Parents are instrumental in the development of their children’s social, emotional, academic and physical well-being. They are the single most important influence in a child’s life.
Studies show that there is a strong relationship between the nature of family background and the academic performance of children. Both good and poor performance in national examination has been credited to many factors that are family-based. In 2010, a study on education illustrated in the book ‘Organizing Schools for Improvement’ by Lessons from Chicago, showed that family engagement is one of the five essential factors for improved academic performance. Researchers found that primary schools with strong family engagement were ten times more likely to improve in mathematics and four times more likely to improve in reading than schools weak in this category. When parents are involved in their children’s schooling, they become more informed decision makers, better goal setters, and stronger voices for their children’s education and overall well-being
Parent involvement can be well-defined as the active, ongoing participation of a parent in the education of his or her child. Parents can demonstrate involvement both at school and at home.
At school, educators can build strong relationships between parents and teachers, as well as between students and their teacher. Children should be encouraged to get to know their teachers. Students who feel supported by their teachers are more likely to succeed in school. Parents can also attend school events and track their children’s grades. Students whose parents are involved in these activities tend to have fewer problems in school, which, in turn, equals better performance.
Being an involved parent is not limited to the school environment. There are many things parents can do at home to support their children’s education including: Making sure the child attends school each day, making sure the child gets to school on time; reading together at home; setting aside a time and place for homework and ensuring the child completes his or her homework; making every activity a learning opportunity; as well as going to the library, the museum, and even the grocery store. All these activities can be an opportunity to learn something new.
As a child’s first teacher, parents have a significant impact on their education. It is important for parents to show that they value their children’s education and that they believe they can be successful in school.
Some parents are at times hesitant to become involved in their children’s education because they don’t seem to have the time. With this in mind, the MwalimuPLUS intelligent e-tutor is designed to assist busy parents who may sometimes feel overwhelmed. The system is designed to improve the learning-teaching process and allows parents to comfortably track their children’s academic progress. The system operates in a way that enables students to master academic concepts learnt in school. Children succeed when parents are able to actively promote their positive growth and development.