Keith Robinson, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Texas, Austin, and Angel L Harris, a professor of sociology and African and African-American studies at Duke University, describe their new book, The Broken Compass: Parental Involvement With Children’s Education, in a New York Times Opinionator article. The article is entitled “Parental Involvement Is Overrated.”
Most people, asked whether parental involvement benefits children academically, would say, “of course it does.” But evidence from our research suggests otherwise. In fact, most forms of parental involvement, like observing a child’s class, contacting a school about a child’s behavior, helping to decide a child’s high school courses, or helping a child with homework, do not improve student achievement. In some cases, they actually hinder it.
I’m not sure why this research has such prominence, because I disagree with the initial premise. Most people don’t, in fact, think parental involvement of the type described by the authors benefits children academically.
I know, when I was in high school, my father became very involved. He was even elected president of the Music Parents Association at the school. We argued, loudly, about this more times than I can shake a stick at. I resented the fact that he thought he knew how to run a music department or a band. What he really knew was how to raise money to buy uniforms and cover other expenses the district couldn’t afford. But being in that position made him think he had other responsibilities in terms of the curriculum, and that brought some bad feelings.
Of course, band directors need money, so they put up with this sort of hovering by parents. It’s like a waitress who strikes up a conversation that seems rather personal but forgets who you are once she deposits your tip.
Nothing against waitresses or band directors, but this research is nothing new.
Furthermore, this new book doesn’t rule out any suggestion that parents who convey the value of education to their children are hitting the mark. One way they do this is by showing, in the real world, the value of what children learn in school. An example might be adding up expenses when reconciling a bank statement or paying bills. Another might be talking about the centripetal force race car drivers feel as they drive around an oval or the force of a bat on a baseball as it travels out of the park.
Research, such as that described in this book, takes a look at test scores and assumes that’s all there is to a child’s education. Right there, the research loses me and most teachers, I assume. Curiosity about the world, creativity to put something into it, and critical thinking to understand it—that’s where education is, and helping children with a specific type of math problem isn’t going to cut it, of course. But helping kids cope with failure, success, and everything in between, will.
My list of important parental involvement
Parents need to provide quiet time for homework and study. They need to have conversations with their children about their day, which will mainly be about school, at dinner or some other family time. I apologize to those parents who work three jobs to make ends meet, but this story is not about the problems you have to overcome; it’s about overcoming them, and spending actual time with your children is the first step if you want to help them in school.
Parents need to provide support for extracurricular activities, a problem that isn’t even mentioned in this article. They can do this by something as simple as providing a ride, but when dad starts getting elected to be the president of the Athletic Boosters Association, it’s time to quit the team.
They also need to provide support for curricular activities, which is addressed a little but not correctly. Providing answers for homework problems or creating a multimedia presentation for their class speech isn’t “helping” kids at all, but there are ways. Parents can attend the few parent-teacher conferences that might be scheduled during the year, for example. They can take their children to the library, keep books around the house, subscribe to a newspaper or news magazine, etc. Also, schools rely on students using computers, putting parents who use computers at work in a perfect place to demonstrate the value of computer skills.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, parents need to provide a healthy, nurturing environment in the home. That is, kids need to eat, they need to sleep, and they need to get enough exercise. The exact numbers vary as much as kids vary, but parents who want to help will take it upon themselves to know their children.
What this will do is support children in their academic life at school and social life among peers and teachers. It’ll make them feel good about their successes, because they will have accomplished them on their own, and it will sustain them in times of failure, because they will have learned how to stand on their own two feet without leaning on mom and dad.
That’s why helicopter parents are often detrimental to their children’s academic success. If kids learn that the only way to success is through their parents, they never learn when to step out on their own and never achieve anything honestly.
