents Establish positive contact with parents “You need to make efforts to have positive contacts with parents. Keep them informed and seek avenues for getting them involved in the school program. It is much easier to deal with someone you know.” -Savage (1999) One teacher noted that when contacting parents for positive reasons, “some have returned my calls in fear, and then cried when I said, ‘I’m calling to say how great [your child] is.’” –Education World

Application and Implications “The support of parents is extremely important in developing and implementing an effective discipline plan. You need to solicit support from parents actively and make them allies, not adversaries.” -Savage (1999) “The key to successful parental and family involvement programs is acknowledging all parents have hopes and goals for their children and encouraging them to use their voice in the partnership” –Griffiths-Prince (2009)

Application and Implications The Center for Effective Parenting recommends that parents: Be a partner with the teacher Get comfortable with the school and with the teacher Feel free to make the first contact with the teacher Communicate early and often with the teacher Follow through with commitments

Resources National Parent Teacher Association National PTA Headquarters 1250 N. Pitt Street Alexandria, VA

Resources Parent Involvement Matters National ParentNet Association P.O. Box Bainbridge Island, WA

Resources National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE) Sue, Ferguson, Chair th Street NW Suite 317 Washington, DC (202)

References (2010) Child Trends Data Bank. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from (2010) Michigan Department of Education. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from ESL Teachers Board. Retrieved July 27, 2010, from Education World. Retrieved July 28, 2010, from Center for Effective Parenting. Retrieved July 28, 2010, from

References Izzo, C.V., Weissberg, R.P. & Sasprow, W.J. (1999). A Longitudinal Assessment of Teacher Perceptions of Parent Involvement in Children’s Education and School Performance. [Electronic version]. American Journal of Community Psychology, 27(6). LaBahan, J. (1995). Education and Parental Involvement in Secondary Schools: Problems, Solutions, and Effects. [Electronic version]. Educational Psychology Interactive. Edwards, P. (1999). A Path to Follow. Portsmouth, NH. Savage, T.V. (1999). Teaching Self-Control through Management and Discipline. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Griffiths-Prince Ph.D., M. (2009). Cultivating Parental Involvement in Middle Schools: A Case Study. CreateSpace.

References Rosenthal, D.M. & Sawyers, J.Y. (1996). Building Successful Home/ school Partnerships: Strategies for Parent Support and Involvement. [Electronic version]. Childhood Education, 72.