The Implications of Parental Involvement to the Teaching Process - Essay Example

EDUCATION I. INTRODUCTION Globalization has created a dis that is perceptible not only in the realm of market economy, but is also as real and as concrete in the arena of education (Grierson, 2007). The massive migration of people has paved the way for people coming from diverse backgrounds and culture get the chance to meet, encounter and live with each other in a common physical space. This reality has changed the concept of national identities and cultural belongings in the contemporary world (Suarez- Orozco & Qin- Hilliard, 2004), thereby, shattering internal and external borders among and between nations (Suarez- Orozco & Qin- Hilliard, 2004). These changes brought about by migration in the globalised world has affected and influenced developments and concerns in contemporary education. This is based on the presupposition that as schools have become the concrete and actual arena with which the presence of people with different cultural backgrounds intersects in the public sphere (Cairney, 1995; Hayes & Chodkiewicz 2006). Moreover, this scenario is confounded by the fact that it is not only the adults who are the common players in the context of schools as public arena but it’s the children as well (Cairney, 2000). Thus, students have to cross the values and beliefs of their homes to the values and beliefs of their schools everyday (Hayes & Chodkiewicz (2006). As such, there is a view that “schools need to consider the learning activities they institute not as separate skills but as social practices into which people are enculturated (or apprenticed) as members of specific social groups (Scribner and Cole 1981 as cited in Cairney, 2000:166). In lieu with this, another dimension of contemporary education which is of fundamental importance and impact in education is the parents’ involvement in the education of their children. Following the Plowden Report of 1967, steps have been continuously undertaken by all stakeholders in children’s education to “encourage parents to become more involved in school and support school agendas in a variety of ways” (Cairney, 2000:164). However, the idea and practise of parental involvement in their children’s education necessitate innovative changes for it to authentically respond to current trends and demands in the contemporary education of the children. In response to the need for novel approaches to parental involvement in education, this paper aims to understand the concept of parental involvement in education, to know the theories behind parental involvement, to apprehend the concrete measures undertaken in support of parental involvement in education and how it can be further augmented and finally to identify possible implications of parental involvement to the teaching profession. Being such, the following questions will be addressed by this paper: 1. What is parental involvement in education and what are the underlying theories that support it? 2. What are the current measures being undertaken in support of parental involvement in education? Are there existing or perceived limitations to current practises? 3. What are the implications of parental involvement to the teaching profession? To find the answers to these questions, the electronic databases Academic Research Premier and ERIC were searched using a combination of the following key terms: parental involvement, parental partnership, education, learning, parents and partnership. Articles written only in English and published from the period of 1995 till 2009 were selected. Articles that provided conceptual analysis and empirical researches regarding parental involvement in education were included in the selection. Correspondingly, excluded in the selection were editorials, books, position papers, mimeographs, and pamphlets. The reference list of the articles was searched to identify additional relevant publications. Moreover, this paper assumes that there is a consensus regarding the importance of education to children regardless of race, gender, economic status and cultural background. Thus, highlighting an important facet of education which is -education is a right and it is not a privilege. Within this perspective, it can be maintained that the integral role which parents play in the education of their children is undeniable. And that parents’ involvement in the education of their children have a positive impact in the learning of the child. As such, the effort of incorporating parents’ participation in the education of their children becomes a common responsibility and initiative of all and not just of some people or institutions. The paper will be having the following parts. The first part will be the introduction where the questions, intentions and research method are presented. The second part will be providing the conceptual framework and theoretical background of parental involvement in education. The third part will be dealing with the current measures undertaken in support of this movement. The fourth part will tackle the implications of parental involvement to education of children to the teaching profession. And finally, the last part will be the conclusion. In the end, it is the hope of this paper that although numerous scholarly works already exist regarding this topic, the understanding gained from this elucidation will help create a world that is genuinely responsive to the establishment of an educational system that will make children not just intellectually capable but more importantly holistically and humanly able in establishing a world that recognises the significance of human flourishing in all human relations and undertakings. II. PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN EDUCATION: THE CONCEPT AND ITS THEORIES The Plowden Report of 1967 is one of the prime movers of parental involvement in children’s education. It is one of the first who suggested that there is strong need for the partnership of the school and the parents in enhancing children’s learning (Cairney, 2000). In response to this, various projects have been initiated like the Haringey Reading Project where parents have been much involved and it has been observed that “children have gained significant progress in reading irrespective their reading abilities” (Tizard et al, 1982 as cited in Cairney, 2000:163), The Paired Reading Techniques, the House Fiction Group a group of teachers in UK which is intended to develop partnership with parents in promoting reading (Cairney, 2000), Children’s Book Foundation’s Bookstart Project (UK)which intends to provide parents with new books and reading materials, Talk to a Literacy Learner (TTALL) and Effective Partners in Secondary Literacy both in Australia which are intended and designed to involve parents in the literacy of children from preschool and primary school (Cairney,1995). All these programs brings to the for the various initiative taken in order to actualize parent’s involvement in children’s education. But what is of parents’ involvement in education? What are the theories behind it?” Parental involvement in education can be approached from its various definitions. Broadly understood, it can refer to the behavior of parents regarding their children whether at home or at school and what are the perspectives of the parents regarding the future of education to their children (Reynolds & Clements, 2005). It can also mean the interconnection of four structures –home discussion, home supervision, school communication and school participation (Ho & Williams, 1996). Others have claimed that parental involvement is multidimensional relation that is perceived and manifested in various forms and levels such as “school choice (i.e.,parents select the education institutions and experiences for their children);involvement in school governance and decision-making (i.e., parents participate in formal school structures); involvement in teaching and learning activities in the classroom and at home (e.g., parents volunteer in the classroom, converse with teachers outside of formal meetings, help with homework and discuss school-related issues with children); and communication between home and school (e.g., parents contact the school and receive communications from the school)” (Dimock et al, 1996 as cited in Berthelsen & Walker, 2008: 35). What can be impugned from these several definitions of parental involvement is the idea that the notion of parental involvement in education is the incorporation of the role of the parents in the education of their children which is not bounded only in the home setting but that it moves in the school setting with the explicit participation of the society. This multifaceted and various definition of parental involvement posit a multifarious understanding of the scope of parental involvement (Vyverman & Vuttenburg, 2009) creating, unfortunately, an important and pervasive abstraction of home-school relation (Maclure & Walker, 2000). And that despite the existing several definition of parental involvement in education,”it would appear that some schools and government agencies adopt very narrow definitions of parent involvement, which seek primarily to determine what parents can do for teachers, or how schools can make parents better at their role in the home, rather than how schools and parents can develop close relationships of mutual support and trust” (Cairney, 1995: 10). In other words, it can be claimed that in spite of the numerous efforts in support of parental involvement in education, there still exists a very big gap between the concept and the actual implementation and practice of parental involvement. Thus, there is an urgency to understand the theories that explicate why parents’ involvement in children’s education is significant and from there establish paradigms that can be actualised. Berthelsen and Walker (2008) have noted that there are existing inconsistencies among the theoretical underpinnings of parental involvement. However, there is a commonality between the social capital theory and the cultural capital theory - both can empower parents as they become more involved in the education of their children. Thus, benefitting the children as can be seen in the improvement of children in school performances (Samples, 2009). In this regard, how are the parents empowered? Under the social capital theory, parental involvement increases the social network of the parents and as such, they become familiar with the rules and regulations of the schools. They are able to learn information regarding school policies and practises which are significant to their children’s learning. The parents, likewise, embark in conversations with their children regarding their children’s activities, perspectives, views on school (Berthelsen & Walker, 2008: Brannon, 2008) which help the parents understand the school. While on the other hand, the cultural capital theory espouses the idea that there are certain cultural inequalities prevalent in the society and that this due to differences in access and amount of cultural capital made available to the individual (Bourdieu, 1977) . Applying it in school setting, parents who have finished collegiate level of education and post graduate degrees have more knowledge regarding the educational system. Thus, can raise their concerns more eloquently about the education of their children. At the same time, teachers find it easier to communicate with them and address their observations and concerns pertinent to the child’s education easily (Berthelsen & Walker, 2008; Feiler et al, 2006; Crozier & Davies, 2007). Moreover, cultural capital theory presents the bias of teachers in dealing with parents coming from a different ethnic group, or from different economic class or socio- cultural framework. Crozier and Davies (2007) hold that more often parents’ involvement is understood in a very narrow sense which tends to exclude parents coming from diverse cultural backgrounds and is being discriminated and even considered as “hard to reach”. In this context, Berthelsen and Walker (2008) claims that “This bias of schools to represent, but also to promote more middle-class values, places many parents at a disadvantage and makes it more difficult for these parents to participate in their children’s education” (36). Feiler et al (2006) in a study have cited that some teachers state that parents from the working class are difficult to reach because “they do not have phone” (453). This concern redounds to difficulty in getting parents involved. These theories show two important features of parental involvement. These are: first, it is vital that communication should transpire among the parents, the teachers, the schools, the government and the society as a whole (Cairney,1995, 2000). And second, that the existing interrelations among the stakeholders of the children’s education do not occur in a vacuum. It is strongly influenced by socio-cultural, economic, language and ethnic background, values and belief and aspirations of the family, their view of the education of the children for now and for the future (Feiler et al, 2006; Hayes & Chodkiewicz 2006). Moreover, these two distinctive characteristics of parental involvement also draw attention to the two humongous problems of parental involvement – communication and parental standpoint, appreciation of parental involvement in education which variegates from one family to another. Recognising these difficulties certain measures are being undertaken in order to address the problem of communication across socio-demographic differences of parents. All the circles to be effective have to have an efficient and successful communication in order they can authentically respond to the child’s learning and education. However, as stated before, one major problem of parental involvement is communication. III. CURRENT MEASURES SUPPORTING PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: COMMUNICATION Although there is a big gap between the abstracted concept of parental involvement in education and its actual practise in reality since it gives “ more effort in offering parents information and support rather than exploring genuine partnerships between home and school”(Cairney,1995;164), there are concrete measures which are aimed in promoting parental involvement. And these measures normally include ways and means of communicating with the parents. What has been normally employed by schools and government agencies in order to rely or communicate with the parents are newsletters (Warren et al, 2003), memos, conferences; school tours; summer and fall orientations for students and parents; hack-to-school nights; and the use of phone and mail communications (Ramirez, nd), and parents – teachers dialogue (MacLure & Walker,2008) or parent’s information night (Warren et al, 2003)from the school’s view. While, transparency of the principal (Warren et al, 2003; Young & Warren, 2003), and school personnel and administrators working in an environment and system of openness, respect, trust, authentic care for the students and shared vision with all stakeholders of the school (Warren et al, 2003) are the communication expectations of the parents. Newletters are often valued by the school and its administrators as an efficient means in communicating with the parents. Schools recognise that since parents are to be treated as clients, the need for an open and continuous communication is necessary if a good relationship is to be established (Warren et al, 2003). And there seems to be an agreement that newsletters can fulfil this intention of the school and its administrators (Warren et al, 2003). There is nothing wrong with this. In fact, it does open venue for communication. However, parents see newletters as very focused and is not just to be seen as source of parent’s information but is also a tool for parent’s education. Problems with newsletters include first, is the failure of the parents to read it (Warren et al, 2003). Second, inconsistencies of release of the newletters (Young & Warren, 2003) and third, it’s a one way source of information. Memos, conferences; school tours; summer and fall orientations for students and parents; hack-to-school nights; and the use of phone and mail communications (Ramirez, nd) are worthwhile projects that can open the venue for parental involvement. However, these approaches are more of parental information and parental education. It does not clearly manifest how parents- teacher interaction and communication transpire. Also, it fails to present how shared decision-making and shared vision among the students, parents, teachers and administrators are conceived, maintained and sustained. Parents-teachers dialogue or parents’ information night is another scheme use to encourage parental involvement. Parents’ information night serves as the chance where the parents meet all the teachers of their child and learn about their child’s intellectual as well as behavioural standing in class. MacLure & Walker (2008)has described the process and the dynamics of the parents’ information night. They have claimed it is the time for the teachers to present to the parents their “diagnosis of the child” (MacLure & Walker, 2008:21). The teacher complete with all the data regarding the intellectual and behavioural performances of the child coupled with the teacher’s expertise, the teacher becomes the source of power in this dialogue. MacLure and Walker (2008) claim that the parents contribute to this kind of exchange by either refraining from actually engaging in dialogue or by challenging the contention of the teacher. This happens because the power play inherent in these dialogues “subject the home to the gaze of the school”(21). And in all of these exchanges, the silence of the child is often very deafening. It is in this condition that the “inherent conservatism in the dynamics of parent–teacher interchange is maintained [sic]…. Parents evenings are boundary phenomena: they take place at the intersection of the two institutions, home and school…. in requiring homes to render themselves ‘visible’, schools also, briefly, expose themselves to the critical scrutiny of those on the ‘outside’. Parents’ evenings are therefore sites where changes to the customary arrangements between schools and homes might be effected” (MacLure & Walker, 2008: 22) Transparency and openness of the principal in communication is one of the keys that encourages parents to be actively involved in their child’s education (Warren, et al, 2003). The principal should be the prime mover in the creation of an open and transparent communication between the school and the parents. The principal should create the environment with which parents will be able to feel and see that they are being considered, that the space for their involvement is properly allocated and that the arena for shared-decision making and shared vision be conceived, maintained and sustained together. School personnel and administrators working in an environment and system of openness, respect, trust, authentic care for the students and parents and shared vision with all stakeholders of the school (Warren et al, 2003). This kind of environment and communication is what parents’ aspire for schools to have as these attributes are seen by parents as fostering the kind of communication that establish the grounds for a sincere and authentic human flourishing for the children and parental involvement are given the real sphere for its actualization. Although, these steps are taken with the objective of establishing, enhancing and furthering parental involvement in education, there are two problems that are perceptible in these measures. First, study of Warren et al (2003) has found out that there is a difference in the value of communication between the parents and the school. In their study they have shown that as parents significantly value the importance of communication, teachers and administrators do not see it as of primordial importance. They start seeing it as significant only after the importance of communication has been raised (Warren et al, 200:73). The second concern, which is glaring, is the lack of utilization of current developments in technology like email, internet, cellular phone messaging and the likes in communication. These two problems have been acknowledged by some scholars (eg Hayes & Chodkiewicz, 2006;Brannon, 2008; Cairney 1995,2000; Lopez, nd; Ramirez, nd; Szente et al, 2005) and have started to rectify the errors. Regarding the value of communication, teachers and administrators, they should embrace a paradigm shift that will deconstruct their valuation of communication and realign it with that of parents (Samples, 2009; Berthelsen & Walker, 2008). Since, if they will continue with the current state of communication, endeavours coming from their perspective, will only continue the perpetuation of one-way communication and the carrying on of the abstracted parental involvement. The use of technology is now starting to gain momentum. Lopez (nd) has cited in her article how the web-based communication of the school have let students and their parents take a more active involvement in their activities and school events. The web page is easily accessible and updatable even by nontechnical persons. Also cited in the article, the success of the web –based communication of St. Barbarra continues to integrate parental involvement in a school populated where English is not the first language. Ramirez (nd) has provided some tips on how technology can be used by teachers. These are: Never assume that your students have access to technology at home Distribute 3 x 5 cards and ask for information on whether the students do have access to such things as telephones, computers, and the Internet. Ask the main office of your school to find the most current telephone numbers for your students families. Contact your parents early in the school year. Parents do wish to be involved in their childs education. If you wish to use the Web to post assignments and information, plan a time when you or someone else may be willing to train parents to access the information you will put on the Internet. Access to technology is complicated. Do not assume that parents will be able to travel somewhere to get on-line (such as a library). Inform parents in advance of open house nights. As you integrate technology, know that your students could be your biggest asset in training you and others. Use them! Develop phone trees for parents, manned by parents. Establish bilingual hotlines for parents whose first language is not English. Offer courses in technology for parents—courses that the parents have suggested SOURCE: Ramirez (nd) Technology and Parental Involvement The story of St. Barbarra (see Lopez, nd) is a reality that can also be actualized in other schools. They may follow the ‘tips’ given by Ramirez (nd) or they can come up with their own. The most important thing inherent in this narrative is the fact that parental involvement is recognized, accepted, and genuinely implemented since, “everyone benefits when schools and families work together. Studies have shown that by working together, students do better in school and life, parents become empowered, teacher morale increases, schools get better, and communities grow stronger.” (Lopez, nd;¶ 14). IV. IMPLICATIONS Parental involvement and technology have great influence and create the impetus for the establishment communication that is open, sincere, respectful and transparent among the parents, teachers, administrators and concerned government agencies. Understanding the great interplay of these facets will establish a more effective partnership among all the stakeholders. Parents can help. Teachers and administrators have to be open to the reality that parents and family are truly and sincerely care about the well-being of their children and that they are very much interested in sharing the burden of decision–making pertinent to theire learning and education (Patterson et al, 2009). Moreover, parents and family have valuable information that shared with the teachers regarding the child (Patterson et al, 2009). Innovation. As teachers and administrators, they should be innovative in their approach regarding the handling of communication vis-a-vis technological developments and socio-cultural, economic and ethnic differences among the parents and children. Strategies should suit individual families and do not think that one strategy will satisfy the diversity of the families involve in the school (Feiler et al, 2006). Being such, there should be a continuous need for training among the teachers so that they may learn how to work collaboratively with the family (Patterson et al, 2009) Parents should understand school policies and practises. Children’s education should be at the shoulders of both the parents and the teachers. And what the parents can do is to start with if for them to take an interest and go over the school policies and practises as this knowledge will enable them to understand the culture and dynamics of the school (Cairney, 1995). Parents’ information night an arena of equals. Teachers and administrators should try to transform parents’ information night from diagnosis to a real dialogue between parents and teachers. And in doing this, teachers and administrators, as well as parents should see this venue as the chance where the intersection between home and institution is not plagued by tension due to the subjection of the home to the gaze of the school (MacLure & Walker, 2008) but be seen as intersection where people who are concerned with the child encounter and discuss what can be done to further the interests of the child. V. CONCLUSION Parental involvement in education has various definitions. But at its core is the incorporation of the role of the parents in the education of their children which is not bounded only in the home setting but that it moves in the school setting with the explicit participation of the society for it benefits the child in particular and the society in general. It is supported by social theory and cultural theory. However, parental involvement is plagued with problems in communication and technology. As such, there is a need to utilise current trends in technology for communication in order to facilitate communication. In the end it all boils down to children’s education is a responsibility of everybody since education is a right and not a privilege. REFERENCE: Bourdieu, P. (1977). Cultural reproduction and social reproduction. In J. Karabel & A. Halsey (Eds.), Power and ideology in education. New York: Oxford University Press. Berthelsen, D., & Walker, S. 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