(Taken from: BUILDING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS FOR LEARNING, Based on Strong Families, Strong Schools, written by Jennifer Ballen and Oliver Moles, for the national family initiative of the U.S. Department of Education. Published in September 1994.)

Home Education Activities

Family Involvement
Families can help their children both at home and at school. When families are involved in their children's education in positive ways, children achieve higher grades and test scores, have better attendance at school, complete more homework, demonstrate more positive attitudes and behavior, graduate at higher rates, and have greater enrollment in higher education (Henderson & Berla 1994; Becher 1984). Parents can emphasize good work habits, value learning and good character, set high expectations for their children, stay informed about their children's progress, and monitor their children's activities.

Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress support the efforts of families at home. Three factors over which parents can exercise authority -- student absenteeism, variety of reading materials in the home, and excessive television watching -- account for nearly 90 percent of the difference in the average state-by-state performance of eighth-graders' mathematics test scores among 37 states and the District of Columbia. In other words, most of the differences in achievement observed across states can be attributed to home practices. This means that families can improve their children's achievement in school by making sure their children attend school regularly, encouraging their children to read at home regularly, and turning off the TV (Barton & Coley 1992).

Studies also show a strong relationship between the number of higher-level courses taken and student achievement and college entrance test scores. Parents, with the assistance of the school guidance counselor, can encourage their children to take the appropriate preparatory courses in middle and junior high school (i.e., algebra, keyboard skills) and challenging sequences of courses in high school (i.e., chemistry, calculus, third and fourth years of the same foreign language, advanced placement courses, and advanced technology and computer courses).

What families do to help their children learn is more important to their academic success than how well-off the family is (Walberg, 1984). A national study of eighth-grade students and their parents shows that parental involvement in students' academic lives is indeed a powerful influence on students' achievement across all academic areas (Keith & Keith, 1993). Higher achievement results, in part, from the increased amount of homework completed by students with families who are more involved in their education.

Parents benefit as well. They develop a greater appreciation of their role in their children's education, an improved sense of self worth, stronger social networks, and even the desire to continue their own education. They also come to understand more about their schools and teaching and learning activities in general (Davies 1988; Henderson & Berla 1994, Liontos 1994). Teachers report that they are encouraged by strong support from involved parents to raise their expectations for both children and parents.

Read Together.
Although math and science performance of American students on National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and math scores on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) have shown improvement in recent years, NAEP reading scores and SAT verbal scores have remained basically the same. Reading is more dependent on home learning activities than is math or science (Mullis et al. 1994; College Board 1994). Children's success in school can be linked to reading to children and listening to them read. The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children (Anderson et al. 1985). If every parent of a child aged 1 through 9 spent one hour reading or working on schoolwork with the child 5 days a week, American parents would annually devote at least 8.7 billion hours to supporting their children's reading. In money terms, if the child's teacher spent the same one-on-one time, the cost to the American taxpayer would be around $230 billion -- about the same as what the American public pays yearly for the entire American K-12 public education enterprise (U.S. Department of Education 1994a).

In practice, however, only half of parents with children under age 9 say they read to them every day, and only 13 percent read with their children aged 9 to 14 daily (Gorman 1993). Parents can also take their children to the library, help them get a library card, and help them find books on their interests and hobbies. The availability of reading material in the home, whether owned or borrowed from the library, is directly associated with children's achievement in reading comprehension (Lee & Croninger 1994).

Use TV Wisely.
Most parents (73 percent) want to limit their children's television viewing (Finney 1993), but parents who are at work or occupied elsewhere cannot easily do this. Forty-four percent of seventh-graders recently reported watching three or more hours of television a day (Puma et al. 1993). Although moderate amounts of viewing do not interfere with schoolwork, academic achievement drops sharply for children who watch more than 10 hours a week, or an average of 2 hours a day (U.S. Department of Education 1987). The quality of the television programs selected is also a concern. Although the evidence is not conclusive, possible effects on children who view television violence include less sensitivity to the pain and suffering of others, greater fear of the world around them, and increased likelihood of engaging in aggressive or harmful behavior (Murray & Connborg 1992). Families can limit the amount of viewing, help children select educational programs, watch programs together, and discuss them (ERIC 1990).

Establish a Daily Family Routine.
Studies show that successful students have parents who create and maintain family routines (Clark 1988; U.S. Department of Education 1987). Routines generally include time for doing homework, doing chores, eating meals together, and going to bed at an established time. Routines are important to make life predictable and satisfying for all family members. Discussion of daily events at mealtimes, for example, is an important routine.

Schedule Daily Homework Times.
Students with low test scores who spend substantial time on homework get as good grades as students with more ability who do no homework (U.S. Department of Education 1987). Spending more time on homework has the greatest effect in the upper grades (Cooper 1989). Parents can help by setting a regular time for homework each day; providing a quiet, well-lit place for study at home or encouraging children to study at a local library; and discouraging distractions from phone calls, radio, and television. Parents can encourage all children's efforts to learn, be available for questions, and spend time discussing what was learned. A parent does not have to know all the answers; demonstrating an interest is more important. Students can call on other family members, teachers, or librarians if more help with a certain subject or assignment is necessary.

Monitor Out-of-School Activities.
Families can help children spend time constructively by guiding the use of leisure time, including time spent in TV viewing and time spent with friends. For example, regular phone calls from a working parent to an older child at home each afternoon can keep parents informed about and involved with their children's plans and activities. Monitoring after school activities may also be important in curbing sexual activity, drinking, and drug use by adolescents, especially where drugs and violence are serious concerns in the neighborhood. Positive extracurricular community activities can be learning experiences and fill idle time (U.S. Department of Education 1990). Community youth organizations, religious groups, arts and cultural institutions, school clubs, colleges and universities, and after-school programs should all be viewed as resources to help families and children.

Talk With Children and Teenagers.
Children and adults can learn a great deal about each other just by talking about their daily lives, current events, family history, and other common interests. Studies show that frequent, open family discussions are associated with higher student achievement (Barton & Coley 1992, Epstein 1991a; Leler 1983, Singer et al. 1988). Parents can get to know the friends of their teenagers, discuss school and outside activities with them, keep teenagers involved in family activities, and stress the importance of the teenagers as role models to younger siblings. An important part of discussion is listening; parents need to listen to and acknowledge their children's concerns and worries in order to help their children resolve them more effectively.

Communicate Positive Behaviors, Values, and Character Traits.
Families are still the most important influence on children's lives (Ingrassia 1993). Talking directly to teenagers about sex, drugs, and alcohol is one way to save their lives. Values instilled by parents -- honesty, belief in the work ethic, responsibility for one's actions, and religious principles -- are twice as important for school achievement as family economic or educational background (Hanson & Ginsburg 1985). By talking about the importance of these values, parents help their children learn to make good decisions. By acting on such values, parents serve as important role models to their children.

Expect Achievement and Offer Praise.
Parents need to set high standards for their children's schoolwork and to encourage the children to work hard to achieve those standards. Standards should be realistic, however, or students may be inclined to give up (Scott-Jones 1984). Families who praise children's skills and efforts, show interest and concern, and reward success tend to have children who are successful in school (Clark 1990). Parents who demonstrate warmth and also set limits have children who are more socially and academically skilled than do parents who emphasize mainly the warmth or the limits (Baumrind 1989).

Require Challenging Coursework for Middle and Secondary School Students.
Parents have a responsibility to encourage their children's school to offer and enroll students in a challenging sequence of courses in preparation for postsecondary education and a promising career. Taking "gatekeeper" courses, such as algebra and geometry, early in the high school experience is strongly associated with college enrollment. The differences in college enrollment rates between white and minority students are virtually nonexistent among the students who took both algebra and geometry in high school (Pelavin & Kane 1990; Pelavin Associates 1993). For students in special education, a strong transition plan can help them succeed in the world beyond school. Research shows that a comprehensive program of challenging courses, high standards, and career counseling will improve the likelihood that students will be academically successful. In addition, the integration of vocational and academic education appears to be a promising instructional strategy to help students understand abstract concepts through real-world situations. Parents can also encourage the school to provide on-the-job training and internships in vocational activities for students who are not headed for postsecondary education.

Keep in Touch With the School.
Families who are consistently informed about their children's progress at school have higher-achieving children (Henderson & Berla 1994). The partnership between parents and teachers is key to creating a climate at home and at school that is conducive to learning. Parents cannot afford to wait for schools to tell them how children are doing. Visiting the school and talking to teachers or having a phone conversation are good steps. Parents need to check on whether their children are assigned meaningful homework in appropriate amounts and are challenged to do their best. If children are not being challenged academically, families need to find out how they can change this situation.

Ask More From Schools.
To keep informed about and involved in what is going on at their children's school, families can work with the school to incorporate new ways to get more involved. Some examples are establishing homework hotlines, volunteering on school planning and decision-making committees, and creating family resource centers (Moles 1993). Parents also have a responsibility to insist that schools raise the standards of education, educate their children at a world-class level, and work toward achieving the National Education Goals. Parents should compare their school's goals and standards against the National Education Goals and against emerging academic and occupational standards.

Use Community Resources.
Using community resources includes taking advantage of local enrichment programs and mentors and seeking community services when needed. Family-oriented community resources may include health care services, housing assistance, adult education and family literacy, employment counseling, and exposure to arts and cultural institutions. Youth-oriented community resources include after-school and summer learning programs, recreation centers and sports teams, community service activities, and religious youth groups. High-achievers are more likely than other students to participate in activities and to know persons who can buffer family and community difficulties (Clark 1990).

Encourage Your Employer to Get Involved.
Parents can encourage their employers to play a proactive role in the education of their children. Businesses can adopt policies that allow families to spend more time in their children's schools; form partnerships with schools; donate money, supplies, or expertise; or sponsor career exploration days for students. Businesses can also become part of a school-to-work program and encourage employees to serve as mentors to help introduce students to various occupations.

Families can take many actions at home, with the schools, and in the community to strengthen their children's academic achievement. When families have difficulty doing what is needed, schools, organizations in the community, and religious institutions can help provide assistance and draw families into partnerships around common concerns

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This site last revised 3/3/2008 Comments or questions? Send email to Steve Visco (visco@umit.maine.edu)