Parents Participate in their Children Education - Literature review Example

Parents Participate in Their Children Education Literature Review This paper examines some of the basic issues associated with the participation of parents from different ethnic backgrounds in their children’s schooling. Academic researchers have done a lot of studies on the relationship between parents and their children in the modern world, but there is still more research to be done on how they participate in their children’s schooling besides paying the school fees which is obvious. A great number of parents in the modern world participate in their children’s education and this is through helping them with their homework or assignments and paying for them private tuition to help them improve on their academic performance among other ways. Parents Participate in their Children Education One of the most important principles of the national education association is that every child who lives in the United States has a basic right to education. This is regardless of their ethnicity, race, background, or their immigration status. Moreover, national education association also believes that the work of educating a child cannot be done alone. In order to achieve the goal of education every child in the United States, the association requires great support from everyone including the student, their families, the government, institutions, and foundations among others. However, the most effort should come from parents since they are the ones who live with the children. It is important that a parent participate in the child’s education. This paper will discuss ways in, which parents from different ethnic backgrounds participate in their children’s education Research shows that family engagement in a child’s education improves the child’s attitude towards school attendance, their success at the same time reducing the number of dropouts. After a research that was conducted on the American Indian, Asians, Latinos, and pacific islanders, ethnic groups it was noted they shared similar barriers that hinder parental engagement in students school life. Generally, ethnic groups had many things in common than differences, which they use to engage families in improving communication and strengthening the relationship between ethnic parents, and schools. Most parents from the ethnic groups value parental family voice. This means that students have to listen to what their parents tell them about education. There are cases where by some students are rude to their teachers, but obey parents. In such a case if a parent is involved then they save the life of the child since the child has to obey the family voice. The ethnic groups always hire competent staff, and work together as a team. They also provide in-service so that the hired school staff becomes skilled, and culturally competent. This helps them to work effectively with families from other ethnic groups. Hiring competent staff means that students from the above ethnic group will receive the best of education in the region. The staff is supposed to work hand in hand with the parents so that the children feel encouraged. Most of these families ensure that they check their children book at the end of the day to know the child’s academic progress. Whenever the teachers in case of bad performance call them, they always go so that they can find a solution to the problems. Most children are always willing to talk to their parents than to their teachers. During award giving days, parents from the said ethnic groups do attend the function to give support to their children. They do encourage good performers by awarding them with gifts while those that did not perform well are also encouraged to work harder so that next time they receive the award. The above ethic groups have a culture of developing parents into trainers. This helps them in bridging cultural, and linguistic gaps that might arise between the schools, and parents. Moreover, it makes it easy for parents to communicate with teachers whenever the two have to meet over issues that concern the student’s growth, and development. However, there are a number of challenges that the parent’s face that makes it hard for them to engage in the student’s development as far as education is concerned. In some of the schools, the officials do not acknowledge the parents efforts as well as their concerns over their children. This usually creates conflicts between the two, and eventually the student suffers. It is therefore important that teachers take into consideration the parent’s advice about their children though the teachers should be guided by the school rules. There are parents who do not make their children school life a priority. Some of them feel that the moment they have paid the teachers, it is the duty of the teacher to look after their children. Such parents fail to understand that it is a collective responsibility, and that their part is needed as well. At times, some of students from the ethnic groups get to a stage where they do not want to involve their parents or teachers in their lives. During such times, students’ performance goes down yet the two parties cannot help. It is therefore important for parents to find a way of communicating with their children to the point of being friends. When the two are friends then the child will open up, and talk about issues that are bothering them to their parents. In case of a family conflict, most parents from the ethnic group do not involve their children though one parent stops participating in the well-being of the child. Parents who find themselves in such a situation should ensure that they keep track of their children’s academic life. For African Americans, most of them want their children to perform well in school, and that is why they are usually willing to do what it takes in order for their children to perform. For most African American parents, they always want to instill in their children the joy of teach at the same time make them feel that school is special. They do so by helping them with homework when they get home from school. Moreover, they take time to drive their children to school, and pick them in the evening. Whenever African American parents are called to school by the school principal or their children’s teacher, they are always on time. The parents together with the teacher help students get out of a crisis through counseling them. African Americans believe that learning is a continuous process, and that is why their children have to spare some time at home where they study, and in case they have any questions they are free to ask their parents. In cases where the parents are busy, they employ a tutor. Parents from African American ethnic group take time to encourage their children to work hard in school. This is because most of them are never that rich, but would want their children to have a better future. They constantly remind them the beauty of the good life, which is because of good education. Moreover, white students intimidate most black students, and the only way to prove them wrong is by them working hard in school. At the end of the day, it is common to find an African American parent asking their children how things went in school on that day, and they are always praising them for good performance in class. By asking how things went in school parents get to learn more about their children as well as their teacher. In case the parents feel that the teacher is not performing then they raise their concern to the school principal. Besides the schoolwork, most African American parents do exercise with their children over the weekend. It is during such activities that they get to learn about other things that their children like, and support them in the activities as well. They believe that a child has to grow all rounds, and that is why they help them in nurturing other talents besides schoolwork. African American parents take time to discipline their children whenever they go wrong in order to bring up responsible citizens. References BENNETT, J., & TAYLOR, C. (2006). Starting strong II early childhood education and care. Paris, OECD. DICKEY, S. B., GREENBERG, C. S., & BOWDEN, V. R. (2006). Children and their families: the continuum of care. Philadelphia, PA, Lippincott Williams, & Wilkins. DUMONT, H., ISTANCE, D., & BENAVIDES, F. (2010). The nature of learning using research to inspire practice. Paris, OECD. FEUERVERGER, G. (2007). Teaching, learning, and other miracles. Rotterdam, Sense Publishers. HARRIS, Y. 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