Research Example #3

I found a really important article about the importance of community/family involvement in the education of students especially young students. It can define the students whole academic experience and attitude towards school. The achievements of students with involved familial support are clearly visible when comparing test scores. The simple fact is that students with little familial involvement just tend to preform poorly in school. The article I found that spoke of this is called, Linking School-Family-Community Partnerships in Urban Elementary Schools to Student Achievement on State Tests. It was important for me to understand what aspects of the students education or background are beneficial to their success. Student’s achievement is not defined solely on what happens in the classroom or on teacher’s teaching techniques, the students come having had experiences that we as teachers may not have even had. Divorce, physical/emotional abuse, refugees, immigrants and maybe even parental pressures. It is important for the teacher to understand where the student is coming from to accurately teach for them. What is important to understand about family involvement though is that the lack of involvement is often not intentional or because the parents don’t care. It could be because the parents or family have work all day and doesn’t get home till late. It is also possible that the family at home does not speak English. This article talks not only about how the involvement of family is important but also how to get familial involvement. Sending home instructions for the homework in the language of the family so that they can help the student is a good start. Giving parents little tasks to do when they get home from work such as read a bed time student with their kids or review homework and give feedback. This is all important information for me to learn because I can’t just focus on the curriculum itself. Including teaching techniques such as make sure you know your students and you bring in the family themselves to be a part of the education of their student. All this builds the confidence of not only the student, but the family of the student and they put more support in to the teacher. This will, hopefully, build confidence in the students, and will therefore increase test scores at the end of the year. Right now I’m still trying to develop the curriculum and teaching methods I would like to implement in the classrooms. This article has been helping me to do that.

  1. Sheldon, Steven B. 2003. “Linking School-Family-Community Partnerships in

Urban Elementary Schools to Student Achievement on State Tests.” The    

        Urban Review35(2):149-165

(http://ezproxy.redlands.edu/docview/751988396?accountid=14729). doi:

http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.redlands.edu/10.1023/A:1023713829693.