Increasing effective and efficient parent engagement strategies is the most important thing you can do for your school. Okay, that may sound extreme, but take a good look, and you will see the point. Engaged families support your school, keep their kids enrolled, tell others how great your school is, work with teachers to make them feel supported, and actively support their children’s learning at home. The results: increased enrollment, retention, and engagement of students resulting in higher academic results, greater involvement in extracurricular activities, more supported staff, and an overall increase in positive school climate and culture indicators. When you look at it that way, it’s clear that engaging families is essential.
What We Know
As educators, we recognize that engaging families is essential to a child’s success in school. When families are involved in their child’s education, they are more likely to have a positive attitude toward learning, and they are more likely to stay connected with their child’s educational progress. In addition, family engagement helps to create a sense of ownership and responsibility in the child. When families are engaged in their child’s education, they can help to encourage good study habits, reinforce positive behavior, and provide support and guidance when needed. This helps to create a sense of responsibility and ownership for the child, which can lead to better academic outcomes.
Family engagement also helps to bridge the gap between home and school. It helps to create a shared understanding of the school’s expectations and goals, as well as the expectations and goals of the child. This creates a more cohesive and supportive learning environment, which can lead to improved academic performance.
Finally, family engagement can help to increase a child’s confidence in the classroom. When families are engaged and supportive of their child’s education, the child is more likely to feel confident in their ability to learn and succeed.
Family Engagement Takes Time
Engaging families does require time and effort, but the rewards of increased academic achievement and better student outcomes make the effort worthwhile. There are many ways to engage families without taking too much of your time. Of course, there are traditional approaches you can take. For example, consider setting up a parent-teacher conference or creating a virtual parent-teacher meeting.
You can also utilize technology to inform families about what’s going on at school and in class and how they can support learning at home. Consider creating a school or classroom website to share important information and to help families engage with each other, with school staff, and with extracurricular opportunities. This is also a prime place to showcase all the amazing things your students and staff are doing.
It’s Worth the Investment
By engaging families, you can create a positive learning environment that encourages academic success and positive attitudes toward learning. In short, family engagement is an essential part of any child’s education. As educators, we must strive to foster an environment of collaboration between home and school so that our students can benefit from the support of their families and school. By doing so, we can help to ensure that our students reach their full potential in the classroom.