As a parent and as a teacher, I have two different
perspectives on parent involvement.
First, most parents/guardians at my school are not very
involved at our school, for various reasons, many which are not mentioned in any of these articles. We make calls to
designated adults regularly, and have in the past held meetings on gang
involvement, depression, and drug use, none of which were well attended. As stated in Warren’s article, that’s not the
way to go, because we need to build the relationships first. “People come to participate in social action
events of all sorts most often when someone they know asks them to go” (p.
2248). This does seem like it would be
easier to accomplish with the help of a community-based organization. We also would benefit in joining forces with
either another school or youth organization, since we are so small. I, personally, have difficulty with calls to
parents, as one time a student showed signs of abuse after I had reported that
she had not done some homework. We are
supposed to keep parents up-to-date on students’ progress – or lack there-of,
but who wants to do that when you may indirectly cause harm to a student. Now, I always ask my students what I should
say when I call their homes.
I do think, as a school, we could do a better job reaching
out, and like both articles mentioned, it is a process that takes time to gain
trust. What a great system to be able to
have a community center, after-school program, and school all linked
together. I think reaching first the
students through their culture, and then using this connection to begin
community service activities would be a good way for our school to start. Eventually, a community activity could
involve parents/guardians, where teachers are out in the community (not the
parents having to come into the school). I am not really sure what would work at our
school, but I would like us to try something different.
Additionally, I would like to add, that, as a parent, many
teachers at my kids’ schools did not welcome parents into the classroom very
openly. One teacher once told me it was
difficult to organize because of the unreliability of some parents, who did not
take volunteer duties seriously. It
would be hard on the students and teachers, who were looking forward to the
interaction or the assistance. I also
think many teachers are uncomfortable having others in their classrooms. My feeling is that parent volunteers in the
primary grades should be either required or encouraged. It would be nice in the upper grades as well,
but read on about that.
My experience as a white, middle-class parent is not that
different from the examples in Auerbach’s article of low-income SES families in
some sense. It would be nice to see a
study replicated, but including white and non-white participants. What I have found is, first, that my kids
don’t want me in their classes or getting involved as they’ve gotten
older. Secondly, they need to advocate
for themselves, and they won’t learn how to do it if I am calling the school or
teacher at every problem. That said,
there have been times when I have wanted to call a teacher and my child
insisted they would take care of the problem themselves. We talked. I advised.
They did what they wanted. We all
survived. Not done my way, but that’s
the way it has to go. When I read Urban Education, I see myself in some
examples; children “were generally
grateful for their parents’ help, crediting parents with having kept them on
track and seeing parents’ push as a sign of caring. As they got older, the students asserted
greater independence and the wish to escape parental control” (p. 268).
I do believe in the need to have teachers, parents, and
community be more interactive, and less confrontational. There is too much distrust, which originates
with government entities in my opinion.
There needs to be available resources, open communication, and passionate
leaders who can organize and unite these groups. For the benefit of our students.
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