The Role of Parents in Education

Rev. Wayne L. Jeffries, B.S., M.S. Ed.

Guidance Counselor

      It was August of 1978 that I first entered the world of the classroom teacher. And I entered it with all the preconceived ideas that a new teacher can have. I had been taught and believed that the lessons I taught would be adsorbed without question. My influence over my students would be all-powerful. That dream ended very quickly however, in one sweeping comment by a student, “My dad says that is not true.” Never mind the fact that it was true, one father’s statement had rendered what I had taught that day as unimportant and untrue in the mind of an eighth grade student. Parents are much more important in the educational progress of children than they realize.

      For a number of years a fog of doubt and mis-information has been settling over the role of parents in the over-all education of children. Parents were being told that educators were the experts; educators had all the answers, all the power. Teachers, it was believed, towered high above parents in influence and character molding. Parents were asked to step back and let the teachers do their job. Some teachers still believe this propaganda.

      Research has clearly shown that parents play a bigger role in the educational life of a child than teachers. In his book Parents on Your Side Lee Canter point out that educators have come to realize that they need the support and help from parents to do their job successfully. A 1986 study by the U.S. Department of Education states “the family is critical to success in school”. Urie Bronfenbrenner concluded in his study, “Active involvement and support of the family are critical to a child’s success in school.” In a work done by R.J. Gigliotti and W.B. Brookover, looking at schools of the same size found that “parents’ participation was a critical factor in determining the overall effectiveness of a school. Joyce Epstein of Johns Hopkins University concluded in her study “teachers who sought parent involvement found that there were positive changes in student achievement, attitude, and behavior.” 

      In her review of over fifty studies on parent involvement, Anne T. Henderson drew the following conclusions: 

• Strong parental involvement produced students who performed better in school. 

• Schools that relate well to their communities have student bodies that outperform other schools. 

• Children whose parents help them at home and stay in touch with schools score higher than children with similar aptitude and family background. 

        In no way have we exhausted the list of studies done on role of parents in a student’s education. The few presented here show clearly that there is a strong correlation between parental involvement and a child’s success in school. None of which should come as a surprise to a Christian parent or educator. As a Christian educator I have found from personal experience that the fastest way to solve a classroom problem is a call to a parent. It is a wise teacher that builds a strong relationship with the parents of his students.

      In Deuteronomy 6:6-8 the Lord makes it clear that the training of children is the responsibility of parents. Christian school teachers should view themselves as supporters of the parents in their efforts to train up their children in the Lord. It is clear from both research and Scripture that parents do not play a supportive role, but the primary role in the education of children.

      As a parent you may now be asking, “What can I do to help my child succeed in school?” In answer I would like to offer a list of “Beatitudes for School Parents.” 

1. Be available: Be available to help them with homework, special projects or just to talk about school and other things. 

2. Be there: Be at school functions, parent-teacher conference and at those special awards banquets. Be a present parent. 

3. Be supportive: Be supportive of your school and its teachers. The school and parents must be on the “same page” if a student is to be successful. Be supportive of your child. It is the quickest way to a child’s success. 

4. Be in tune: Be in tune with what is going on at school. Keep track of your child’s progress in school. Talk as often as possible with your child’s teacher(s), principal, and guidance counselor. Know what is happening in your child’s school life. 

5. Be encouraging Be encouraging your child to do his best. Encourage your child to try new things, to tackle harder subjects or get up when he or she falls down. When a child fails at something encourage him not to quit, but try again. Be an encouraging parent. 

6. Be faithful: Be faithful in your responsibilities as a parent.

The Word of God says in 1 Corinthians 4:1 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” What greater stewardship can a person have than that of parent? God has given us his children as a heritage, (Psalms 127:3).Let us be faithful in our responsibility as parents. 
 

7. Be prayerful. Pray for the wisdom to be the right kind of parent. 

Pray  for your child everyday. Pray for your child’s school. Pray for your child’s teacher(s) everyday. Ask others to pray. Remember we are exhorted in Scripture to “pray without ceasing.” To successfully raise a child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord we must pray. 

      Parents have an awesome responsibility to train their child correctly. Increasingly our society is standing as a judge on how well that responsibility is carried out. And if parents fail, society is ready to step in and tear that responsibility out of their arms. One has only to watch local newscasts to see the truth in this statement.  Wise prayerful parents working hand-in-hand with their child’s school can go a long way in training their child successfully.