Home Influences on Student Achievement

1. Home Influences on Student Achievement Allison Vernon SPE 503 The University of Alabama

2. Language Barriers There are two types of language barriers that present a major problem when it comes to parent involvement in schooling effecting student achievement: • Parent Lack of knowledge on Language of Learning • Home and School Language Differences

3. Parent Lack of knowledge on Language of Learning • Parents don’t understand the terminology used often times in a classroom setting or teacher meeting. • Teachers tend to speak over parents understanding and then ask for questions…We should be sure parents understand. • “Either there can be efforts to reduce the barriers between school and home or the effects of the home on student learning can be compromised as the child is then asked to work in two worlds.” (Hattie, 2009, p. 63).

4. Home and School Language Differences • Many parents don’t understand what teachers are asking of students. • Parents without understanding make it harder for students to develop as a learner. • Parents can’t encourage students when they don’t understand what is going on.

5. So how can we as teachers help? As teachers we should: • Speak to parents in language we are sure they understand. • Have conferences/meetings to explain what is going on in our classrooms and what we expect from our students. • Let the parents ask questions and answer them as simply as possible. • Get parents involved!!! Children's home and school are the most influential contexts in which learning and development occur, especially during early childhood (Galindo & Sheldon, 2011).

6. Parent Involvement “Regardless of educational level, ethnic background, or income level, parents want their children to be successful in school-”(Epstien, 1986). • Parents want their children to be successful at any task they decide to attempt. • Parents need to be aware that being involved is more than raising money and school function attendance. • Parents should be involved in goal setting and goal reaching.

7. Parent Involvement • “Parents are involved to a greater and more consistent degree when they view their participation as directly linked to the achievement of their children” ( Rich, 1987). • Teachers must inform parents of student achievement and do their best to directly involve parents. • “the notion of a shared responsibility for student learning, referred to as collaboration, is recognized as essential for success of all students” ( Epstein, 1987b; Seeley, 1985; Swap, 1990a).

8. Parent Expectations • Parent expectations are defined as future aspirations or current expectations for children’s academic performance, while attributions are defined as parents’ reasons for children’s performance in school. Most studies have investigated the relationship between academic achievement and parent expectations and attributions for elementary-aged, white students in suburban and urban schools. Correlational studies are most common, although two literature reviews and two longitudinal studies were found. Dependent measures include standardized achievement tests (e.g., Iowa Test of Basic Skills, WRAT), grades, and actual educational attainment. (Christenson, Rounds & Gorney, 1992).

9. Parent Expectations • High parent expectations can have a long term affect on student achievement. If the expectations are set high from the start with the parents the student will always be looking to do their best and improve when possible. • “White collar” parents tend to influence their children’s achievement through expectations and modeling, while “blue collar” parents tend to influence children through expectations only ( Cohen, 1987). • Marjoribanks (1979) found stronger correlations between parents’ aspirations for their children and childrens’ perceptions of those aspirations with educational and occupational attainment in low SES families than in middle SES families.

10. Parent Understanding • It is necessary that parents understand that student achievement while looked at only from an academic stand point; doesn’t only pertain to standardized achievement testing. • Student achievement is continuous success in academic situations on tests, group projects, problem solving, and any other opportunities to show understanding and growth.

11. Think About It!!! • What can we do to encourage parents to be involved in goal setting? • How can we help parents encourage their students to reach and even exceed their goals and expectations? • Why is it important for a teacher to understand the goals and expectations of parents as well as the ability of the student? • How can we bridge the gap to bring more parent involvement?

12. Refernces Galindo, C., & Sheldon, S. (2011). School and home connections and children's kindergarten achievement gains: The mediating role of family involvement. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 27(1), 90-103. Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning a synthesis of over 800 meta- analyses relating to achievement. New York NY: Routledge. Christenson, S., Rounds, T., & Gorney, D. (1992). Family factors and student achievement: An avenue to increase students' success. School Psychology Quarterly, 7(3), 178-206. Epstein, J.L. ( 1986). Parents’ reactions to teacher practices of parent involvement. The Elementary School Journal, 86, 277– 294. Epstein, J.L. ( 1987a). Parent involvement: What research says to administrators.Educationand Urban Society, 19, 119– 136.

13. References Epstein, J.L. ( 1987a). Parent involvement: What research says to administrators. Education and Urban Society, 19, 119– 136. Marjoribanks, K. ( 1979). Family environments. In H.J.Walberg ( Ed.) , Educational environments and effects (pp. 15– 37). Berkeley, CA: McCutchan. Cohen, J. ( 1987). Parents as educational models and definers. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 49, 339– 349.