Survey: Greater Parent Involvement In The Classroom Could Help Boost Teacher Recruitment

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Survey: Greater Parent InvolvementIn The Classroom Could Help Boost Teacher Recruitment (NAPSA)—Parental involvement in the classroom is a well-known strategy to boost student achievement, but according to a recent survey, 62 percent of K-12 teachers say fewer than a quarterof parents get involved in the classroom‘. Teachers wish to have more parents involved, especially in elementary school. When asked what would attract more qualified educators to the field, 18 percent of K-12 teachers want more parent involvement in the classroom, with 21 percent teaching K-5 seeing the value’. To improve teacherretention, almost 30 percent said that programs encouraging parent participation in schools and classroomswasa potential solution’. The survey, conducted by University of Phoenix College of Education and Harris Poll, highlights the unique opportunity that parents have to become more involved in their children’s classrooms and to make an impact on their learning andclassroom experience. “Parents are thefirst teachers of their children, and they play an integral role in their education both inside and outside the classroom,” says Pamela Roggeman, Ed.D., academic dean for University of Phoenix College of Education. “Communication between parents and teachers is critical to student success. As a former high school teacher, I saw firsthand how a cultureof collaboration improved student outcomes and teachersatisfaction.” How Teachers Want Parents To Get Involved When asked about ways that teachers would like parents involved in the classroom,theycited': *Don’t wait until there’s an issue to connect with the teacher (68 percent). Ask about areas for improvement for their child (65 percent). *Communicate regularly with the teacher (65 percent). “The most impactful thing parents can do to stay engaged in their child’s learning is to have open dialogue and communication with their child’s teacher throughout the year,” adds Roggeman. “This allows parents to have a better understanding of their child’s progression and can help parents support the academic growth of their child throughathomeactivities to supplement what’s being donein the classroom.” Increasing Parent-Teacher Communication Keeping up regular communica- tion with a child’s teacher can be Parents are the first teachers of their children and play an integral role in their education. challenging for parents, particularly whenbalancing work, personal and family responsibilities. To help, Roggeman suggests four simple practices for parents to increase communication with their child’s educators: 1. Identify the best method of communication. Today’s teachers create numerous ways to stay engaged with parents outside the classroom,including e-mail, a social media group, classroom websites or handwritten notes. Find out the teacher’s preferred method of communication for quicker responses and stay engaged. 2.Ask about classroom activities and feedback on your child’s performance. Learn about current classroom lessons andactivities. Ask for constructive feedback on how child is performing to better understand difficult subjects for your child and areas for improvement. 3. Don’t be afraid to ask for homeworkhelp.It can sometimes be difficult to help children with their homework as curriculum evolves and parents might need to “brush up” on a subject. It’s natural—andnot unreasonable—to ask educators for homework help and important to ensure children understand the curriculum. 4. Don’t forget to say “thanks.” Teachers choose the profession to make a difference in students’lives. They may manage more than 100 students a day and act not just as educators but as role models, guardians and caretakers for the nation’s students. Don’t forget to say thank you to your child’s teachers for choosing the profession and for all their hard work. University of Phoenix College of Education has been educating teachers and school administrators for more than 30 years. For more information, visit www.phoenix.edu/education. 1 Survey of 1,005 U.S. full-time employed K-12 teachers who have at least an undergraduate degree conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of University of Phoenix between April 14 and 25, 2016. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, contact Amanda Barchilon at amanda. barchilon@apollo.edu. 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. Note to Editors: This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of University ofPhoenix between April 14 and 25, 2016. Respondents included 1,005 U.S. residents employed full-time as teachers in grades K-12 who have at least an undergraduate degree. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, contact Amanda Barchilon at amanda.barchilon@apollo.edu.

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