Two-Way Street Leads to Learning

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The path to academic success for children is a two-way street that runs between the home and the school. Today many parents are reaching out and participating in the learning process in ways that would have been unheard of 20 or 30 years ago. And, more than ever before, schools realize the potency of parent participation in a child's success, and are coming up with fresh ideas to draw parents into a productive partnership.

It wasn't all that long ago in our history when it was up to the family to teach their children just about everything except for the three Rs—reading, writing, and arithmetic. But now, as space capsules and satellites circle our heads thousands of miles away, unseen and nearly unknown by us, the school curriculum has become immensely more complex.

These complexities are matched by the nearly overwhelming responsibilities of working parents for whom time is a terribly precious commodity.

This reality of complex schools and busy parents means that the business of parent involvement must be effective, helpful, and most of all, beneficial for the child. What might parents expect from their child's school? Here's a checklist of just a few things:

• Personal, positive contact initiated by the school at least a couple of times per school year. The school should create a relationship climate that clearly says "let's talk, and let's work together."
• An appreciation of the child's positive and unique qualities, and an appreciation of the parent as a child advocate, not a teacher or school adversary.
• A description of what the school and teacher expect from students academically and socially.
• A clear account of a couple of areas where the child could improve, and concrete suggestions for how teacher and parent could work together to help the child improve in those areas.
• Referrals to materials, resources, and references to help parents become better prepared to help their child.
• Instructions on how and when the teacher and principal can be contacted.
• Information on any school improvement plans, and how parents may participate.

Parents often want guidance and help from the school on how they can best help their child. In like manner, schools are expecting parents to participate in meaningful ways, so many of them are trying to build the personal climate and tools that will provide the means and enhance this participation. Northwest parents and schools are finding better ways to get together on this two-way street to academic success for children.

This column is provided as a public service by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, a nonprofit institution, 101 S.W. Main Street, Suite 500, Portland, Oregon 97204.