parents education essay

Role Played by Parents in Education

Introduction, home advantage, the education stakeholder have discovered the importance of.

Parenting and education are two aspects of a student’s school life that cannot be separated. Going by the fact that school children come from family backyards, the role of the parent in the entire child’s school life is clearly cut out. Moreover, research findings point out that the role of the parents in the children’s academic lives is so crucial that if not played fully and effectively, the results and children’s success (academically) are likely to be negative. Parents look for schools for their children, prepares and take them to schools, meets all the children education costs, provides other parental care to the children, makes follow-ups to ensure that the children are comfortable in the learning institutions, ensures the children safety (both in school and at home), follows up the progress of their children in learning among others.

Ideally, it can be concluded that the role of the parents in the children’s education is unmatched. While some parents believe that the academic life of the child should be solely entrusted to the teachers, others believe they have a central role to play in the success of their children. This paper, therefore, looks at the way parents are involved in education and gives a lengthy argument on the contribution of the latter to the overall educational success.

The respondent (parent) identified as a 33-year-old female in Taiwan who lived with her husband and who had a straight sexual orientation. In addition, the respondent’s race was typically Chinese. She also spoke Chinese, which she claimed was her native language. Asked about the number of children she had, the parent hinted that she had two male children, both of whom were of school-going age and attended an elementary school in the neighborhood. On her value of her children’s education, the parent indicated that there was nothing that mattered in her life than to see through her two boys to the highest level of education possible, revealing that she and her husband (both of whom had post-graduate qualifications), had presented a good role model, a thing that continued to inspire the boys to achieve even higher levels of education. In addition, the respondent hinted at their commitment to the course through close parental mentoring and support to the boys throughout their school life. The respondent believed that the success of the boys in education greatly depended on this support, a factor that she admitted that they were willing to provide.

Apart from payment of school fees, the respondent hinted that they had organized for private transport for the boys to and from school irrespective of the latter being within the vicinity of their dwelling unit. She also pointed out that it was the role of parents to ensure that their children got the best schooling environment if at all they were to attain the best results. Commenting on the importance of parental involvement in education matters, the respondent said that children’s education responsibility could not only be bestowed on the teachers and the students. Instead, she felt that the parents had a more central and crucial role to play in an effort to see through their children’s education success dream. She also indicated that the results of education could be more favorable in a circumstance where the school’s management, teachers, and the parents could unite through healthy partnership encouraged by a quest to achieve a common objective (children’s educational success).

She however suggested the need for more parental involvement in the school’s decision making and planning, which she noted was in the initial stages of development not only in the school the boys schooled but also in many other schools in the region. This, she said was an achievement in enhancing children’s education excellence in the region a move that she expressed optimism of holding more potential. As a chairperson of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) in the school which the boys attended, the respondent said that it was irresponsible for the parents to entrust their children fully to the school administration and teachers. Instead, she suggested that there was a dire need for increased parental involvement in the children’s schooling life. Going by the take of the respondent, parents have a role in ensuring that all was well for their children both socially and academically. She suggested that the parents could also enhance children’s academic excellence through post-school hour’s tuition, assistance in homework completion as well as close monitoring of the child’s performance both in the academic and social circles. These views of the respondent concur to a large extent with the views of the author (Annette) in her book, Home Advantage.

Ideally, she felt that the parents were central to the success of the children’s education saying that they were closer to and spent more time with the children than the teachers. As a result, she pointed out that parents ought to be in a better position to aid children in the achievement of their goals. Asked about the challenges that children’s education posed to the parents, the respondent hinted that seeing children through academic success and giving them the attention that they deserved was one of the most challenging bits of parenting. However, she said that children’s education was one of the most important parental obligations, so important to warrant relentless effort from the parent just to make sure that the children succeeded academically. In fact, she admitted that the success of education at whatever level largely depended on the parents’ realization that they have a central role to play thus actively involving themselves in all aspects that support children’s success in school.

According to Annette (2000: 8), the involvement and role of parents in their children’s education is much more than their participation in the parent’s teacher’s organizations. Parents are fully in charge of the child’s school life and success. In fact, the author argues that in a normal school day, a child spends only a third of the day in school and a whole two-third with the parents. However, a responsible parent will still be concerned and ensure that his child is fine whether in his vicinity or not (in school or at home). If parents are ineffective in their role and participation in the education system, failure in children’s education becomes imminent (Annette, 2000:11).

For example, from the results of the interview, it is evident that the respondent, as a parent of two, clearly understands the importance of active involvement of parents in their children’s education matters. According to her, parents must understand that they have an important role to play in their children’s academic success. Both the interviewee and her husband believe that the responsibility of ensuring children succeeds in school belonged to the parents: a fact that supports the argument of Annette (2000: 16).

The role of the parent (according to the respondent) ranges from basic children care to assist them in actual classwork. The respondent is the head of an association that enhances the close relationship between the tutors and the parents (PTA). Consequently, she recognizes the key role played by the parent in children’s education hence takes a front row in popularizing the association to enhance increased parental involvement in children’s education. Although the respondent admits that it is sometimes challenging on the part of the parent to actively involve herself in the education matter (perhaps due to the life commitment such as work), she points out that children’s educational success should always be accorded first priority. Indeed, she concurs with Annette (2000: 23) that child academic success is so important that it is worth sacrificing for. In fact, the respondent hailed the famous three hours in nine months approach. However, she said that this was so little time that parents should involve themselves more in children’s academic matters.

While admitting that parental involvement in children’s education was limited especially among the working class (who believed that there was a clear demarcation between the schools and homes about the education of their children), she pointed out that the trend was rapidly changing as parents continued to realize the importance of their active involvement in education. However, she credited this achievement to the important role of PTA, especially via aggressive sensitization campaigns to educate parents as to why they should concern themselves so much with their children’s education life. However, the critics of increased parental involvement in education argue that this could lead to role conflicts among the parties involved, especially if the parents were to be actively involved in actual school management and planning.

According to the evidence presented by Annette (2000: 24), parents are depicted as individuals who closely follow their children’s performance in class, closely monitor the work of their teachers and act fast to counter any threat that may compromise the children’s schooling. All these are thus indicated as characteristics of a good parent. It indicates that it is the responsibility of good parenting to take appropriate and haste action in a situation where the child’s school life and performance are at stake. According to Annette (2000: 12) majority of the working class, however, feel that the responsibility of the child’s academic well-being solely falls on the hands of the teachers; the latter of whom submits to the teachers’ professional authority.

According to Annette (2000:13), among this category of parents, the homes and schools are two distinct places with the individual in each sector having well cut out roles and responsibilities to play. As a result, such parents would have limited involvement in school affairs. Recent researches on families and schools as presented in Annette (2000) showed that parental involvement in school matters was on the increase mainly among middle-class parents. Although parental involvement in academics has been directed to social work (with the middle class being hailed for fostering learning opportunities for their children and the working class parents being hailed for resisting rules of oppressive schools management), involvement of parents in schools has been greatly advocated for.

Through PTA however, the parents get directly involved in children’s education during the child’s schooling hours and offer a channel through which parents are directly involved in making decisions in the schools which have a direct impact on the well-being of the children. In addition programs such as the three hours in nine months (under which the parents are only required to avail themselves in school for just three hours within a period of nine months) is easy and irresistible getting parents to voluntarily participate in schools’ decision making and programs designing.

partnerships among the various parties that are involved in the education process in making the dream of the students and the system, to produce successful students, a reality. These partnerships have more so been encouraged, particularly between the teachers and the parents since the two are the parties with the greatest students’ contacts. Fostering relationships among these individuals has been proven a strategy whose results in enhancing greater parental participation in school activities have been vehemently positive. In this case, the parents are greatly credited for effectively playing the role of tutors’ advisers’ that can only thrive in circumstances where healthy and close relationships exist between the teachers and the parents (Annette, 2000:7).

Good parenting calls for concern from the parents about the education well being of the children, diagnose problems that the children might have, and devise appropriate solutions to solve the problem. For example, consider a family of Emily a fifth-grader student with a chronic reading problem that caused the parents sleepless nights since they had to discuss it all night for one year while trying to come up with a strategy that could help Emily come out of the problem. The moral support provided by such a move, coupled with encouragement accorded to her might initiate a turnaround for the poor student (Annette, 2000:7).

In conclusion, all facts indicate that the parents play a very central role in the success of children’s academics. The nature of education today requires that all the stakeholders in the education system work together for the children’s academic success. As a result, active involvement and commitment of parents, teachers, school management, the government, and the students at large are necessitated. Although parents’ involvement and role in education have been previously downplayed, all indication points out that it is imperative for children academics. Parents are the closest to the children, spend most of the time with them, and play a major role in mentoring and bringing them up in a socially acceptable manner. The manner in which these roles are played could mean the success or failure of the child in education. In the wake of the realization of this fact, evidence shows increased involvement of parents in educational matters. For instance, parents are increasingly getting involved in schools planning and decision making, providing financial support through fundraising & paying school fees for their children.

Annette, L., (2000). Home Advantage: Social Class and Parental Intervention in Elementary Education . Lowman and Littlefield Publisher, United States Of America.

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2018 Theses Doctoral

Essays on the Role of Parents in Educational Outcomes and Inequality

Chan, Eric Wai Kin

Parents have been shown to be a crucial driver in a child's educational outcomes in both the economics and education literature. However, researchers have yet to understand the roles that educational interventions, information, and policies might have on parental behavior and engagement toward their child's education and, in turn, how to effectively promote parental engagement for the benefits of children. In my dissertation, I examine how educational interventions and policies can impact the behavior and decision-making of parents and in turn affect student achievement. Specifically, I add to the scholarly literature evidence on (a) how being identified as gifted student affect parental levels of engagement and time investments, (b) how timely information about academic progress might change parental behaviors and improve educational outcomes, and (c) how immigrant mothers react to an expansion of pre-K specifically targeted at their children. Chapter one examines the short-term and long-term effects of an elementary school gifted education program in California that clusters 6-8 gifted students in classrooms. While I examine the academic effects of the program, I emphasize the analysis on the role of parent engagement and time investments in the lives of gifted children. While the gifted education literature has studied the causal effects of programs, there is limited evidence on how parent engagement might change as a result of these programs and its potential as a mechanism for achievement effects. Therefore, this study contributes to the economic debate of whether parent engagement is a complement or substitute to education quality. Using a fuzzy regression discontinuity approach, I primarily find small to no evidence on short-term academic effects, but stronger effects on longer-term course-taking and college outcomes. On the parent side, I find that while most parents are not more engaged overall, parents of minority gifted children and low-socioeconomic students are. The implication is that there is heterogeneity in the manner by which parents react behaviorally to students that are identified as gifted. In Chapter two, a joint paper with Peter Bergman, we run a randomized controlled trial in West Virginia examining the effects of a high-frequency academic information intervention on middle and high school student' academic outcomes. In this field experiment, we send out three types of alerts to parents - weekly missing assignments, weekly class absences, and monthly low grade average - during the 2015-16 school year. We find that the intervention reduces course failures by 38%, increases class attendance by 17%, and increases retention. We find no evidence that test scores improve, but find that there are significant improvements on in-class exam scores. The evidence of improvement in test scores show that there are information frictions between parent and child, and thus parents may have inaccurate beliefs about their child's abilities due to a lack of complete information. Chapter three examines the maternal labor supply and pre-K enrollment effects of a bilingual pre-K policy implemented in Illinois during the 2010-11 school year, which came after the implementation of a statewide universal pre-K program in 2007. Research has shown the importance of quality preschool in the development of a child, with minorities particularly sensitive to the prevalence of quality early childhood education. In this study, I exploit variation in a policy mandating that any school with at least twenty identified English Language Learner student of a particular language is required to open up a bilingual classroom for those students. Using multiple control groups and various difference-in-differences specifications, I find that there is little to no change in maternal labor supply among Hispanics and recent immigrants, including the probability of being in the labor force, hours worked per week, and wage and salary income. However, I also find a significant and robust increase of 18-20 percentage points in the enrollment of 3- and 4-year old children into pre-K programs in Illinois. This result shows that, even in a state where there is universal access to pre-K, the design of such policies might not have sufficient reach to high-need parents. Taken together, this dissertation helps deepen our understanding of the various roles parents might affect educational outcomes and inequality. As my results demonstrate, there are various ways which help and incentivize parents to react in a manner that will improve childhood and long-term outcomes. Whether by programs, information, or public policy, the tools are many, yet it is crucial that scholarly work continues to dive deeper into how parents, children, and other stakeholders react.

• Education and state
• School management and organization
• Educational equalization
• Education--Parent participation

More About This Work

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The Parents Role in Their Child’s Education

By: Author Dr. Patrick Capriola

Posted on Published: February 23, 2019

The parent’s role in their child’s education is more complex than ever. Standardization has placed increasing pressure on students and the advent of social media and online learning platforms have created a vastly different educational experience for today’s kids than prior generations. It is important for parents to be involved in their child’s education so they can help them navigate this increasingly complex landscape.

What is the role of the parent in their child’s education? The parent’s role is to ensure the child’s basic needs are met every day and to help them develop the academic, social, and emotional skills necessary to succeed. Parents should nurture their ability to take on responsibility, engage with peers, work towards goals and pursue their interests.

The parent is the most influential person in the child’s life and has an unmatched power to direct and motivate. Parents who seek to support their child’s academic success should focus on whole child strategies that are considerate of where the child is in every area of their development. You and your child will benefit greatly if you have a vision for fulfilling your role in your child’s education that examines the supports that need to be in place to ensure they get the most out of their formal and informal educational experiences.

Make Sure the Basics are Covered

From the beginning, the parent’s primary role is to make sure the child’s basic needs are met. As they grow older these things are still your job, but how you go about making sure they get done should change. For example, until a child is 7 or 8 you may need to be in the bathroom with them when they brush their teeth. If they won’t do it, you will have to get in there and do it for them. It may be a hassle (I know my 3-year-old gives me a battle every night), but the benefits far outweigh the costs. You don’t want to look at your teenager suffering 10 years from now with their mouth full of cavities. You also don’t want to pay the bills to get them fixed.

21st-century life has presented parents with this decision more than ever before – pay the price now or pay a higher price later. Each time you are presented with this choice you have the power to teach your child good habits. The lessons they learn from you about responsibility, attentiveness, and care will carry over into other areas of their lives – including education.

Each day parents must have age appropriate expectations for what the child needs to do for themselves. Parents should also have a plan in place for how they will monitor whether those responsibilities are met and to the degree of quality with which it is carried out. Each morning the parent needs to ensure the child has:

• Done their Homework the Night Before
• Had a full night’s sleep
• Had a healthy breakfast
• Cared for Themselves and Maintained their Environment
• Arrived at School on Time

It’s a lot to get done every day, but the payoff is worth it in the end. The skills your child will learn as they practice doing their homework, taking a shower, getting to bed on time, making their bed in the morning, brushing their teeth, and grooming themselves in a neat and presentable manner will stay with them for life.

As a young adult, they will undoubtedly have a few days where they don’t make their bed, eat well, or care for themselves. They will intuitively know that it’s wrong because it won’t feel like the right thing to do. Something will be out of place. They will sense this because you made sure they knew how to care for themselves properly.

Remember, what you teac them today will stay with them forever. There is no place where this is more apparent than self-care, which is the first step on the path to personal responsibility.

Make the Home a Great Place to Learn

The child’s home shapes their perception of what a safe and relaxing environment should be and it is where they learn habits that they carry with them for the rest of their lives. As the parent, you decide how they will experience their home. When I think about how my kids experience our home, I break it down into two parts; physically and psychologically.

The home should be neat and clean. If your child experiences organization as they grow up it will help them appreciate its importance later in life. Everything should have a place, and that includes opportunities for learning.

Do they have a space they can call their own? If you can, make sure they do. Are their toys in the playroom educational or purely for entertainment? Make sure there is a balance of both. Do they have access to a lot of screens? Screen time should be limited and the child should not view them as a part of their daily lives.

Do they have a desk anywhere? Is it in a place where they feel comfortable learning and is free of distractions? Can they go there to just chill out and play? Make sure they have some kind of work station that they can go to do homework or play constructively.

Psychologically

The way the child feels about the home will be a big factor in determining how comfortable they are learning while there. The home should be a place where the child is expected to learn, and they should intuitively understand the importance of this expectation.

You won’t be able to instill a belief in education in them through words alone. It must come through action. Establish a routine where they sit down in a quiet area and study, read or work on an intellectual hobby at least 3 times a week. Make it a priority.

As you are getting your child established in their new routine make sure you are considerate of how they feel about the experience. Although you don’t want to place all of your emphasis on whether they like working and studying all the time (they won’t), you do want to try to make sure they are comfortable enough to get into their zone so they can work productively. That is the feeling that you will work to build on.

When your child is able to consistently tune in to what they are working on they will experience more success over time. Give them the opportunity to experience that success by making sure they understand what their goals are for the day. If they are working on a huge Lego set they should not be attempting to finish it each day. Help them set a smaller goal that they can work toward, so they can see how success builds upon itself. With that, confidence will follow.

Understand Your Child’s Learning Style

If you are able to understand your child strengths you will be much more likely to help them as they work through the struggles that come along with discovering themselves. There is currently no way to put everything about their learning style into a category that will help you know exactly what to do and when, but there are some helpful frameworks and ideas based on research that should assist you in developing a better understanding of how your child learns.

The most discussed framework is known as learning modalities, and there are four:

• Kinesthetic

Visual Learners

• Benefit from demonstrations
• Have well-developed imaginations
• Easily distracted by movement or action
• Use lists to stay organized
• Easily learn through descriptions
• Remember faces but forget names

Auditory Learners

• Enjoy discussion and plays
• Solve problems by talking them out
• Can be distracted by noise
• Prefer verbal instructions from the teacher
• Remember names but forget faces

Kinesthetic Learners

• Thrive when they are active
• Learn while moving and doing (manipulatives help)
• Prefer action over watching or listening
• Struggle sitting down and concentrating
• High energy

Tactile Learners

• Enjoy hands-on activities like projects or labs
• Learn while taking notes
• Likes to draw to remember

You will probably find that your child does not fit firmly into any one of these categories, but instead favors one over the other. Almost all kids learn through each of the learning modalities, and this framework is used to determine which they favor more. Take some time to observe how your child learns now that you’ve read these over. Think about how you can modify learning at home so your child can engage in activities that are more responsive to their preferences and needs.

There is more to understanding a child’s learning style than just their modality. Learning d ispositions provide another helpful framework that can be an important indicator of what they will respond to. These are the habits of mind that are built up over time. If you understand where your child is in the learning disposition framework, you can better understand how they respond to the learning process. There are five learning dispositions to consider:

Persistence

Agility and Flexibility

• Motivation and drive to learn

Metacognition

Problem-Solving and Questioning

Persistent learners are willing to stick with a task and see it through completion. They won’t easily give up and will work to analyze a problem and develop a strategy to solve it. Children who learn persistence develop resilience over time through their frequent contact with intellectual adversity.

Learners who are agile and flexible are able to change their minds when they receive new information. They don’t get stuck in the trap of assuming things need to be the way they were originally presented. They understand how new variables being introduced to a situation can completely reshape that scenario.

Motivation and Drive to Learn

Learners who are motivated and driven are enthusiastic about and engaged in the learning process. They seek out learning experiences and are driven by both extrinsic and intrinsic factors.

Children who think about their own thinking are able to plan a strategy for producing the information that they need, are aware of their own learning process and can reflect on and evaluate the productiveness of their thinking. Metacognition is important for the motivated learner to guide themselves as they plot new courses for their own learning.

Problem solvers are adept at asking questions so they can fill in the gaps between what they know and what they need to know. They are also able to analyze scenarios from different points of view to see other perspectives that may have an impact on the outcome of the situation.

Model Active Learning

You are your child’s most significant role model. Growing up, they will look to you first to learn the skills and traits that will make them successful in life. In few areas will this be more important than learning. Through hard work, dedication, and daily modeling you have the opportunity to instill in them a passion for learning and a willingness to put the work in necessary to be successful.

Over the years your kids will hear you tell them about the importance of learning. The degree to which they take those words seriously will be determined in large part by the action they see you taking as a learner yourself. Make reading a priority, and ensure they see it is a priority.

If your children are younger read with them every single day for at least 15 minutes (if they are really little) to a ½ hour. If they are older, try starting your own family book club so you can read stories together and share the meaning of those stories with each other.

Another great way to demonstrate to your kids that you are a lifelong learner is through the work that you do around the house. Running a household comes with a lot of responsibility, and nobody knows it all. You undoubtedly have had to look things up to figure them out at some point. Involve your kids in this process.

Perhaps the drain under your sink was clogged and you realized that it’s not that difficult to release the plug and remove the debris manually. Or, maybe have a draft coming in from the windows and want to use some silicone to seal it up. Both are great opportunities to engage them in learning and application of knowledge.

Make sure they participate in the entire process with you. If you learn and apply the information together they will understand the process behind learning information then acting on it, which is something they don’t always get in school. It’s a great way to make learning real and relevant while creating a bonding experience for the family.

This will require more patience from you and your project may not get completed the right way the first time, but if you prioritize the opportunity to connect with your child you will see the lasting benefits of reusing this strategy for years to come.

Support the Child in their Learning

Children who have parents who support their learning are more likely to succeed in school. You can help your child by modeling the interest and excitement about learning necessary to create a passion in them for learning that will stay with them for life.

Help Them Learn to be Responsible for their Own Learning

Children need to be responsible for their own learning at an early age (in an age-appropriate manner). In a lot of ways, it’s easier when they are little because they are more eager to learn and to please their parents. Use that energy wisely. Make sure they are exposed to engaging learning experiences that make them want to come back for more.

There are many places on the web that already do a great job listing out ideas and activities that you can use with your child to keep them engaged in the learning process. Here’s the one I like best.

Engage with the School You Chose

Parents who view their school of choice as partners in their child’s learning are typically more engaged in the educational process. They know that it’s the parent who is most responsible for the child’s education, not the school.

As such, they choose their child’s school carefully and closely monitor what is going on at the school to ensure the school is living up to their expectations of what should be provided to their child. If the school messes things up, they are not afraid to make a move to a new school.

Of course, that’s not the first option anyone wants to take. Once you have chosen a school that you think is a great fit for your child you want to engage them intentionally and frequently to ensure that lines of communication are open and high expectations are being met for your child.

Make sure that you receive information from your child’s teacher about their behavior and academic performance as frequently as you think will keep you well informed. Get involved with the parent-teacher association so you can be more aware of what is going on at the school.

Get to know and be friendly with the principal’s secretary (they typically know what’s going on at the school). Build relationships in the school community that get you beyond the messaging of the district and administration and to the core of what is really happening at the school.

Understand Your Child’s Intellectual Interests (Beyond School)

Schooling itself is not a goal. It is a vehicle to develop students into stronger critical thinkers so they can contribute to society meaningfully later in life. You can help them each step of the way by paying attention to what they are really interested in and give them the time to pursue those interests.

The liberal education that is provided to students in western countries is great for creating well-rounded thinkers that are versed in the arts and sciences. However, the general curriculum does not typically allow for too much deviation from prescribed standards.

So, if a child has other interests they want to pursue they don’t always have the options to do so. That’s a great opportunity for you to shape your child’s free time with hobbies instead of downtime (or screen time).

Give your child the chance to develop their interests by ensuring they have the time and resources needed to learn about their topic. Let’ say they are interested in engineering. Help them learn more by joining a local rocket club.

When they join the club they will be introduced to the concept of rocketry in a thoughtful way. Engage with them as much as you can and become part of the learning process if it is something you want to share together.

Make connections with other parents so it will be easier for your child to meet up with other kids who share their interest in rocketry. Watch them as they practice. Make sure quality learning is taking place. When it comes time to buy them their own rocket, you will be more comfortable knowing they have been taught the proper way to use it because they were taught by trained adults and practiced with proficient peers.

No matter what their interest turns out to be, it will be important for you to support with the time, resources, and encouragement they need to progress through the learning process. Your involvement can be a great addition to ensuring they succeed.

They don’t have to be the next great engineer, they just have to stick with it long enough to figure out if it really is something they want to pursue. Once they have given it the time it deserves, they can choose to stick with it or move on to something else.

Turn Off Devices

I write frequently about this topic . Avoid devices as much as possible. In my home, they are not permitted (including T.V.) during the week and we try to avoid them as much as possible on the weekends. When we do allow the T.V. to be on, we try to ensure the kids are watching something that has a legitimate storyline and plot.

Tablets and phones are avoided as much as possible as well. Devices create a distraction for kids with little to show for their time. They are one of those things that you probably want to put off for as long as possible and then minimize time exposed when you finally have to give in and purchase your child one of their own.

Final Thoughts

It’s important to remember that the parent is the primary driver behind the child’s education, not the school. If a child has a strong parent who is engaged throughout the learning process they will rely less on other role models for learning.

That’s important in a day and age where U.S. schools are still performing below international standards. It’s up to you to ensure they get what they can from the education system and they get the rest of what they need from somewhere else. Where that is will be up to you.

It will probably be a combination of strategies that will help you find success. Remember that this is a marathon. Make your connection with your child the priority above everything thing else that goes into parenting and you will have a solid foundation for success.

Related Questions

Why is it important for parents to be involved in their child’s education.

Parents who are involved in their child’s education are more likely to have kids who develop socially, academically, and behaviorally in a healthy way. Children with involved parents benefit from lower drop-out rates, higher grades, better social skills and greater engagement in all that schools have to offer. As a result, they are more likely to enroll in and complete college, setting them up for their career of choice.

How Do I Help My Child Find Their Passion?

Make sure you are frequently introducing them to new things. When something sticks, write it down. Continue this process, noting their interests along the way. As you compile a list of their interests you can work with your child to decide which ones they will pursue. Give them the freedom and support they need to explore each one. For the most part it should be driven by the child’s desire, but remember every kid needs a nudge once in a while.

Parent Role in Education is Critical for Academic Success

Research confirms how critical their role in student success

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While parents have always had a role in their children’s education, there is a growing body of research that confirms their critical role in helping both teachers and students succeed academically.

Parental Engagement Starts Early

The parent-school relationship is one that should begin early, a fact recognized by both the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education. In May 2016, these departments issued a joint  Policy Statement called "Family Engagement from the Early Years to the Early Grades" to recognize the critical role of parents in promoting children’s success starting in early childhood systems and programs:

"Strong family engagement in early childhood systems and programs is central—not supplemental—to promoting children’s healthy intellectual, physical, and social-emotional development; preparing children for school; and supporting academic achievement in elementary school and beyond."

The policy statement reiterated the findings in an earlier report, " A New Wave of Evidence ," from the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (2002). This report remains the most comprehensive meta-analysis using 51 studies on parent engagement and student academic success. The report released the statement:

“When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more.”

The reviewers considered backgrounds and income and included studies covering all grades, all regions of the country, diverse populations along with a variety of methods, both quantitative and qualitative. The conclusion reached was that that parent engagement led to:

• Higher grades and test scores, and enrollment in higher-level programs
• An increase in earned credits and promotions.
• Improved attendance
• Improved behavior and social skills
• An increase in enrollment in postsecondary education

Increasing parent engagement to achieve these outcomes means schools are seeking ways to connect parents to school communities.

What Parents Think

A report commissioned by Learning Heroes and supported by the Carnegie Corporation called " Unleashing Their Power & Potential " details why communication can help.

The data for the report came from a survey that focused on the “perceptions of schools and the state and national assessment data.” More than 1,400 K–8 public school parents across the nation took part. The survey co-collaborators included Univision Communications, National PTA, National Urban League, and the United Negro College Fund.

The findings from  " Unleashing Their Power & Potential" may hold one big surprise for educators; elementary school parents place more emphasis on their child’s happiness than academics. Putting happiness first, however, shifts in the middle school years as parents develop doubts about their children’s preparedness for postsecondary schools.

One primary area for concern in the survey found parents are confused about how to understand the different ways students are accessed:

“(M)ost of the communications parents receive—report cards, annual state test score reports, and curriculum summaries to name a few—are indecipherable and incomprehensible for most parents. About a quarter of parents are not aware of their child's annual state test scores.”

The authors of the report suggest there is a need for improved communications “that are responsive to parents' needs, interests, and concerns.” They note:

“Most parents rely on report card grades, quizzes, and communications with teachers to determine whether their child is achieving their grade level.”

They promote helping parents to understand the connection between these forms of assessment.

That sentiment was echoed by Claudia Barwell, director of learning, Suklaa, with her essay, " How Parents Can Change the Global Landscape of Education " in which she discusses the challenges in finding the right balance in communicating with parents. Her essay, written from a parent’s point of view, suggests that there are three fundamental areas for balance: the teacher’s relationship with parents, parents’ relationship with formal assessment, and the latent power of parents in co-designing schooling.

She suggests that schools survey parents and ask these key questions:

• What values do you believe are essential for a developing child?
• What part of the current curriculum is essential?
• What should we be teaching that we are not?
• What skills will they need for the future?
• What role would you like to play in the education of your children?

Such questions can begin a dialogue and improve the conversations between parents and teachers and administrators. Barwell would also see value in seeing “links to brief teaching methods and a glossary of terms so that parents can support learning at home without being told we are ‘doing it wrong’ by our children.”

Barwell’s request for links illustrates an audience willing to use a growing number of technology tools designed for parents to understand how a school operates. There are also technology tools designed to help parents interact with the teachers and administrators.

How Parents Interact With Schools

If parents are looking for an explanation with details of what their child is expected to learn over the course of a week, month or year, there are multiple options schools may be using, from software platforms to mobile apps. 

For example, SeeSaw or  ClassDojo , used in preschool and elementary grades, are software programs that can document and share information about student learning in real-time. For the upper elementary grades, middle and high school, the platform  Edmodo  allows parents to see assignments and class resources, while Google Classroom provides teachers a means to send assignments to students and send out parent/guardian updates. All of this software offers mobile apps as well. Video-conferencing programs such as Zoom and Google Meet allow for real-time interaction between students and teachers, or even students, teachers, and parents, in a virtual setting.

Because evaluation programs for teachers, support staff, and administrators include  a parent communication/engagement goal , a need exists to measure communication and engagement, and these technology tools collect that data. For this reason, many schools districts encourage parents to sign up for the mobile app  Remind . This app can be used by a teacher to send homework updates or by a school district to send general school updates through text messages.

Finally, most public schools now post student grades online through student-management software such as  PowerSchool, Blackboard ,  Engrade,   LearnBoost , or  ThinkWave . Teachers can post student performance ratings (grades) which let parents keep a watchful on student academic progress. Of course, the amount of information available through these kinds of technology can be a little overwhelming.

Technology tools designed to increase parent engagement are only effective if they are used by the parents. School districts need to consider how they will educate parents to use different technology tools to guide their decisions. But it is not only in the area of technology that parents need training. 

Research findings report that most parents do not understand educational policy at the local, state or federal level. To correct these gaps, the  Every Students Succeed Act (ESSA) , an educational reform plan that replaced the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in 2015, places an  emphasis on the importance of stakeholder engagement . There are mandates for community input; states  must  solicit and evaluate input from parents when developing strategic plans for schools.

Finally, while teachers need to keep parents “in the loop” they also need to respect the limited time today’s parents find themselves, stretched for time, energy, and resources.

Home and School Connection

Technology and legislation aside, there are other ways parents can be supportive of education in general, and they have been around almost as long as the institution of public education.

As early as 1910, a book on education by Chauncey P. Colegrove titled "The Teacher and the School" placed an emphasis on engaging parents. He advised teachers to “enlist the interest of parents and secure their co-operation by making them acquainted with what the schools are striving to accomplish.”

In his book, Colegrove asked, “Where there is no knowledge of each other, how can there be close sympathy and cooperation between parents and teacher?” He responded to this question by stating, “The surest way to win a parent's heart is to show an intelligent and sympathetic interest in the welfare of his children.”

Over 100 years after Colegrove published "The Teacher and the School," Secretary of Education (2009-2015)  Arne Duncan  added:

“We often talk about parents being partners in education. When we say that, we're usually talking about the healthy and productive relationships that can develop between the adults in a child's life at home and the adults who work with that child at school. I can't overstate how important this partnership is.”

Whether it is a handwritten note or a text message, the communication between teachers and parents is what develops the relationships described by Duncan. While a student’s education may take place within the walls of a building, the school’s connection to parents can extend those walls into the student’s home.  

• Why Daily School Attendance Matters
• School Testing Assesses Knowledge Gains and Gaps
• Cultivating Highly Successful Parent Teacher Communication
• 6 Important School Tips for Parents From a Principal
• 8 Strategies to Tackle Chronic Absenteeism
• A Comprehensive Breakdown of the Roles of School Personnel
• What Is the Role of a Teacher?
• Effective Learning Environment and School Choice
• Examining The Role of an Effective School Superintendent
• Impact of the Common Core Standards
• How Teachers Should Deal with Difficult Parents
• 25 Things Every Teacher Wants From Their Stakeholders
• 4 Principles of Classroom Management and Social Emotional Learning
• Discipline in Schools
• Parents Guide to the Pros and Cons of Homeschooling
• Is Homeschooling Right for Your Child?

• The Journal
• Vol. 16, No. 2

How Family Background Influences Student Achievement

Anna J. Egalite

This article is part of a new Education Next series commemorating the 50th anniversary of James S. Coleman’s groundbreaking report , “Equality of Educational Opportunity.” The full series will appear in the Spring 2016 issue of Education Next .

To the dismay of federal officials, the Coleman Report had concluded that “schools are remarkably similar in the effect they have on the achievement of their pupils when the socio-economic background of the students is taken into account.” Or, as one sociologist supposedly put it to the scholar-politician Daniel Patrick Moynihan, “Have you heard what Coleman is finding? It’s all family.”

The Coleman Report’s conclusions concerning the influences of home and family were at odds with the paradigm of the day. The politically inconvenient conclusion that family background explained more about a child’s achievement than did school resources ran contrary to contemporary priorities, which were focused on improving educational inputs such as school expenditure levels, class size, and teacher quality. Indeed, less than a year before the Coleman Report’s release, President Lyndon Johnson had signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act into law, dedicating federal funds to disadvantaged students through a Title 1 program that still remains the single largest investment in K–12 education, currently reaching approximately 21 million students at an annual cost of about $14.4 billion.

So what exactly had Coleman uncovered? Differences among schools in their facilities and staffing “are so little related to achievement levels of students that, with few exceptions, their effect fails to appear even in a survey of this magnitude,” the authors concluded.

Zeroing In on Family Background

Coleman’s advisory panel refused to sign off on the report, citing “methodological concerns” that continue to reverberate. Subsequent research has corroborated the finding that family background is strongly correlated with student performance in school. A correlation between family background and educational and economic success, however, does not tell us whether the relationship between the two is independent of any school impacts. The associations between home life and school performance that Coleman documented may actually be driven by disparities in school or neighborhood quality rather than family influences. Often, families choose their children’s schools by selecting their community or neighborhood, and children whose parents select good schools may benefit as a consequence. In the elusive quest to uncover the determinants of students’ academic success, therefore, it is important to rely on experimental or quasi-experimental research that identifies effects of family background that operate separately and apart from any school effects.

In this essay I look at four family variables that may influence student achievement: family education, family income, parents’ criminal activity, and family structure. I then consider the ways in which schools can offset the effects of these factors.

Parental Education. Better-educated parents are more likely to consider the quality of the local schools when selecting a neighborhood in which to live. Once their children enter a school, educated parents are also more likely to pay attention to the quality of their children’s teachers and may attempt to ensure that their children are adequately served. By participating in parent-teacher conferences and volunteering at school, they may encourage staff to attend to their children’s individual needs.

In addition, highly educated parents are more likely than their less-educated counterparts to read to their children. Educated parents enhance their children’s development and human capital by drawing on their own advanced language skills in communicating with their children. They are more likely to pose questions instead of directives and employ a broader and more complex vocabulary. Estimates suggest that, by age 3, children whose parents receive public assistance hear less than a third of the words encountered by their higher-income peers. As a result, the children of highly educated parents are capable of more complex speech and have more extensive vocabularies before they even start school.

Highly educated parents can also use their social capital to promote their children’s development. A cohesive social network of well-educated individuals socializes children to expect that they too will attain high levels of academic success. It can also transmit cultural capital by teaching children the specific behaviors, patterns of speech, and cultural references that are valued by the educational and professional elite.

In most studies, parental education has been identified as the single strongest correlate of children’s success in school, the number of years they attend school, and their success later in life. Because parental education influences children’s learning both directly and through the choice of a school, we do not know how much of the correlation can be attributed to direct impact and how much to school-related factors. Teasing out the distinct causal impact of parental education is tricky, but given the strong association between parental education and student achievement in every industrialized society, the direct impact is undoubtedly substantial. Furthermore, quasi-experimental strategies have found positive effects of parental education on children’s outcomes. For instance, one study of Korean children adopted into American families shows that the adoptive mother’s education level is significantly associated with the child’s educational attainment.

Family Income. As with parental education, family income may have a direct impact on a child’s academic outcomes, or variations in achievement could simply be a function of the school the child attends: parents with greater financial resources can identify communities with higher-quality schools and choose more-expensive neighborhoods—the very places where good schools are likely to be. More-affluent parents can also use their resources to ensure that their children have access to a full range of extracurricular activities at school and in the community.

But it’s not hard to imagine direct effects of income on student achievement. Parents who are struggling economically simply don’t have the time or the wherewithal to check homework, drive children to summer camp, organize museum trips, or help their kids plan for college. Working multiple jobs or inconvenient shifts makes it hard to dedicate time for family dinners, enforce a consistent bedtime, read to infants and toddlers, or invest in music lessons or sports clubs. Even small differences in access to the activities and experiences that are known to promote brain development can accumulate, resulting in a sizable gap between two groups of children defined by family circumstances.

It is challenging to find rigorous experimental or quasi-experimental evidence to disentangle the direct effects of home life from the effects of the school a family selects. While Coleman claimed that family and peers had an effect on student achievement that was distinct from the influence of schools or neighborhoods, his research design was inadequate to support this conclusion. All he was able to show was that family characteristics had a strong correlation with student achievement.

Separating out the independent effects of family education and family income is also difficult. We do not know if low income and financial instability alone can adversely affect children’s behavior, emotional stability, and educational outcomes. Evidence from the negative-income-tax experiments carried out by the federal government between 1968 and 1982 showed only mixed effects of income on children’s outcomes, and subsequent work by the University of Chicago’s Susan Mayer cast doubt on any causal relationship between parental income and child well-being. However, a recent study by Gordon Dahl and Lance Lochner, exploiting quasi-experimental variation in the Earned Income Tax Credit, provides convincing evidence that increases in family income can lift the achievement levels of students raised in low-income working families, even holding other factors constant.

Parental Incarceration. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that 2.3 percent of U.S. children have a parent in federal or state prison. Black children are 7.5 times more likely and Hispanic children 2.5 times more likely than white children to have an incarcerated parent. Incarceration removes a wage earner from the home, lowering household income. One estimate suggests that two-thirds of incarcerated fathers had provided the primary source of family income before their imprisonment. As a result, children with a parent in prison are at greater risk of homelessness, which in turn can have grave consequences: the receipt of social and medical services and assignment to a traditional public school all require a stable home address. The emotional strain of a parent’s incarceration can also take its toll on a child’s achievement in school.

Quantifying the causal effects of parental incarceration has proven challenging, however. While correlational research finds that the odds of finishing high school are 50 percent lower for children with an incarcerated parent, parents who are in prison may have less education, lower income, more limited access to quality schools, and other attributes that adversely affect their children’s success in school. A recent review of 22 studies of the effect of parental incarceration on child well-being concludes that, to date, no research in this area has been able to leverage a natural experiment to produce quasi-experimental estimates. Just how large a causal impact parental incarceration has on children remains an important but largely uncharted topic for future research.

Family Structure. While most American children still live with both of their biological or adoptive parents, family structures have become more diverse in recent years, and living arrangements have grown increasingly complex. In particular, the two-parent family is vanishing among the poor.

Recent research by MIT economist David Autor and colleagues generates quasi-experimental estimates of family background by simultaneously accounting for the impact of neighborhood environment and school quality to investigate why boys fare worse than girls in disadvantaged families. Comparing boys to their sisters in a data set that includes more than 1 million children born in Florida between 1992 and 2002, the authors demonstrate a persistent gender gap in graduation and truancy rates, incidence of behavioral and cognitive disabilities, and standardized test scores.

Policies to Counter Family Disadvantage

Policymakers who are weighing competing approaches to countering the influence of family disadvantage face a tough choice: Should they try to improve schools (to overcome the effects of family background) or directly address the effects of family background?

The question is critical. If family background is decisive regardless of the quality of the school, then the road to equal opportunity will be long and hard. Increasing the level of parental education is a multigenerational challenge, while reducing the rising disparities in family income would require massive changes in public policy, and reversing the growth in the prevalence of single-parent families would also prove challenging. And, while efforts to reduce incarceration rates are afoot, U.S. crime rates remain among the highest in the world. Given these obstacles, if schools themselves can offset differences in family background, the chances of achieving a more egalitarian society greatly improve.

For these reasons, scholars need to continue to tackle the causality question raised by Coleman’s pathbreaking study. Although the obstacles to causal inference are steep, education researchers should focus on quasi-experimental approaches relying on sibling comparisons, changes in state laws over time, or policy quirks—such as policy implementation timelines that vary across municipalities—that facilitate research opportunities.

Given what is currently known, a holistic approach that simultaneously attempts to strengthen both home and school influences in disadvantaged communities is worthy of further exploration. A number of contemporary and past initiatives point to the potential of this comprehensive approach.

Promise Neighborhoods

“Promise Neighborhoods,” which are funded by a grant program of the U.S. Department of Education, serve distressed communities by delivering a continuum of services through multiple government agencies, nonprofit organizations, churches, and agencies of civil society. These neighborhood initiatives use “wraparound” programs that take a holistic approach to improving the educational achievement of low-income students. The template for the approach is the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ), a 97-block neighborhood in New York City that combines charter schooling with a full package of social, medical, and community support services. The programs and resources are available to the families at no cost.

Services available in the HCZ include a Baby College, where expectant parents can learn about child development and gain parenting skills; two charter schools and a college success office, which provides individualized counseling and guidance to graduates on university campuses across the country; free legal services, tax preparation, and financial counseling; employment workshops and job fairs; a 50,000-square-foot facility that offers recreational and nutrition classes; and a food services team that provides breakfast, lunch, and a snack every school day to more than 2,000 students.

Research by Will Dobbie and Roland Fryer demonstrates that the impact of attending an HCZ charter middle school on students’ test scores is comparable to the impressive effects seen at  high-performing charter schools such as the Knowledge Is Power Program (known as KIPP schools). Students who win admission by lottery and attend an HCZ school also have higher on-time graduation rates than their peers and are less likely to become teen parents or land in prison. Although some community services are available to HCZ residents only, results show that students who live outside the HCZ experience similar benefits simply from attending the Promise Academy. That is, Dobbie and Fryer do not find any additional benefits associated with the resident-only supplementary services that distinguish the Promise Neighborhoods approach.   (In many instances, the mean scores for children who live within the zone are higher than those for nonresidents, but these differences are not statistically significant.)

There are two caveats to keep in mind in regard to this finding that support the case for continued experimentation with and evaluation of Promise Neighborhoods. First, many of the wraparound services offered in the HCZ are provided through the school and are thus available to HCZ residents and nonresidents alike. For instance, all Promise Academy students receive free nutritious meals; medical, dental, and mental health services; and food baskets for their parents. The services that nonresidents cannot access are things such as tax preparation and financial advising, parenting classes through the Baby College, and job fairs. It may be that both groups of students are accessing the most beneficial supplementary services.

The second caveat is that the HCZ is a “pipeline” model that aims to transform an entire community by targeting services across many different domains. Therefore, we may have to wait until a cohort of students has progressed through that pipeline before we can get a full picture of how these comprehensive services have benefited them. The first cohort to complete the entire HCZ program is expected to graduate from high school in 2020.

The main drawback of the Promise Neighborhoods model is its high cost. To cover the expenses of running the Promise Academy Charter School and the afterschool and wraparound programs, the HCZ spends about $19,272 per pupil. While this price tag is about $3,100 higher than the median per-pupil cost in New York State, it is still about $14,000 lower than what is spent by a district at the 95th percentile. If future research can demonstrate that the HCZ positively influences longer-term outcomes such as college graduation rates, income, and mortality, the model will hold tremendous potential that may well justify its costs.

Early Childhood Education

Early childhood programs can provide a source of enrichment for needy children, ensuring them a solid start in a world where those with inadequate education are increasingly marginalized. Neuroscientists estimate that about 90 percent of the brain develops between birth and age 5, supporting the case for expanded access to early childhood programs. While the United States spends abundantly on elementary and secondary schoolchildren ($12,401 per student per year in 2013–14 dollars), it devotes dramatically less than other wealthy countries to children in their first few years of life.

Four years before James Coleman released his report, a group of underprivileged, at-risk toddlers at the Perry Preschool in Ypsilanti, Michigan, were randomly selected for a preschool intervention that consisted of daily coaching from highly trained teachers as well as visits to their homes. After just one year, those in the experimental treatment group were registering IQ scores 10 points higher than their peers in the control group. The test-score effects had disappeared by age 10, but follow-up analyses of the Perry Preschool treatment group revealed impressive longer-term outcomes that included a significant increase in their high-school graduation rate and the probability of earning at least $20,000 a year as adults, as well as a 19 percent decrease in their probability of being arrested five or more times. Similar small-scale, “hothouse” preschool experiments in Chicago, upstate New York, and North Carolina have all shown comparable benefits.

Unfortunately, attempts to scale up such programs have proved challenging. Studies of the Head Start program, for instance, have uncovered mixed evidence of its effectiveness. Modest impacts on students’ cognitive skills mostly fade out by the end of 1st grade. Such results have led many to question whether quality can be consistently maintained when a program such as Head Start is implemented broadly. Indeed, recent research has revealed considerable differences in Head Start’s effectiveness from site to site. Variation in inputs and practices among Head Start centers explains about a third of these differences, a finding that may offer clues as to the contextual factors that influence the program’s varying levels of success.

Although the policymaker’s challenge is to figure out how to expand access to such programs  while preserving quality, evidence suggests that investment in early childhood education has the potential to significantly address disparities that arise from family disadvantage.

Small Schools of Choice 

Traditional public schools assign a child to a given school based exclusively on his family’s place of residence. As Coleman pointed out, residential assignment promotes stratification between schools by family background, because it creates incentives for families of means to move to the “good” school districts. Under this system, schools cannot serve as the equal-opportunity engines of our society. Instead, residential assignment often replicates within the school system the same family advantages and disadvantages that exist in the community.

The most promising social policy for combating the effects of family background, then, could well be the expansion of programs that  allow families to choose schools without regard to their neighborhood of residence.  An analysis of more than 100 small schools of choice in New York City between 2002 and 2008 revealed a 9.5 percent increase in the graduation rate of a group of educationally and economically disadvantaged students, at no extra cost to the city. Positive results have also been observed with respect to student test scores for charter schools in New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, and New Orleans.

Small schools of choice might also build the social capital that Coleman considered crucial for student success. First, small schools are well positioned to build a strong sense of community through the development of robust student-teacher, parent-teacher, and student-student relationships. Helping students to cultivate dense networks of social relationships better equips them to handle life’s challenges and is particularly vital given the disintegration of many social structures today. While schools may not be able to compensate fully for the disruptive effects of a dysfunctional or unstable family, a robust school culture can transform the “social ecology” of a disadvantaged child.

A small school of choice also engenders a voluntary community that comes together over strong ties and shared values. Typically, schools of choice feature a clearly defined mission and set of core values, which may derive from religious traditions and beliefs. The Notre Dame ACE Academy schools, for instance, strive for the twin goals of preparing students for college and for heaven. By explicitly defining their mission, schools can appeal to families who share their values and are eager to contribute to the growth of the community. A focused mission also helps school administrators attract like-minded teachers and thus promotes staff collegiality. A warm and cohesive teaching staff can be particularly beneficial for children from unstable homes, whose parents may not regularly express emotional closeness or who fail to communicate effectively. Exposure to well-functioning adult role models at school might compensate for such deficits, promoting well-being and positive emotional development.

Implications for Policy

Determining the causal relationships between family background and child well-being has posed a daunting challenge. Family characteristics are often tightly correlated with features of the neighborhood environment, making it difficult to determine the independent influences of each. But getting a solid understanding of causality is critical to the debate over whether to intervene inside or outside of school.

The results of quasi-experimental research, as well as common sense, tell us that children who grow up in stable, well-resourced families have significant advantages over their peers who do not—including access to better schools and other educational services. Policies that place schools at center stage have the potential to disrupt the cycle of economic disadvantage to ensure that children born into poverty aren’t excluded from the American dream.

In opening our eyes to the role of family background in the creation of inequality, Coleman wasn’t suggesting that we shrug our shoulders and learn to live with it. But in attacking the achievement gap, as his research would imply, we need to mobilize not only our schools but also other institutions. Promise Neighborhoods offer cradle-to-career supports to help children successfully navigate the challenges of growing up. Early childhood programs provide intervention at a critical time, when children’s brains take huge leaps in development. Finally, small schools of choice can help to build a strong sense of community, which could particularly benefit inner-city neighborhoods where traditional institutions have been disintegrating.

Schools alone can’t level the vast inequalities that students bring to the schoolhouse door, but a combination of school programs, social services, community organizations, and civil society could make a major difference. Ensuring that all kids, regardless of family background, have a decent chance of doing better than their parents is an important societal and policy goal. Innovative approaches such as those outlined here could help us achieve it.

Anna J. Egalite is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development at the College of Education, North Carolina State University. 

For more, please see “ The Top 20 Education Next Articles of 2023 .”

This article appeared in the Spring 2016 issue of Education Next . Suggested citation format:

Egalite, A.J. (2016). How Family Background Influences Student Achievement: Can schools narrow the gap? Education Next , 16(2), 70-78.

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MSU Extension Child & Family Development

The importance of parent education.

Tracy Trautner, Michigan State University Extension - October 03, 2019

Love is instinctual, skills are not.

Parenting, for many, is the most important and challenging job to ever have and a role that gets little recognition. Parents and other primary caregivers of all types (foster parents, grandparents, adoptive parents, etc.) can all use an opportunity to learn tips and new strategies to relate with our children and enjoy being with them. It also allows an opportunity to engage with other parents that may be having similar issues and struggles.

Today, there are new parenting challenges to overcome. Skills, routines and values were passed from generation to generation and parents could rely on networks of support to help them parent. Compared to past generations, many parents and families have become isolated and are raising children in silos. These parents are trying to figure it out alone. The skills a child needs to be successful have changed as well.

Over the years, each generation sees a change in what society considers parenting issues. Currently, families struggle with behavior management issues including lack of expectations, child supervision and excessively severe and inconsistent punishment on behalf of the parent. According to John Geldhoff , an Oregon University assistant professor of behavioral and health science, all parents—high income, low income, mandated and non–mandated—can benefit from evidence-based parenting education. Parents who have attended classes and learned effective discipline and parenting techniques report having children with higher grades, fewer behavior problems, less substance abuse issues, better mental health and greater social competence.

Parenting education programs offer support and education that can address issues and make parenting easier, more enjoyable and can strengthen a child’s ability to thrive. Building Early Emotional Skills in Young Children is one of many parenting programs offered by Michigan State University Extension. Many other reliable sources of information for parents are available to meet their needs. Resources are readily available online through YouTube videos, research-based websites, in person, podcasts, blogs and books that are readily accessible. Before you engage with a parenting resource, check the source of the information to be certain it is research based and reputable.

Your child’s childcare center or school, community center, local library and local county MSU Extension may offer in-person trainings. In-person parent education allows parents the options to ask pertinent questions to their situation and potentially meet other parents to share stories with. A frequent issue that is brought up is relatable to everyone in the class, quality discussions begins, and ideas are shared. Online classes may also offer valuable opportunities to explore materials at your own pace and connect virtually with other parents.

Parenting education can be seen as something negative, like it is a reflection on your ability to parent. Parenting education is not just for parents who are struggling or having severe problems with their children’s behavior—it can be an opportunity for parents to feel more confident as a parent, prevent future problems, enjoy being with their children and help their family get along.

We may invest time and money to take our new puppy to obedience class, take golf lessons or practice our swing, or take our family out to eat or on vacation as a way to invest in ourselves and our families. Similarly, parenting classes are an investment in our personal growth and our children’s future ability to build healthy relationships, make and retain friends, get a job and keep it, and become great parents themselves.

To find more valuable, research-based information about parenting, check out the following resources:

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
• Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children (MiAEYC)
• Zero to Three
• Center on the Developing Child , Harvard University
• MSU Extension's Family

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension . For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu . To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters . To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts , or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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Parenting Education Programs: Pros and Cons Essay

Raising a child is a big responsibility, and it requires multiple skills and proper knowledge that most people, especially first-time parents, simply do not have. The readiness of pregnant couples to become parents and make educated decisions while raising a child affects the mental and physical health of their future kids. There are specially designed programs that are aimed to provide education and support for parents. Classes can be taken during pregnancy and early childhood. There are different ways to provide training for parents, including courses that people need to attend personally, online resources, and home visiting programs. To ensure that new pregnant couples are prepared to handle the responsibilities associated with raising kids and with helping alleviate stress and support families, it is essential that parents take parenting education programs.

Parenting education programs provide new parents with proper guidance that is based on the latest research; they help develop the necessary skills and acquire knowledge about raising kids. Expecting parents are given an opportunity to get professional advice regarding the health of their child and a variety of other topics, like proper nutrition and hygiene (Ponzetti 54-65). Such classes teach basic techniques to raise newborns, avoiding common mistakes and pitfalls.

Educational programs also teach parents to understand child development. The curriculum is specially designed to cover all significant aspects of parenting and ensure that couples are given the best professional advice that is based on the latest studies in the field. Variety of relevant to parents topics that are discussed in classes and the opportunity to learn from medical personnel make attending parenting classes recommended for all expecting parents.

Classes for pregnant couples help parents to gain confidence and reduce the level of stress. It is widespread for future parents to be anxious about having a child. Stress during pregnancy affects the development of the child and interferes with the woman’s ability to make decisions. Specially designed programs help mothers to handle this problem. Taking such classes benefits the psychological state of women and is associated with lower levels of depression and stress (Lindsay and Totsika 35). In addition to that, parenting classes support and encourage parents and provide them with an opportunity to socialize and meet with other people who have similar problems and experiences. Thus, parenting courses have an essential function to support and encourage people who are about to have a child.

Parenting programs provide social service to the disadvantaged and thus play a significant social role in promoting equality. Parenting education plays an important role in developing a proper attitude towards children among people from vulnerable families. Such people often just do not know how to approach their kids because they have not had the experience of healthy relationships with their parents during childhood. Taking parenting classes helps such individuals better realize their role and learn to engage with their kids. People who have taken courses are less prone to negligence and violence against children.

Government finances some classes for caretakers, which makes them inexpensive and sometimes even free of charge. It makes such courses equally available for all people regardless of their socio-economic status (“Free Parenting Education Classes” 00:00:30 – 00:02:00). It is important because children from low-income families are especially vulnerable, and their parents might need extra support and guidance to overcome the disadvantages of their position in society.

Parenting educational programs can be ineffective and might overwhelm parents. The critics of parenting education point out that many of the existing programs are not very effective despite the cost and involvement of highly professional medical personnel and instructors. It often happens because the course is too ambitious and does not take into account the fact that parents are already busy with many responsibilities. Difficulties associated with taking excessively detailed programs are likely to discourage people from participating. It has a negative impact on the stress level of mothers and affects motivation.

As a result, parents drop out of such problems and become disappointed in the social support system in general (Salvy et al. 160). The problem is serious, but it does not outweigh multiple benefits of parenting education, and it can be fixed by optimization of curricula and proper implementation of education programs. It is justified to focus only on the most important aspects of parenting and to keep courses reasonably simple to apprehend. It is also essential to consider the emotional state of parents and provide them with appropriate psychological support.

Parenting programs are aimed to help future parents to improve their ability to raise healthy children. Such programs have an important implication in fighting child abuse and educating pregnant couples about the health of their children. These programs have been shown to have a positive effect, and the flaws that have been found in their implementation can be fixed by further improving methods and techniques they employ to provide parents with the best advice and guidance.

All pregnant couples, especially first-time parents, are recommended to enroll in a parenting class to receive evidence-based support and education during pregnancy and while raising a child. Further research on parenting education programs is needed to develop more effective approaches to the subject and to use such classes to their full potential.

Works Cited

“Free Parenting Education Classes,” YouTube, uploaded by Fairfax County Government. 2018. Web.

Lindsay, Geoff, and Vasiliki Totsika. “The Effectiveness of Universal Parenting Programmes: The CANparent Trial.” BMC Psychology, vol. 5, no. 1, 2017, p. 35.

Ponzetti Jr, James J., editor. Evidence-Based Parenting Education: A Global Perspective. Routledge, 2015.

Salvy, Sarah J., et al. “Home Visitation Programs: An Untapped Opportunity for the Delivery of Early Childhood Obesity Prevention.” Obesity Reviews, vol. 18, no. 2, 2016, pp. 149-163.

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• How Ineffective Parenting Affects a Child’s Future
• The Four Basic Parenting Practices
• Developing an Effective Parenting
• Parenting Styles: China vs. North America
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• The Concept of Virtual Child: NuNu Case
• Children With Disabilities and Parental Mistreatment
• Pregnancy, Parentage and Family Development
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• Parent Education and Discipline-Training Programs

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Parenting Styles — Parent Involvement in Education

Parent Involvement in Education

• Categories: Parenting Styles

About this sample

Words: 715 |

Published: Apr 11, 2019

Words: 715 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Works Cited

• Child Trends. (n.d.). Parental involvement in education. https://www.childtrends.org/indicators/parental-involvement-in-education
• Sivertsen, J. (2018, March 26). The importance of parental involvement in education. EdTech Magazine.
• The Star Online. (2018, January 7). The importance of parental involvement in children's education. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/education/2018/01/07/the-importance-of-parental-involvement-in-childrens-education/
• Topor, D. R., Keane, S. P., Shelton, T. L., & Calkins, S. D. (2010). Parent involvement and student academic performance: A multiple mediational analysis. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 38(3), 183-197.
• Wang, M. T., Hill, N. E., & Hofkens, T. (2014). Parental involvement and African American and European American adolescents' academic, behavioral, and emotional development in secondary school. Child Development, 85(6), 2151-2168.
• Wang, M. T., & Sheikh-Khalil, S. (2014). Does parental involvement matter for student achievement and mental health in high school? Child Development, 85(2), 610-625.
• Wilder, S. (2014). Effects of parental involvement on academic achievement: A meta-synthesis. Educational Review, 66(3), 377-397.
• Xu, J. (2011). Parental involvement in homework: A review of current research and its implications for teachers, after school program staff, and parent leaders. Harvard Family Research Project. https://www.hfrp.org/publications-resources/browse-our-publications/parental-involvement-in-homework-a-review-of-current-research-and-its-implicatio

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Collaborating to transform and improve education systems: A playbook for family-school engagement

By Rebecca Winthrop, Adam Barton, Mahsa Ershadi, and Lauren Ziegler

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This playbook on family-school collaboration makes the case for why family engagement is essential for education systems transformation and why families and schools must have a shared understanding of what a good quality education looks like. By providing evidence-based strategies from around the world and other hands-on tools that school leaders and partners can adopt and use in their local contexts, it aims to help leapfrog education inequality so that all young people can have a 21st-century education.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put the topic of families and schools working together to educate children at the center of virtually every country’s education debate. Teachers around the world report developing creative ways of engaging with parents to help their students learn at home, including strategies they would like to continue even after pandemic is over (Teach for All, 2020; Teach for Pakistan, 2020). In turn, parents—whom we define as any family members or guardians who are the primary caregivers (see Box 1 for important terms defined)—have responded to these new remote-learning experiences and new forms of communication. Their increased expectations of deeper engagement with schools are reflected in representative surveys of parents across Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and the United States—all pointing to this rising demand from families for new approaches to working with schools ( Learning Heroes, 2020; Molina et al., 2020).

Many leaders of schools and school systems across the world had an “aha” moment when, after pivoting to new outreach and communication mechanisms, they saw major jumps in the level of engagement of families, especially among those who had been previously deemed hard to reach. From Argentina to India to the United States, leaders realized that hard-to-reach families were not opposed to engaging with schools; it was just that the schools’ approaches to engagement were getting in the way. For example, when the government of Himachal Pradesh, a state of almost 7 million people in India, pivoted from asking parents to come to schools for meetings to finding multiple ways for schools to come to parents —through text messages, WhatsApp groups, and Facebook posts—engagement levels jumped from 20 percent to 80 percent in two months (Brookings Institution, 2021).

I felt like I knew more during the school closures what my child had been learning than the entire three and a half other years she’s been in school. Parent, United States

The four goals

This new focus on ways to connect families with schools presents an opportunity to markedly shift broader approaches, and the overall vision, for long-term collaboration. This playbook shows that family-school engagement—namely the collaboration between the multiple actors, from parents and community members to teachers and school leaders—has an important role to play in improving and transforming education systems to achieve four main goals (Figure 1):

• Parent and family: In this playbook, “parent” is shorthand for any family member, caregiver, or guardian who cares for children and youth. We rely most heavily on the term “family” to capture the varied contexts in which children live and are cared for, including extended family members—from grandparents to aunts, uncles, or cousins—who play leading roles in caregiving. The playbook uses the terms “parent” and “family” interchangeably.
• Teacher: The playbook uses “teacher” instead of “educator” to distinguish between the education professional (whose vocation is to instruct and guide children in school) and parents (who are their child’s first educators, helping them develop and learn from birth on).
• Involvement versus engagement: We find Ferlazzo’s distinction between family “involvement” and “engagement” helpful and use the terms accordingly. “A school striving for family involvement often leads with its mouth—identifying projects, needs, and goals and then telling parents how they can contribute.” In contrast, “a school striving for parent engagement leads with its ears—listening to what parents think, dream, and worry about. The goal of family engagement is not to serve clients but to gain partners” (Ferlazzo, 2011, p. 12).
• Family-school engagement: This playbook uses the term “family-school engagement” instead of the more common “family engagement” not only to express the dual nature of the engagement but also to highlight the fact that either side can, and does, initiate the engagement process.
• Alignment and the alignment gap: When families and schools share the same vision of the purpose of school, they are aligned in their beliefs and values, and this coherence is a powerful driver of education system transformation. An “alignment gap” exists when families and schools either do not share or perceive that they do not share the same views on the purpose of school and therefore what makes for a quality education for their children and communities.
• Schools and education systems: “School” denotes children’s structured process of teaching and learning regardless of location (whether a school building, outdoors, a library, a museum, or home). “Education systems” comprise schools but also frequently include a range of actors in the community (such as parks, employers, or nonprofit programs) that can work with schools to provide an ecosystem of learning opportunities. Education systems can have different levels of jurisdiction (district, state, or national) that denote their limits of authority. Although governments in every country bear the responsibility for ensuring that all children, especially from marginalized communities, can access a quality education, this playbook also refers to nongovernmental school networks (for example, a private school chain or a nonprofit network) as jurisdictions.
• System improvement: Certain efforts maximize how a system delivers education against the existing vision and set of outcomes. They aim to achieve the first two goals defined in this playbook: (a) improve student attendance and completion, and (b) improve student learning and development.
• System transformation: Other efforts broaden engagement to redefine the purpose of an education system, hence shifting the beliefs and mindsets that guide it along with the operations that deliver on that vision. They aim to achieve the second two goals defined in this playbook: (a) redefine the purpose of school for students, and (b) redefine the purpose of school for society.

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Improving education systems

Robust evidence shows that family-school engagement can significantly improve how systems serve their students, especially those who have been poorly served. Studies that primarily assess school improvement have looked at students’ educational outcomes as measured by attendance; completion; and achievement on literacy, numeracy, and other regularly assessed competencies. We classify these efforts as system “improvement” because they improve how the system delivers education against an established set of outcomes rather than shifting the overall vision of the system’s purpose. Several such studies find that family-school engagement, when implemented effectively, not only boosts student outcomes but also can be a highly cost-effective investment.

Our students come from very challenging backgrounds, so we cannot focus only on academics. I feel it is necessary for teachers to spend some time bonding with students. It is very important for me to bond with their families as the difficulties faced by the families are also related to my child’s background. As a teacher, I feel having this complete triangle connected to each other is very important. Teacher, India

Schools with strong family engagement are 10 times more likely to improve student learning outcomes. In one longitudinal study across 200 public elementary schools in Chicago (Bryk, 2010), researchers identified five key supports that together determined whether schools could substantially improve students’ reading and math scores: school leadership, family and community engagement, education personnel capacity, school learning climate, and instructional guidance. Crucially, schools improved most when all five supports were present. A sustained weakness in even one of these elements led schools to stagnate, showing little improvement.

The important role family-school engagement plays in improving students’ achievement is also broadly supported by other research, including a meta-analysis of 52 studies that found that engaging parents in their children’s schooling leads to improved grades for students in their classes and on standardized tests (Jeynes, 2007).

Communicating with families can be one of the most highly cost-effective approaches. Robust family engagement, as a core pillar of improving schools, certainly requires investment to shift mindsets and behaviors, but one particular component of this effort—direct communication with families—is a highly cost-effective way of improving student attendance and learning outcomes. A global study comparing evaluations of different types of education interventions (such as teacher training, materials provision, scholarships) across 46 low- and middle-income countries found sharing information about education to be at the top of the list in terms of cost-effectiveness (Angrist et al., 2020). The study showed that a particular approach to communicating information is what improves student outcomes at scale, namely context-specific information about the benefits, costs, and quality of local schooling from a messenger that families and students trust. For example, data that help families and their children to better assess the specific benefits of staying and doing well in school (like higher earnings and better health) as well as to better identify resources that could help students participate in higher education and understand the quality of schooling options available to them. In fact, targeted information campaigns about the benefits of education for students can deliver the equivalent of three additional years of high-quality education for a low per student cost.

The Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel identified communicating with families in this manner, including through videos or parents’ meetings at school, as a “great buy” for education systems. For a modest investment, it can significantly improve student outcomes on important dimensions such as years of schooling and acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills across a large number of communities (Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel, 2020).

Transforming education systems

The increased attention to family-school engagement also provides an opportunity for a broader debate and dialogue on the overall purpose of school. Families not only have increased expectations for ongoing engagement but also, in many contexts, have had front-row seats inside the schooling process during the COVID-19 pandemic and have opinions on what a quality education should look like for their children.

These discussions on the purpose of school would, of course, include an examination of strategies to ensure that students are attending school and learning well there. But they would also allow parents and families and teachers and schools to take a step back and ask each other, “What are schools for? What role should they play in society? And what types of competencies and skills should schools help our children develop?”

No institution or one actor can reinvent the education system by themselves. So you need to spend the time to develop an answer to the question: What is it that we want for our children in this community? Only once we agree on where we’re trying to go, can we then work in coordination and know what our respective roles are. Developing this shared vision is what good leaders do. District superintendent, United States

We refer to this broader engagement on the guiding vision of education as system “transformation” work because it does not take the current education system outcomes as a given. Although the family engagement literature offers only a limited focus on engaging families with this goal in mind, the system transformation field offers substantial insight on the important role family-school engagement plays in this process—and what it takes to achieve this engagement.

Redefining the purpose of education—one of the most powerful levers for sustainably transforming systems—requires participation by the whole community. Systems of any kind—education, health, or justice—are made up of many elements, from the concrete and visible (like people and resources) to the abstract and invisible (like group priorities and culture). Scholars of system dynamics point to changing “deep structures,” which include the invisible elements of a system like values and beliefs, as one of the most effective ways to transform what systems do (Gersick, 1991; Heracleous & Barrett, 2001). They argue that frequently, when leaders seek to change the concrete or visible elements of a system without changing the deep structures of beliefs and values that guide that system, the results amount to tinkering around the edges. Conversely, a shift in the beliefs and values that guide a system drives changes across the visible and invisible elements alike (Meadows, 2008; Munro et al., 2002).

In this way, aligning around a shared vision of the purpose of school is a powerful way for schools and families to shape the deep structures guiding how schools operate. For example, in communities where families or teachers or students have different beliefs about what school is for and hence what they should do , schools are likely to struggle, being pulled in multiple directions or experiencing considerable headwinds to any changes that are made. In contrast, communities with a well-aligned vision of the purpose of school can move forward constructively, with families, teachers, students, and others all playing their respective roles in helping to advance this vision. This type of family-school engagement has the added benefit of helping sustain a vision of quality schooling across multiple political cycles. An Achilles’ heel of education system change is the short tenure of leaders. In Latin America, for example, most education ministers are only in office for an average of two to three years, which frequently means a revolving door of priorities guiding the system (Fiszbein & Saccucci, 2016).

Deep dialogue with families and schools is needed to unlock systemwide transformational processes. One study examined the greatest barriers to and enablers of systemwide change, tracking reform journeys across three countries: Canada, Finland, and Portugal (Barton, 2021). In all three cases, the primary barrier was a misalignment between members of the community—from education leaders to teachers to families—on their beliefs and values about school. They lacked a shared sense of “this is what school is about.” In all three countries, a process of deep and respectful dialogue, whereby families and schools along with others had equal places at the table, was crucial for unlocking the system transformation process. The study concludes that collectively defining and aligning the purpose of education, and the values that drive it, are among the essential enablers of systemwide transformation. This study reaffirms prior findings from U.S.-based research: education reforms are only successful when, among other things, they are consistent with stakeholders’ values, in other words when they are aligned to students, parents, and teachers’ beliefs about education (Cohen and Mehta, 2017).

A changing world

The COVID-19 pandemic has not been the first and will not be the last external force driving a need to change education systems. Strategies for families and communities to work together across all four goals of system improvement or transformation are needed now, particularly to address the growing inequality that has emerged from the pandemic. But they will also be needed in the future to navigate the skills needed for a rapidly changing world.

There is a growing consensus among education experts and learning scientists that education systems must focus more heavily on ensuring that students develop a wide range of competencies—from robust academic knowledge, to “learning how to learn,” to collaborative problem solving. Many also agree that to develop this breadth of skills and deliver a holistic education, teaching and learning experiences must shift to include more experiential, playful, real-world application of academic learning (Winthrop et al., 2018). The forces that are already pushing education systems in this direction are set to accelerate over the coming decades. They include the advent of new technologies, the disruption of the world of work through automation of routine manual and cognitive skills, and the seriousness of complex social and environmental crises.

Although we subscribe to the argument that the fast pace of change requires education systems to improve and transform toward a more holistic vision of education and have written extensively on this before, we recognize that when it comes to family-school engagement, prescribing a vision undercuts the very power of the engagement process. For example, the deep dialogue needed to redefine the purpose of schools can only occur if parents and families and teachers and schools have an equal voice, whereby each brings their respective expertise to the table, and there is a level of trust that allows for the cocreation of a shared vision. We also realize that every context is different and together families, education professionals, students, and other stakeholders should be the ones to decide what a quality education looks like for them given their culture, history, aspirations, and community realities.

This is why this playbook focuses on offering ways of understanding the full landscape of family-school engagement strategies so that communities may learn from each other but ultimately with the goal of adapting and making strategies relevant in their own contexts. It is also why, to complement this landscape of strategies, we have provided an in-depth look at one of the system transformation goals: “redefine the purpose of school for students.” Current family-school engagement work has focused much less energy and attention on transforming education systems than on improving them, and deepening the field’s understanding of how to approach this goal is one way of addressing this gap.

Playbook contributions

This playbook includes six main components:

• Overview: We describe the four goals for family-school engagement (two goals for improving how systems serve students and two goals for transforming how systems are envisioned). The section provides context for family-school engagement in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and explains who should use the playbook.
• Evolution: This section discusses the evolving nature of family-school engagement. Historically, schools were never designed to engage families in the education of their children and we discuss the three main barriers facing family-school engagement today. We highlight the evolving story of good practice in family-school engagement from episodic involvement to continuous engagement.
• Strategy landscape: This section provides an overview of the good practice strategies that stakeholders can use to improve family-school engagement. It is a typology, or “map,” for understanding the breadth of family-school engagement approaches for achieving each of the four goals and highlights findings from our review of over 500 strategies.
• Strategy Finder: This interactive database features more than 60 strategies from around the world that bring the strategy landscape to life.
• Aligning beliefs: This section provides an in-depth look at the third goal of family-school engagement: redefine the purpose of school for students . It provides a framework for understanding how family-school engagement can support system transformation and our insights from surveying close to 25,000 parents and more than 6,000 teachers about their education beliefs. We conducted these surveys together with our Family Engagement in Education Network (FEEN) across 10 countries and one global private school chain.
• Conversation Starter tools: This section continues the in-depth look at redefining the purpose of school for students by sharing our “Conversation Starter” tools. These tools will help anyone begin exploring how to help families and schools reach a shared understanding of what a good-quality education looks like.

Whom is this playbook for?

This playbook is for anyone interested in helping families and schools work better together to improve or transform how education is delivered or what goals it achieves. Given the power held by education system leaders and school heads, this playbook is particularly focused on supporting them in understanding the why, what, and how of working jointly with families to improve or transform schools (as further described in Box 2, “Who should use this playbook?”).

How was the playbook developed?

The playbook incorporates input from dozens of organizations and thousands of individuals around the world as well as extensive strategy analysis and research, as follows:

We hope this playbook is particularly useful for school system leaders, teacher organizations, civil society partners, and funders. We also hope the many parent organizations around the world, whose work we lift up and highlight, will find this playbook helpful to their ongoing work. The list below is certainly not exhaustive, and if you find yourself outside of one of these groups, we encourage you to read on.

Education decision makers

• Jurisdiction leaders and administrators. At the broader systems level, the playbook can be especially relevant for jurisdiction leaders and administrators at the district, state, and national levels, including jurisdiction-level governing boards, private sector school networks, and education leaders with oversight of key functions such as strategic planning, teacher training, and community engagement.
• School leaders and leadership teams. At the school level, the playbook is designed for school leaders, principals, and their executive leadership teams, including staff with responsibilities over community engagement and student success, as well as any related school-level governing boards.
• Leadership training programs. In addition, the playbook can also be useful for trainers of school leaders, such as universities. We hope the playbook can inspire content for curricula around family engagement and systems transformation.

Teacher leaders

• Teacher networks. Teacher unions, networks, and organizations will also find this playbook useful, especially in their work on strategy, policy, and advocacy. Although the playbook is not designed for individual teachers, much of its content addresses topics that teachers regularly discuss and that figure in their concerns.
• Teacher training programs. In addition, the playbook can also be useful for trainers of teachers, such as universities. We hope it can inspire content for curricula around family engagement and systems transformation.

School partners

• School partners. In addition to systems-level administrators and school-level leaders, the playbook is useful for the many partners of schools. This includes NGOs, including those that support delivery of education to children; private sector organizations, such as for-profit education companies; and funders, including bilateral and multilateral agencies and philanthropic foundations.
• Parent organizations. We also designed the playbook for parent organizations—groups of parents that have organized themselves to provide input into school and community-level issues, such as curricula, school infrastructure, and public safety. These groups are well placed to advocate for strong family-school relationships, and we hope the playbook will inspire learning from the other parent organizations featured in the Strategy Finder.

Abson, D. J., Fischer, J., Leventon, J., Newig, J., Schomerus, T., Vilsmaier, U., von Wehrden, H., Abernethy, P., Ives, C. D., Jager, N. W., & Lang, D. J. (2017). Leverage points for sustainability transformation. Ambio, 46(1), 30–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-016-0800-y

Andrabi, T., Das, J., Khwaja, A.I., Vishwanath, T., & Zajonc, T. (2008). Learning and educational achievements in Punjab schools (LEAPS): Insights to inform the education policy debate. The World Bank. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/997531468090281061/pdf/437500WP0PAK021Box0327368B01PUBLIC1.pdf

Angrist, T., Evans, D. K., Filmer, D., Glennerster, R., Rogers, F. H., and Sabarwal, S. (2020, October). How to improve education outcomes most efficiently? A comparison of 150 interventions using the new learning-adjusted years of schooling metric. Policy Research Working Paper 9450, World Bank.

Baker, D. P. (2014). The schooled society: The educational transformation of global culture. Stanford University Press.

Barton, A. (2021, March). Implementing education reform: Is there a “secret sauce”? Dream a Dream. https://dreamadream.org/report-implementing-education-reform/

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Acknowledgments

This playbook was co-authored by Rebecca Winthrop, Adam Barton, Mahsa Ershadi, and Lauren Ziegler from the Center for Universal Education (CUE) at Brookings. Rebecca Winthrop is the primary investigator, and the other co-authors are listed alphabetically given their equal contribution to the work.

The examples in the Strategy Finder were co-authored by Rebecca Winthrop, Adam Barton, Rachel Clayton, Steve Hahn, Maxwell Lieblich, Sophie Partington, and Lauren Ziegler.

This playbook was developed over a two-year period, with input from a number of collaborators, whose help was invaluable.

First and foremost, CUE would like to acknowledge the numerous inputs from the members of its Family Engagement in Education Network (FEEN), a group of education decisionmakers representing public education jurisdictions, private school networks, and nonprofit, parent, and funder organizations from countries around the world. FEEN members have shown their commitment to building ever stronger family-school partnerships, even during what have been the most challenging school years in recent memory. Members took time out of their schedules to attend regular virtual meetings, help co-create the vision guiding the project (including selecting the name of the network), review and adapt survey drafts, and connect us to their communities so we could conduct surveys and focus groups with parents and teacher across their jurisdictions. They provided documentation of family engagement strategies within their organizations, made time for follow-up interviews with CUE, and provided thoughtful input into early drafts of the playbook. CUE is forever grateful for the commitment, comradery, and wisdom of the network members, whose contributions have helped ensure the playbook reflects the lived experiences from numerous contexts around the world. We are also deeply indebted to the thousands of parents and teachers who across each FEEN jurisdiction took the time away from their busy lives talk to us and answer our surveys.   FEEN has grown since its inception and currently represents 49 organizations from 12 countries and one global private school chain with schools in 29 countries. The members are:

Aliquippa School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Pennsylvania, U.S. Association of Independent Schools of South Australia Avonworth School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. Brentwood Borough School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. Buenos Aires Ministry of Education, Argentina Butler School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. Cajon Valley Union School District, California, U.S. Chartiers Valley School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. Doncaster Council, UK Duquesne School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. Fort Cherry School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. Ghana Education Service, Ghana Hampton Township School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. Himachal Pradesh Department of Education, India Hopewell School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. Inter-American Development Bank Itau Social Foundation, Brazil Keystone Oaks School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. Khed Taluka District, Maharashtra, India Leadership for Equity, Maharashtra, India LeapEd Services, Malaysia Learning Creates Australia Lively Minds, Ghana Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township, Indiana, U.S. Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, India Ministry of Education, Colombia Nashik District, Maharashtra, India Networks of Inquiry and Indigenous Education, Canada New Brighton School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. New Castle School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. Nord Anglia Education Northgate School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. Parentkind, UK Pune Municipal Corporation, Maharashtra, India RedPaPaz, Colombia Right to Play, Ghana Samagra, Himachal Pradesh, India School District 8 Kootenay Lake, British Columbia, Canada School District 23 Central Okanagan, British Columbia, Canada School District 37 Delta, British Columbia, Canada School District 38 Richmond, British Columbia, Canada School District 39 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada School District 48 Sea to Sky, British Columbia, Canada South Fayette School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. The Grable Foundation, U.S. Transformative Educational Leadership Program, Canada Western Beaver School District, Pennsylvania, U.S. Western Cape Department of Education, South Africa Young 1ove, Botswana

We are also deeply grateful to our colleagues who reviewed our playbook offering incisive and important feedback, suggestions, and critiques. Our final draft is measurably improved thanks to all of them taking time, often during weekends and holidays, to provide us with their feedback. Thank you to:

John Bangs, Madhukar Banuri, Alex Beard, Eyal Bergman, Jean-Marc Bernard, Sanaya Bharucha, Margaret Caspe, Yu-Ling Cheng, Jane Gaskell, Crystal Green, Judy Halbert, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Linda Kaser, Linda Krynski, Karen Mapp, Brad Olsen, Carolina Piñeros, Tom Ralston, Keri Rodrigues, Urvashi Sahni, Eszter Salamon, Michael Serban, and Heather Weiss.

In addition to the FEEN and peer reviewers, CUE conducted consultations and interviews with a number of stakeholders who provided thorough and thoughtful input over the years into the development of the research, the playbook, and the examples featured in the Strategy Finder. We are especially grateful to:

Akwasi Addae-Boahene, Yaw Osei Adutwum, Carla Aerts, Kike Agunbiade, Carolyne Albert-Garvey, Manos Antoninis, Anna Arsenault, Orazio Attanasio, Patrick Awuah Jr., Chandrika Bahadur, Rukmini Banerji, Peter Barendse, Alex Beard, Amanda Beatty, Gregg Behr, Luis Benveniste, Sanaya Bharucha, Elisa Bonilla Rius, Francisco Cabrera-Hernández, Paul Carter, Jane Chadsey, Mahnaz Charania, Su-Hui Chen, Yu-Ling Cheng, Elizabeth Chu, Samantha Cohen, Larry Corio, Richard Culatta, Laura Ann Currie, Tim Daly, Emma Davidson, Susan Doherty, Shani Dowell, Sarah Dryden-Peterson, Cindy Duenas, David Edwards, Annabelle Eliashiv, Joyce L. Epstein, Jelmer Evers, Beverley Ferguson, Larry Fondation, Kwarteng Frimpong, Nicole Baker Fulgham, Howard Gardner, Elizabeth Germana, Caireen Goddard, L. Michael Golden, Jim Gray, Crystal Green, Betheny Gross, Azeez Gupta, Kaya Henderson, Ed Hidalgo, Paul Hill, Michael B. Horn, Bibb Hubbard, Gowri Ishwaran, Maysa Jalbout, William Jeynes, Jonene Johnson, Riaz Kamlani, Utsav Kheria, Annie Kidder, Jim Knight, Wendy Kopp, Keith Krueger, Sonya Krutikova, Linda Krynski, Asep Kurniawan, Bobbi Kurshan, Robin Lake, Eric Lavin, Lasse Leponiemi, Keith Lewin, Sue Grant Lewis, Rose Luckin, Anthony Mackay, Namya Mahajan, Karen Mapp, Eileen McGivney, Hugh McLean, Bharat Mediratta, David Miyashiro, Alia An Nadhiva, Rakhi Nair, David Nitkin, Essie North, Hekia Parata, David Park, Shuvajit Payne, Chris Petrie, Marco Petruzzi, Vicki Phillips, Christopher Pommerening, Vikas Pota, Andy Puttock, Harry Quilter-Pinner, Bharath Ramaiah, Dominic Randolph, Niken Rarasati, Fernando Reimers, Shinta Revina, Karen Robertson, Richard Rowe, Jaime Saavedra, Suman Sachdeva, Siddhant Sachdeva, Urvashi Sahni, Eszter Salamon, Madalo Samati, Lucia Cristina Cortez de Barros Santos Santos, Dina Wintyas Saputri, Mimi Schaub, Andreas Schleicher, Jon Schnur, Marie Schwartz, Manju Shami, Nasrulla Shariff, Amit Kumar Sharma, Jim Shelton, Mark Sherringham, Manish Sisodia, Sandy Speicher, Michael Staton, Michael Stevenson, Samyukta Subramanian, Sudarno Sumarto, Vishal Sunil, Daniel Suryadarma, Fred Swaniker, Nicola Sykes, Eloise Tan, Sean Thibault, Jean Tower, Mike Town, Florischa Ayu Tresnatri, Jon Valant, Elyse Watkins, Heather Weiss, Karen Wespieser, Jeff Wetzler, Donna Williamson, Sharon Wolf, Michael Yogman, Kelly Young, and Gabriel Sánchez Zinny.

We are also grateful for the many individuals at CUE who helped make the playbook come to life in various ways, including: Eric Abalahin, Jeannine Ajello, Jessica Alongi, Nawal Atallah, Sara Coffey, Rachel Clayton, Porter Crumpton, Steve Hahn, Grace Harrington, Justine Hufford, Abigail Kaunda, Maxwell Lieblich, Shavanthi Mendis, Aki Nemoto, Sophie Partington, Katherine Portnoy, and Esther Rosen. In addition, we would like to acknowledge copy editing services from Mary Anderson, Jessica Federle, and Donna Polydoros and design services from Marian Licheri, Damian Licheri, Andreina Anzola, and Rogmy Armas.

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and policy solutions. Its mission is to conduct high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, to provide innovative, practical recommendations for policymakers and the public. The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars. Brookings gratefully acknowledges the support provided by the BHP Foundation, Grable Foundation, and the LEGO Foundation.

Brookings recognizes that the value it provides is in its commitment to quality, independence, and impact. Activities supported by its donors reflect this commitment.

The playbook is a living document that we plan to add to over time. If you have questions about the material or would like to see additional topics or information, please let us know at [email protected].

For more information, contact:

Katherine Portnoy

[email protected]

About the Authors

Rebecca winthrop, co-director – center for universal education.

Rebecca Winthrop is a senior fellow and co-director of the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution.   

Adam Barton

Cambridge international scholar, faculty of education – university of cambridge; former senior research analyst – center for universal education.

Adam Barton was a senior research analyst at the Center for Universal Education at Brookings and is a Cambridge International Scholar at the University of Cambridge, Faculty of Education.

Mahsa Ershadi

Former postdoctoral fellow – center for universal education.

Mahsa Ershadi was a postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Universal Education at Brookings.

Lauren Ziegler

Project director, leapfrogging in education – brookings institution.

Lauren Ziegler is a project director at the Center for Universal Education at Brookings.

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Concepts of Marginalization and Emotional Health

Significance of parents and educators for emotional health of schoolchildren, emotional health of marginalized children in india, related free education essays.

Modern societies are traditionally diverse and people vary based on their nationality, social status and gender, values, religion, and the education level. The discrepancies among citizens predetermine their attitudes to each other and patterns of behavior, which are usually shaped in childhood. Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure emotional health of children through adequate upbringing in families and educational institutions. Even when the societies are essentially diversified, and these differences are rooted in social and cultural peculiarities of different nations, parents and educators should accept their responsibility for the emotional health of their children and students. Thus, India is the country that highly values an individual’s caste, which predetermines the person’s place in the social stratification, and corresponding attitudes to him/her on behalf of other citizens. Governmental protection such as constitution and legal regulations that ban discrimination do not provide sufficient support. Therefore, educators and parents assume liability for the emotional health of children who observe and experience unfair treatment in the society. Thereby, educators and parents play an outstanding role in teaching children and raising them emotionally healthy under the conditions where the surrounding people depreciate children from marginalized communities. 

Children can become marginalized in the educational setting for a number of reasons including social status, gender, religion, education, and language. UNESCO defines marginalization in the educational setting as “a form of acute and persistent disadvantage rooted in underlying social inequalities” (135). Thereby, the schoolchildren who come from marginalized communities tend to be persistently disadvantaged in the educational setting, which significantly affects their sense of wellbeing and degrades their emotional health.

Emotional health is maintained by numerous factors. Upbringing of emotionally healthy schoolchildren is essentially undermined by the atmosphere in the society that devalues some of its members through marginalization. The definition of emotional health implies the sense of wellbeing and resilience, which is linked with academic success, healthy lifestyle, and lower risk of negative socioeconomic outcomes for schoolchildren (Kidger et al. 926). Moreover, a healthy sense of identity is an indicator of overall emotional health. The issue of identity is rather controversial when talking about children from marginalized communities since they struggle to find their place in the society that usually opposes them because of their origin. Additionally, Kidger et al. indicate that the support from educators and social connectedness with the school environment determine the improved emotional health of students (925). The two groups of people that can essentially influence the outcomes of the students’ academic performance, social development and emotional health are parents and teachers.

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While parents naturally have significant influence on their children’s upbringing, their role in the educational setting is shared with teachers. Thus, the fact that some children come from poorer communities, or speak another language usually negatively affects their adaptation in the educational environment due to the attitudes of their peers or educators (Adair 1). According to survey, teachers are in a position either to motivate children and overcome the disadvantaged situation, or reinforce the low self-esteem of a student from a marginalized community that persists throughout the life of the given child (UNESCO 135). Therefore, the role of educators is essential for emotional health of schoolchildren.

Teachers can negatively affect emotional health of children when the latter enter public schools with the set schedules and curricula. Children from marginalized communities are considered to be lagging behind either because of insufficient language skills or lack of quality background knowledge (Adair 7). This makes teachers divert children’s attention to the preparation to standardized tests with simple general questions at the expense of creative tasks. Moreover, in some situations teachers are regarded as inadequately trained to teach children from marginalized communities. For instance, teachers may be undertrained to work with children from immigrant families who have poor or insufficient language skills (Adair 14). Bilingual teachers are rare in the United States, and this makes schoolchildren with insufficient knowledge of English get admitted to classrooms where English language acquisition becomes their major aim at the first stages of the learning process. As a rule, teachers in these classrooms lack the necessary qualification, and this essentially narrows the learning opportunities for schoolchildren from immigrant families (Adair 1). Their learning experience begins with the basic knowledge that is required in the educational environment they have entered. In this situation, lack of bilingual professionals can be regarded as the central problem of education at the primary stages of learning.

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These shifts in the educational process harm emotional, social, intellectual, and cultural development of schoolchildren (Adair 7). The children are not involved in explorative tasks that promote higher-level thinking, autonomous decision-making and problem-solving (Adair 7). Such an approach of limited skills and knowledge of marginalized children, even for the seemingly justified reason of helping them to adapt, essentially narrows their opportunities in the future (Adair 8). Due to all that, it should be remembered that the quality of education is crucial for children who need to escape the marginalized environment (UNESCO 139). Simple presence at school does not allow accomplishing that task. Learning skills, school environment, and family circumstances directly affect the outcomes of academic performance of children. 

Although children from marginalized communities should be treated equally to other children, and their learning skills should be regarded as identical, in the majority of cases the stigma of marginalization restricts the children’s learning experience (Adair 1). Moreover, teachers frequently have low expectations regarding the academic performance of marginalized children. If a child comes from an immigrant community, his/her native language can be depreciated in the educational environment by the teacher. Acculturation at the expense of native culture deprives a child of the identity, and this also negatively influences his/her emotional health (Adair 1). With this in mind, teachers can be regarded as the ones, who play the pivotal role in children’s upbringing in the educational environment in terms of shaping their perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors. This role is twofold: firstly, teachers’ behavior affects the behavior of marginalized children, and virtually to the same extent their behavior influences other categories of children who participate in this unfavorable context, where marginalized children are depreciated. 

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The role of parents should not be underestimated even in the educational environment. Although parents exert their greatest influence beyond the school boundaries, their impact also penetrates the educational setting. Thus, parents from marginalized societies often tend to have complex life situations that prevent them from active participation in the parental school-related activities. The basic problem that such families may encounter includes poverty among other reasons. Under any circumstances, parents from marginalized communities have little influence on the attitudes to their children, teaching methods, and teacher’s appreciation (Adair 11). Even when parents control the social and academic events in the life of their children, they are unlikely to take part in the school activities (Adair 11). In addition, as opposed to parents from households with higher income, parents from low-income families often face the challenges that prevent them from active participation in school life. These challenges may include long working hours or child care (Adair 11). Another example could be parents from indigenous tribes in India or immigrant parents in the United States who may have language issues, and this may prevent them from approaching the teacher (Adair 2). Such parents are less connected to schools, provide less support to their children in terms of academic performance, and cannot effectively protect their children if any issues arise (Adair 2). Therefore, parents from marginalized societies have fewer opportunities to contribute to the emotional health of their children by participating in school life. Lack of language skills, unawareness of their rights, prejudiced attitudes to teachers, the wrong perception of being unwelcomed, and other negative feelings may prevent parents from active engagement in the school affairs. Thus, parents may also feel devalued, and this can negatively influence their children’s perceptions.

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Families provide the most crucial and influential context in terms of their child’s development and learning. While schools represent the first connection of children with the life beyond their families and communities (Adair 4), families ensure the background against which all other events in the child’s life occur. All young children, disregarding their social status, are claimed to benefit from being raised and educated in the favorable environments, where they are valued by the key figures such as parents or teachers (Adair 4). Parents should realize that children can excel them and achieve greater goals in life if they observe a positive attitude and receive encouraging messages from their teachers (Adair 4). The opposite situation, when children suffer from unjust attitudes, reduces their chances for academic success and further success in the adult life (Adair 4). Thereby, parental engagement in the school affairs is essential for protecting the children who may suffer from any kind of discrimination. Even if the parents are aware that their child is not discriminated, but there are other children who suffer from prejudiced attitudes from their peers or educators, they should intrude in the situation. The presence of biases and negative messages in the educational setting adversely affects all the participants, whether they are involved directly, or act as bystanders (American Psychological Association). Consequently, unfavorable environments shape unhealthy attitudes and behaviors, and, eventually, negatively affect the emotional state of children in these settings, whether they are from marginalized societies or not.

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India can serve as an extreme example of the society where marginalized children are devalued and discriminated. Human Rights Watch informs about the cases of discrimination against children from marginalized communities in India (Abidi). The discrimination occurs on the part of school leadership who are expected to teach other children to be tolerant, sensitive and sympathetic to their peers. UNESCO refers to discrimination against certain groups of schoolchildren as a result of social stigmatization and exclusion as “group-based marginalization” (169). Discrimination in the school setting in India stems from historical circumstances, and marginalization in school environment is often only the first stage of social exclusion that these children face later in life (UNESCO 169). Despite the clearly defined law that ensures free school education to be provided to all children from 6 to 14, approximately half of these children drop out of school without obtaining at least elementary education (Abidi). Researchers indicate the existence of discrimination against Muslim, tribal and Dalit children in India, and children from poor and marginalized communities also fall into the category of discriminated individuals (Abidi). Such attitudes create the unfavorable environment for learning, so that students often become truant or drop out of school learning. Moreover, even prior to leaving school, children from marginalized societies tend to enter school not to obtain education but rather receive food and shelter (Abidi). In this context, this category of children is highly unlikely to have high rates of emotional health. The situation is complicated by the existence of castes and strict social stratification in India, which presumes that parents cannot even protect their children. Therefore, discrimination against schoolchildren based on their ethnicity, gender, or religion, with the primary criterion of belonging to a particular caste, shapes unhealthy attitudes and relations in the group (Adair 1). Moreover, such behavioral patterns negatively affect the emotional health of children who are not marginalized.

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Despite the existing legal regulations, the law does not suggest any punishment for the violators, and discrimination remains untrammeled. The reason for that are the potential considerable changes that may take place as a result of punishing citizens for discriminatory behavior in relation to particular castes (Abidi). Moreover, the issue that has to be addressed at the governmental level is the definition of schoolchildren who dropped out. Since there is currently no definition of leaving school that would be common for all states and union territories in India, the identification of such children poses certain challenges and often comes unnoticed (Abidi). With this in mind, firstly, a common definition of the time period out of school after which children are considered as school-leavers should be provided. Secondly, the government should not only prohibit discrimination against children from marginalized societies, but also punish the violators. Parents and educators can only initiate these changes, and inform the authorities about the existing issues. The introduction and implementation of these changes in the legal and social environments should be performed by the government. However, parents and teachers can make a difference by demonstrating their personal example and executing strict discipline aimed at equal attitude to all schoolchildren in terms of their social status. Only skills, knowledge, and overall academic performance should differentiate children from each other in the educational environment. Any discrimination in the school setting should thus be considered unallowable.

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The solution to the problem of marginalized children’s dropouts in India could be addressed by conscious teachers who realize the importance of favorable learning environment for their students. Educators could target the learning experience of marginalized children who eventually quit school by providing additional courses that will “bridge the gap” between truants and current students. Human Rights Watch refers to this educational initiative as “bridge courses” (Abidi). Such courses are likely to help marginalized children expand their opportunities firstly at school, and then later in life. While in Indian society the involvement of parents can be a difficult task due to strict social differentiation (Abidi), they should still support their children and demonstrate a high level of support to the environment. However, the most crucial transformation would happen as a result of governmental involvement in the issue of discrimination against marginalized children. The establishment of the new social order that would eliminate discrimination at schools is likely to benefit the emotional health of all Indian schoolchildren, whether they are from marginalized communities or not.

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Parents and educators share the role of the major powers that influence the upbringing and education of emotionally healthy children, especially if the environment poses challenges such as devaluation of marginalized children. Emotional health of schoolchildren essentially depends on the messages obtained from the key adult figures in their lives. Thereby, both parents and teachers can make a great difference in terms of the children’s sense of wellbeing and resilience which are likely to lead to successful academic performance and further success in adult life. Discrimination against children from marginalized societies can be based on social status, religion, education level, nationality, and other characteristics. The treatment of this category of schoolchildren is to a great extent shaped by the educators. Thus, on the one hand, teachers should realize the outstanding role they play in the lives of their students. On the other hand, parents of children from marginalized societies do not always have an opportunity to protect the rights of their children, as it is common in India, for instance. However, the role of parents and parental engagement in school affairs for the emotional health of schoolchildren should not be overlooked. The support that children feel from their parents can essentially contribute to their emotional health and sense of wellbeing. Consequently, parents and educators exert essential influence on the emotional health of schoolchildren, including children from marginalized communities, in the process of their upbringing and learning experience, especially when the marginalized children suffer from discrimination in the educational setting.

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• My Parents Essay

500 Words Essay On My Parents

We entered this world because of our parents. It is our parents who have given us life and we must learn to be pleased with it. I am grateful to my parents for everything they do for me. Through my parents essay, I wish to convey how valuable they are to me and how much I respect and admire them.

My Strength My Parents Essay

My parents are my strength who support me at every stage of life. I cannot imagine my life without them. My parents are like a guiding light who take me to the right path whenever I get lost.

My mother is a homemaker and she is the strongest woman I know. She helps me with my work and feeds me delicious foods . She was a teacher but left the job to take care of her children.

My mother makes many sacrifices for us that we are not even aware of. She always takes care of us and puts us before herself. She never wakes up late. Moreover, she is like a glue that binds us together as a family.

Parents are the strength and support system of their children. They carry with them so many responsibilities yet they never show it. We must be thankful to have parents in our lives as not everyone is lucky to have them.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

While my mother is always working at home, my father is the one who works outside. He is a kind human who always helps out my mother whenever he can. He is a loving man who helps out the needy too.

My father is a social person who interacts with our neighbours too. Moreover, he is an expert at maintaining his relationship with our relatives. My father works as a businessman and does a lot of hard work.

Even though he is a busy man, he always finds time for us. We spend our off days going to picnics or dinners. I admire my father for doing so much for us without any complaints.

He is a popular man in society as he is always there to help others. Whoever asks for his help, my father always helps them out. Therefore, he is a well-known man and a loving father whom I look up to.

Conclusion of My Parents Essay

I love both my parents with all my heart. They are kind people who have taught their children to be the same. Moreover, even when they have arguments, they always make up without letting it affect us. I aspire to become like my parents and achieve success in life with their blessings.

FAQ of My Parents Essay

Question 1: Why parents are important in our life?

Answer 1: Parents are the most precious gifts anyone can get. However, as not everyone has them, we must consider ourselves lucky if we do. They are the strength and support system of children and help them out always. Moreover, the parents train the children to overcome challenges and make the best decision for us.

Question 2: What do parents mean to us?

Answer 2: Parents mean different things to different people. To most of us, they are our source of happiness and protection. They are the ones who are the closest to us and understand our needs without having to say them out loud. Similarly, they love us unconditionally for who we are without any ifs and buts.

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Essay On Parents

To think, talk or write about parents can take one on an emotional roller-coaster ride. Parents are the most significant and influential people in every child's life. Right from giving us birth, parents toil hard to make us independent and self-sufficient individuals. Here are a few sample essays on “Parents”.

100 Words Essay On Parents

200 words essay on parents, 500 words essay on parents.

The influence of parents on children's life is significant, we are because they are. They are responsible for giving birth as well as bringing them up in a healthy way. Right from the day a child is born, parents take care of their every need and groom them to become effective members of society. They are essential to each stage of a child's development. Parents are givers of love, support, care and direction which is needed for one to move forward in life. Nothing is more reassuring and calming for a person than their parents’ arms, no matter how old they get.

For a youngling, parents are providers of everything. From the basic needs of food and personal hygiene, love and care, to all material needs and requirements. Parents toil hard in their respective occupations to give the best possible lives to their children. They do all in their power to make their children all their wishes.

First Teachers | Parents are a child's first teachers, and teach the essence of integral living. The lessons a child learns by observing their parents and listening to them are invaluable, and their real value is often understood after growing up and seeing some of life. It is from parents that children learn to face difficult situations and challenges in life.

Givers Of Love | Unconditional love and acceptance from parents is essential for the healthy development of any child into an adult. A child, whatever age they might be, is likely to feel more motivated to study, work, and achieve their goals if they know they have their parents to fall back upon. Some of the renowned psychologists of the world have established that the quality of one’s relationship with their parents has a huge impact on the kind of relationships they form as adults.

They say, it is at the birth of the child that a parent is born. The art of parenting is difficult to develop and maintain, there is something new to learn at every step. There is no turning back once one signs up for it. Parents need to carefully manage their time and mindfully manage work and personal life, such that they’re able to give adequate time to their children.

Parents As Providers | Like the human body needs food, water, and oxygen to survive, the body and the mind also need love, affection, and security to thrive. All these needs are, for the first few years of life, fulfilled solely by one’s parents. Parents share all our joys and griefs. They laugh when we laugh, and cry when we cry.

Lifelong Companions | Parental influence on a child's growth is fundamental. The journey from childhood to adulthood is full of physiological, psychological, and social changes. It is easier and less of a pain for individuals to go through these changes and deal with the various challenges they bring, if the journey is backed by the unconditional acceptance and support of parents.

Remind Us Of Strengths | Parents try to provide the best of education to their children. It is said that it is one’s parents who are the most well-aware of one’s skills, strengths, and limitations. Whenever needed, parents remind us of our strengths and encourage us to steer through all the challenges that come our way.

My Relationship With My Parents

I live in a family of six, including my parents, grandparents, my younger brother, and me. My father is a businessman, he is a builder with the govt., while my mother is a homemaker. When I was younger, I used to closer to my mother, share everything with her, spend time with her, but extremely scared of my father. My father had a controlling nature and so I thought he would get angry if I shared anything with him.

My Father And I | But as I grew up, I saw my father encouraging me to hone my talents of dancing, singing, and swimming. He got me enrolled in the best classes for each of these in our locality and would make sure that he dropped me and picked me up from the classes everyday. I realised that my father wanted me to become the best version of myself and polish each skill and talent I possessed, so I could feel proud of myself. One day, one of our relatives commented on me being slightly overweight. My father sensed that I felt embarrassed and that it was wrong of my aunt to comment like that, and so he immediately told my aunt that his daughter would live the kind of life she wanted to and that no one should comment on her choices, in any way.

My Mother And I | My mother and I are like the closest of friends. Not a day goes when I don’t sit with her to discuss what happens in school and among my friends. She never judges me and only tries to handhold me in situations where she feels I feel challenged. We go for lunch to some nice place once in a week and also do some shopping during those outings. She cooks my favourite dishes for me and pampers me like a little baby.

Explore Career Options (By Industry)

• Construction
• Entertainment
• Manufacturing
• Information Technology

Data Administrator

Database professionals use software to store and organise data such as financial information, and customer shipping records. Individuals who opt for a career as data administrators ensure that data is available for users and secured from unauthorised sales. DB administrators may work in various types of industries. It may involve computer systems design, service firms, insurance companies, banks and hospitals.

Bio Medical Engineer

The field of biomedical engineering opens up a universe of expert chances. An Individual in the biomedical engineering career path work in the field of engineering as well as medicine, in order to find out solutions to common problems of the two fields. The biomedical engineering job opportunities are to collaborate with doctors and researchers to develop medical systems, equipment, or devices that can solve clinical problems. Here we will be discussing jobs after biomedical engineering, how to get a job in biomedical engineering, biomedical engineering scope, and salary. 

Ethical Hacker

A career as ethical hacker involves various challenges and provides lucrative opportunities in the digital era where every giant business and startup owns its cyberspace on the world wide web. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path try to find the vulnerabilities in the cyber system to get its authority. If he or she succeeds in it then he or she gets its illegal authority. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path then steal information or delete the file that could affect the business, functioning, or services of the organization.

GIS officer work on various GIS software to conduct a study and gather spatial and non-spatial information. GIS experts update the GIS data and maintain it. The databases include aerial or satellite imagery, latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, and manually digitized images of maps. In a career as GIS expert, one is responsible for creating online and mobile maps.

Data Analyst

The invention of the database has given fresh breath to the people involved in the data analytics career path. Analysis refers to splitting up a whole into its individual components for individual analysis. Data analysis is a method through which raw data are processed and transformed into information that would be beneficial for user strategic thinking.

Data are collected and examined to respond to questions, evaluate hypotheses or contradict theories. It is a tool for analyzing, transforming, modeling, and arranging data with useful knowledge, to assist in decision-making and methods, encompassing various strategies, and is used in different fields of business, research, and social science.

Geothermal Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as geothermal engineers are the professionals involved in the processing of geothermal energy. The responsibilities of geothermal engineers may vary depending on the workplace location. Those who work in fields design facilities to process and distribute geothermal energy. They oversee the functioning of machinery used in the field.

Database Architect

If you are intrigued by the programming world and are interested in developing communications networks then a career as database architect may be a good option for you. Data architect roles and responsibilities include building design models for data communication networks. Wide Area Networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), and intranets are included in the database networks. It is expected that database architects will have in-depth knowledge of a company's business to develop a network to fulfil the requirements of the organisation. Stay tuned as we look at the larger picture and give you more information on what is db architecture, why you should pursue database architecture, what to expect from such a degree and what your job opportunities will be after graduation. Here, we will be discussing how to become a data architect. Students can visit NIT Trichy , IIT Kharagpur , JMI New Delhi . 

Remote Sensing Technician

Individuals who opt for a career as a remote sensing technician possess unique personalities. Remote sensing analysts seem to be rational human beings, they are strong, independent, persistent, sincere, realistic and resourceful. Some of them are analytical as well, which means they are intelligent, introspective and inquisitive. 

Remote sensing scientists use remote sensing technology to support scientists in fields such as community planning, flight planning or the management of natural resources. Analysing data collected from aircraft, satellites or ground-based platforms using statistical analysis software, image analysis software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a significant part of their work. Do you want to learn how to become remote sensing technician? There's no need to be concerned; we've devised a simple remote sensing technician career path for you. Scroll through the pages and read.

Budget Analyst

Budget analysis, in a nutshell, entails thoroughly analyzing the details of a financial budget. The budget analysis aims to better understand and manage revenue. Budget analysts assist in the achievement of financial targets, the preservation of profitability, and the pursuit of long-term growth for a business. Budget analysts generally have a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a closely related field. Knowledge of Financial Management is of prime importance in this career.

Underwriter

An underwriter is a person who assesses and evaluates the risk of insurance in his or her field like mortgage, loan, health policy, investment, and so on and so forth. The underwriter career path does involve risks as analysing the risks means finding out if there is a way for the insurance underwriter jobs to recover the money from its clients. If the risk turns out to be too much for the company then in the future it is an underwriter who will be held accountable for it. Therefore, one must carry out his or her job with a lot of attention and diligence.

Finance Executive

Product manager.

A Product Manager is a professional responsible for product planning and marketing. He or she manages the product throughout the Product Life Cycle, gathering and prioritising the product. A product manager job description includes defining the product vision and working closely with team members of other departments to deliver winning products.  

Operations Manager

Individuals in the operations manager jobs are responsible for ensuring the efficiency of each department to acquire its optimal goal. They plan the use of resources and distribution of materials. The operations manager's job description includes managing budgets, negotiating contracts, and performing administrative tasks.

Stock Analyst

Individuals who opt for a career as a stock analyst examine the company's investments makes decisions and keep track of financial securities. The nature of such investments will differ from one business to the next. Individuals in the stock analyst career use data mining to forecast a company's profits and revenues, advise clients on whether to buy or sell, participate in seminars, and discussing financial matters with executives and evaluate annual reports.

A Researcher is a professional who is responsible for collecting data and information by reviewing the literature and conducting experiments and surveys. He or she uses various methodological processes to provide accurate data and information that is utilised by academicians and other industry professionals. Here, we will discuss what is a researcher, the researcher's salary, types of researchers.

Welding Engineer

Welding Engineer Job Description: A Welding Engineer work involves managing welding projects and supervising welding teams. He or she is responsible for reviewing welding procedures, processes and documentation. A career as Welding Engineer involves conducting failure analyses and causes on welding issues. 

Transportation Planner

A career as Transportation Planner requires technical application of science and technology in engineering, particularly the concepts, equipment and technologies involved in the production of products and services. In fields like land use, infrastructure review, ecological standards and street design, he or she considers issues of health, environment and performance. A Transportation Planner assigns resources for implementing and designing programmes. He or she is responsible for assessing needs, preparing plans and forecasts and compliance with regulations.

Environmental Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as an environmental engineer are construction professionals who utilise the skills and knowledge of biology, soil science, chemistry and the concept of engineering to design and develop projects that serve as solutions to various environmental problems. 

Safety Manager

A Safety Manager is a professional responsible for employee’s safety at work. He or she plans, implements and oversees the company’s employee safety. A Safety Manager ensures compliance and adherence to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines.

Conservation Architect

A Conservation Architect is a professional responsible for conserving and restoring buildings or monuments having a historic value. He or she applies techniques to document and stabilise the object’s state without any further damage. A Conservation Architect restores the monuments and heritage buildings to bring them back to their original state.

Structural Engineer

A Structural Engineer designs buildings, bridges, and other related structures. He or she analyzes the structures and makes sure the structures are strong enough to be used by the people. A career as a Structural Engineer requires working in the construction process. It comes under the civil engineering discipline. A Structure Engineer creates structural models with the help of computer-aided design software. 

Highway Engineer

Highway Engineer Job Description:  A Highway Engineer is a civil engineer who specialises in planning and building thousands of miles of roads that support connectivity and allow transportation across the country. He or she ensures that traffic management schemes are effectively planned concerning economic sustainability and successful implementation.

Field Surveyor

Are you searching for a Field Surveyor Job Description? A Field Surveyor is a professional responsible for conducting field surveys for various places or geographical conditions. He or she collects the required data and information as per the instructions given by senior officials. 

Orthotist and Prosthetist

Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

Pathologist

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Veterinary Doctor

Speech therapist, gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Are you searching for an ‘Anatomist job description’? An Anatomist is a research professional who applies the laws of biological science to determine the ability of bodies of various living organisms including animals and humans to regenerate the damaged or destroyed organs. If you want to know what does an anatomist do, then read the entire article, where we will answer all your questions.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Photographer

Photography is considered both a science and an art, an artistic means of expression in which the camera replaces the pen. In a career as a photographer, an individual is hired to capture the moments of public and private events, such as press conferences or weddings, or may also work inside a studio, where people go to get their picture clicked. Photography is divided into many streams each generating numerous career opportunities in photography. With the boom in advertising, media, and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option for many Indian youths.

An individual who is pursuing a career as a producer is responsible for managing the business aspects of production. They are involved in each aspect of production from its inception to deception. Famous movie producers review the script, recommend changes and visualise the story. 

They are responsible for overseeing the finance involved in the project and distributing the film for broadcasting on various platforms. A career as a producer is quite fulfilling as well as exhaustive in terms of playing different roles in order for a production to be successful. Famous movie producers are responsible for hiring creative and technical personnel on contract basis.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Individuals who opt for a career as a reporter may often be at work on national holidays and festivities. He or she pitches various story ideas and covers news stories in risky situations. Students can pursue a BMC (Bachelor of Mass Communication) , B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media) , or  MAJMC (MA in Journalism and Mass Communication) to become a reporter. While we sit at home reporters travel to locations to collect information that carries a news value.  

Corporate Executive

Are you searching for a Corporate Executive job description? A Corporate Executive role comes with administrative duties. He or she provides support to the leadership of the organisation. A Corporate Executive fulfils the business purpose and ensures its financial stability. In this article, we are going to discuss how to become corporate executive.

Multimedia Specialist

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Process Development Engineer

The Process Development Engineers design, implement, manufacture, mine, and other production systems using technical knowledge and expertise in the industry. They use computer modeling software to test technologies and machinery. An individual who is opting career as Process Development Engineer is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient processes. They also monitor the production process and ensure it functions smoothly and efficiently.

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

Information Security Manager

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

ITSM Manager

Automation test engineer.

An Automation Test Engineer job involves executing automated test scripts. He or she identifies the project’s problems and troubleshoots them. The role involves documenting the defect using management tools. He or she works with the application team in order to resolve any issues arising during the testing process. 

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• My Parents Essay in English for Students & Children

Essay on My Parents for Students & Children

An essay is basically a short version of expressing the writer’s perspective. It is very similar to a story or a short article. Essays can be written in a formal manner and also an informal manner. However, writing an essay at an early age helps to develop many skills in a child. 

Essay writing is included from the Class 1 to 4 English syllabus. That is why we, at Vedantu, have brought up this sample essay on ‘My Parents’ for your reference. You can take a look at it and use it as study material for your child’s learning.

My parents are my superheroes. They are my strength. They stand by me in every crisis of my life. They are the most important people in my life. I love my parents very much. I feel really happy and safe whenever I am with them.

We live in Bangalore but my parents are actually from Mumbai, Maharashtra. My mom is a nutritionist and my dad is a software engineer by profession. Both my parents are good at playing badminton and various other indoor games. My mom is also a good swimmer. I go to the swimming club in our society with her every Sunday to learn how to swim. 

My mom wakes up in the morning and prepares food for everyone. My dad also helps my mom. Then my dad helps me in getting ready for school every day. Meanwhile, my mom prepares my lunchbox and keeps it in my bag. She also keeps books and notebooks in my school bag as per my daily routine. My mom prepares really tasty food and so does my dad. I am really happy to have such great parents.

They take care of our health. While keeping unwell, my dad calls the doctor or takes me to the doctor so that I get recovered soon. They pray to God every day for my health. In addition to household chores, my mom also helps me out with my homework. 

We spend a lot of time together on the weekends and holidays. We go out to the movies or eat in the restaurant. During long vacations, we go to beautiful beaches or mountains to calm our nerves and refresh ourselves. My dad loves beaches while my mom is fond of hill areas. I like both. I just love spending my vacations with them. 

Everyone loves their parents because they support and save you from every evil thing. Not only do they protect us but also they sacrifice our well-being as well. The value of our parents cannot be described in words. We cannot rise and shine without them. They play a great role in our lives so that we can gain all the success and happiness in the world.

My parents are my biggest source of strength. They stand by me and help me whenever I am in trouble.  My parents make me feel safe at all times.

We live in Varanasi, but my parents are from Mumbai. My mother is a nutritionist and my father is a doctor by profession. My parents are good Badminton players, and I am also learning the game from them.  My mother is also a good swimmer and I accompany her to the swimming club in our society on all Sundays to learn how to swim.

 My mother makes breakfast and our tiffins every morning. Before she leaves for work, she makes sure to finish all the cooking for the day too. My father helps my mother with a lot of things. My father helps me and my brother in getting ready for school every day., while my mother is in the kitchen. Mother takes care not to forget to put our tiffin boxes inside our bags.  She also makes sure we have all our necessary books and notebooks in the schoolbags as per the daily routine. My mother is a great cook and prepares very delicious food. My father is a very good cook too and he enjoys cooking.

Parents take care of our health and look after us properly, and make sure I and my brother are very well taken care of. In addition to household chores, my mother also helps me with my homework, whenever I need help.

We spend a lot of time together and on weekends and holidays, we go out to the movies or eat-in restaurants. During vacations, we go for long holidays. My father is very fond of the sea and my mother prefers the hills. So we enjoy an equal share of both. And like my father, I also love the sea. 

I enjoy spending time with my parents, and I also get to spend time with my friends. My parents are very loving and understanding. The value of our parents cannot be described in words. They play a great role in our lives so that we can gain all the success and happiness in the world.

FAQs on My Parents Essay in English for Students & Children

1. What is Essay writing and why is it important?

An essay can best be described as a formal piece of writing which has only one topic. Essay writing  is very advantageous, especially for children. It gives children a chance to collect their thoughts and ideas together and put them down in words, in an elaborate manner. Essay writing is often considered a fun activity. It helps young children to use their imagination. Essay writing is recognized as very useful for kids, and it builds their linguistic skills as they grow older.

2. How can you teach young children to write an essay?

Teaching young children to write an essay involves certain steps, which will help them understand the flow that is required to write an essay. Steps like i) Teaching the young child the use of basic grammar and of writing skills, ii) teach them to make an outline, iii) encourage them to think, iv) note down all the points. Following these steps, the young child will learn how to place all the words together. This in turn, will become a fun activity for them too.

3. Why is My Parents' Essay important?

Essay writing is a habit that children learn from a young age. Essay writing encourages students to think and to write their thoughts on paper.’ My parents’ topic is a basic and very easy essay topic  every child is able to relate to. Writing their thoughts down is a way of encouraging them to utilize their brain power and their creativity, which will help build their writing skills.  Essay writing helps children think over a topic and then put those thoughts down on paper.

4. How can you help children write an essay on ‘My Parents’?

Helping children to write an essay on My Parents is not a difficult task as long as you have a few handy tips which should include the following points: names of both mother and father, their individual professions, their hobbies and how their hobbies are helping the children, the nature of both parents, etc. Once the children have answers to these basic questions, writing them down on paper will not be much difficult.

5. Where can you get samples of essays on ‘my Parent’?

Essay writing is important for all children and enables children to develop  many skills. It is also important to be able to practice some of the sample essays that are available for practice. The online portal, Vedantu.com offers sample essays for students of Class 1 upto Class 4,, that have been formulated in a  well structured, well researched, and easy to understand manner. These study materials and sample essay writings are all important and are very easily accessible from Vedantu.com and can be downloaded too.

My Parents Essay For Students and Children in 1000 Words

In this article you will read My Parents Essay for students and children in 1000 words. It includes importance, connection, activities, and 10 lines about my parents.

Lets start this My Parents Essay

Table of Contents

My Parents Essay in English (1000 Words)

Parents are the most beautiful creations of God , and it is because of them that we are in this world. They gave us birth, and everything that we have today is because of our parents. 

Parents are the most important people in our lives, and there is no one else like them in this world. My parents love me more than anything else in this world. 

Most of the time, they don’t express their love directly, but we can easily recognise that. Most fathers don’t express their love for their children directly, but they love us more than they love themselves— mothers , on the other hand, express love in every little thing. 

We need to love and respect them, too, as they deserve the same love and affection as we love them. They teach us to eat, walk, speak, and everything else that we need to learn as a child.

My Parents My Divine

Since the day of our birth, our parents have provided us with everything to keep us happy. They struggle in their everyday lives and work hard to give us the best they can.

They sacrifice their luxuries, their dreams, and even their precious belongings to provide us with food, education, clothes, and all our favourite items. 

They work hard for us throughout their lives and dedicate their lives to making our lives better and giving us a good lifestyle. That’s why we consider our parents to be the living God. 

Our Indian culture also signifies the importance of love, affection, and obligations towards our parents. This means we should treat our father and mother like God himself.

My Parents Love Me Lot

There is no doubt that parents love their children. Similarly, my parents also love me a lot. My mother cooks my favourite breakfast every morning, and then she makes me prepare to go to school . 

As soon as I come home, she gives me good food to eat. In the evenings as well, she offers me snacks, and sometimes she prepares some special items for dinner for me. She loves me and takes care of me throughout the day. 

On the other hand, my father guides me and teaches me basic things about our world, our society, and other important knowledge . He encourages me to do things and helps me to achieve my targets. He also loves me a lot.

My Parents Help Me In My Daily Activities

My father and my mother are both very active people. They work hard to keep the day going on. My mother wakes up early in the morning and prepares breakfast for the entire family. Then she keeps herself busy with other household chores. 

She gives me food, watches my clothes, cleans my school uniform, shoes, and other items. She makes sure that all my belongings are neat and clean. She also makes sure that I am healthy and physically fit; to this end, she gives me a cup of warm milk every evening. 

My father buys me my favourite ice cream while returning from school. He plays football with me and also helps me complete my assignments. He teaches me and helps me memorise the things I learned in school. This way, they help me in all my daily activities.

My Parents Are My Role Model

A role model is a person who has a powerful impact on our lives- a person that changes our thoughts and decisions about life. Whenever I think about a role model, the first person who comes to mind is my parents. 

They have all the qualities to be good parents. They are dedicated to their duty and are responsible. They are dedicated to their plans to give us a bright future.

I know that they are not perfect, nobody can be, but they have all the qualities and virtues required to be a good parent.

How I Help My Parents At Home?

There are many different activities in which I help my parents. As soon as I woke up, I got dressed, and then I helped my mom in the kitchen make breakfast. I put my books in the school bag and cleaned my room. 

I also help my mom clean plates, wash, and cut vegetables. I help her clean the rooms, furniture, and entire house. I help my father with marketing and cleaning bikes. Furthermore, I go with him to the market and assist him in buying things. 

I fill the water bottles in our house when they are empty, as we drink from bottles. In this manner, I like to help my parents whenever they need me.

10 Lines on My Parents Essay in English

• Our parents gave us birth; it is because of them that we came into this world. Everything that we are today is because of our parents. They are surely our living God.
• Our parents love us more than anything else in this world. They teach us to live and dedicate their lives to giving us a healthy and nourishing lifestyle.
• From the day of our birth, they serve us with everything they can. They give us food to eat, provide us with an education , clothes, and all our basic needs.
• My mother makes breakfast for me as soon as I wake up, and she makes sure that my school bag, my uniform, and all my other items are prepared to go to school.
• My father goes with me to school early in the morning, and at noon, when school is over, he comes to pick me up.
• I help my mom and dad with all their daily activities.
• My mother and father have a powerful impact on my life; they help me make important decisions and change my thoughts.
• No doubt, my parents are very busy with their daily activities, but they still find time for me, my brother, and my sister , and they spend time with us.
• I love to be with my parents as they are very loving and caring, and they understand me better than anyone else.
• I love my parents very much, and they too love me a lot.

Everyone loves their parents because they help them and protect them from many evils in this world. Our parents not only protect us and guide us on the right path, but they also make a lot of sacrifices for our well-being. 

I cannot describe the value that my parents have in my life. I am blessed that I had such a beautiful, loving, and caring father and mother.

They are indeed my divine, and I am blessed to live my life with them. I hope you likes this My parents essay in english for students and children.

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What public k-12 teachers want americans to know about teaching.

Illustrations by Hokyoung Kim

At a time when most teachers are feeling stressed and overwhelmed in their jobs, we asked 2,531 public K-12 teachers this open-ended question:

If there’s one thing you’d want the public to know about teachers, what would it be?

We also asked Americans what they think about teachers to compare with teachers’ perceptions of how the public views them.

Related: What’s It Like To Be a Teacher in America Today?

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to better understand what public K-12 teachers would like Americans to know about their profession. We also wanted to learn how the public thinks about teachers.

For the open-end question, we surveyed 2,531 U.S. public K-12 teachers from Oct. 17 to Nov. 14, 2023. The teachers surveyed are members of RAND’s American Teacher Panel, a nationally representative panel of public K-12 school teachers recruited through MDR Education. Survey data is weighted to state and national teacher characteristics to account for differences in sampling and response to ensure they are representative of the target population.

Overall, 96% of surveyed teachers provided an answer to the open-ended question. Center researchers developed a coding scheme categorizing the responses, coded all responses, and then grouped them into the six themes explored in the data essay.

For the questions for the general public, we surveyed 5,029 U.S. adults from Nov. 9 to Nov. 16, 2023. The adults surveyed are members of the Ipsos KnowledgePanel, a nationally representative online survey panel. Panel members are randomly recruited through probability-based sampling, and households are provided with access to the Internet and hardware if needed. To ensure that the results of this survey reflect a balanced cross section of the nation, the data is weighted to match the U.S. adult population by gender, age, education, race and ethnicity and other categories.

Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, the teacher survey methodology and the general public survey methodology .

Most of the responses to the open-ended question fell into one of these six themes:

Teaching is a hard job

About half of teachers (51%) said they want the public to know that teaching is a difficult job and that teachers are hardworking. Within this share, many mentioned that they have roles and responsibilities in the classroom besides teaching, which makes the job stressful. Many also talked about working long hours, beyond those they’re contracted for.

“Teachers serve multiple roles other than being responsible for teaching curriculum. We are counselors, behavioral specialists and parents for students who need us to fill those roles. We sacrifice a lot to give all of ourselves to the role as teacher.”

– Elementary school teacher

“The amount of extra hours that teachers have to put in beyond the contractual time is ridiculous. Arriving 30 minutes before and leaving an hour after is just the tip of the iceberg. … And as far as ‘having summers off,’ most of August is taken up with preparing materials for the upcoming school year or attending three, four, seven days’ worth of unpaid development training.”

– High school teacher

Teachers care about their students

The next most common theme: 22% of teachers brought up how fulfilling teaching is and how much teachers care about their students. Many gave examples of the hardships of teaching but reaffirmed that they do their job because they love the kids and helping them succeed. 

“We are passionate about what we do. Every child we teach is important to us and we look out for them like they are our own.”

– Middle school teacher

“We are in it for the kids, and the most incredible moments are when children make connections with learning.”

Teachers are undervalued and disrespected

Some 17% of teachers want the public to know that they feel undervalued and disrespected, and that they need more public support. Some mentioned that they are well-educated professionals but are not treated as such. And many teachers in this category responded with a general plea for support from the public, which they don’t feel they’re getting now.

“We feel undervalued. The public and many parents of my students treat me and my peers as if we do not know as much as they do, as if we are uneducated.”

“The public attitudes toward teachers have been degrading, and it is making it impossible for well-qualified teachers to be found. People are simply not wanting to go into the profession because of public sentiments.”

Teachers are underpaid

A similar share of teachers (15%) want the public to know that teachers are underpaid. Many teachers said their salary doesn’t account for the effort and care they put into their students’ education and believe that their pay should reflect this.

“We are sorely underpaid for the amount of hours we work and the education level we have attained.”

Teachers need support and resources from government and administrators

About one-in-ten teachers (9%) said they need more support from the government, their administrators and other key stakeholders. Many mentioned working in understaffed schools, not having enough funding and paying for supplies out of pocket. Some teachers also expressed that they have little control over the curriculum that they teach.

“The world-class education we used to be proud of does not exist because of all the red tape we are constantly navigating. If you want to see real change in the classroom, advocate for smaller class sizes for your child, push your district to cap class sizes at a reasonable level and have real, authentic conversations with your child’s teacher about what is going on in the classroom if you’re curious.”

Teachers need more support from parents

Roughly the same share of teachers (8%) want the public to know that teachers need more support from parents, emphasizing that the parent-teacher relationship is strained. Many view parents as partners in their child’s education and believe that a strong relationship improves kids’ overall social and emotional development.

“Teachers help students to reach their potential. However, that job is near impossible if parents/guardians do not take an active part in their student’s education.”

How the U.S. public views teachers

While the top response from teachers in the open-ended question is that they want the public to know that teaching is a hard job, most Americans already see it that way. Two-thirds of U.S. adults say being a public K-12 teacher is harder than most other jobs, with 33% saying it’s a lot harder.

And about three-quarters of Americans (74%) say teachers should be paid more than they are now, including 39% who say teachers should be paid a lot more.

Americans are about evenly divided on whether the public generally looks up to (32%) or down on (30%) public K-12 teachers. Some 37% say Americans neither look up to or down on public K-12 teachers.

In addition to the open-ended question about what they want the public to know about them, we asked teachers how much they think most Americans trust public K-12 teachers to do their job well. We also asked the public how much they trust teachers. Answers differ considerably.

Nearly half of public K-12 teachers (47%) say most Americans don’t trust teachers much or at all. A third say most Americans trust teachers some, and 18% say the public trusts teachers a great deal or a fair amount.

In contrast, a majority of Americans (57%) say they do trust public K-12 teachers to do their job well a great deal or a fair amount. About a quarter (26%) say they trust teachers some, and 17% say they don’t trust teachers much or at all.

Related: About half of Americans say public K-12 education is going in the wrong direction

How the public’s views differ by party

There are sizable party differences in Americans’ views of teachers. In particular, Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to say:

• They trust teachers to do their job well a great deal or a fair amount (70% vs. 44%)
• Teaching is a lot or somewhat harder when compared with most other jobs (77% vs. 59%)
• Teachers should be paid a lot or somewhat more than they are now (86% vs. 63%)

In their own words

Below, we have a selection of quotes that describe what teachers want the public to know about them and their profession.

Social Trends Monthly Newsletter

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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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• School Education /

Essay on Hard Work for Students in 500+ Words

• Updated on  
• Apr 6, 2024

Essay on Hard Work: Hard work is the consistent and dedicated efforts towards achieving a goal or task. It involves perseverance, determination, and the willingness of an individual to overcome obstacles and challenges. 

Students who consistently put in the effort to attend classes, complete their assignments, and engage in studies as well as in extra-curricular activities are more likely to perform better. Furthermore, they also gain a deeper understanding of the subject and learn other skills. 

This Blog Includes:

Understanding the concept of hard work, benefits of hard work in academics, how to develop a growth mindset through hard work, role of parents and schools in encouraging hard work, short essay on hard work.

Also Read: Essay on Good Manners in 250 Words, in 500 Words

Hard work serves as the foundation upon which great achievements are built. Whether it is about academics, career or achieving personal goals, hard work is an essential part of every process. Putting consistent effort into a task or goal until it is completed is truly hard work. It evolves giving one´s complete energy, focus, and perseverance to overcome any obstacles or difficulties that may arise in the path of an individual. 

Consider an example of a girl named Priya who dreams of becoming a doctor. She decided to work extremely hard right from an early age. Taking care of her daily routine, keeping attentive in her academics, and spending several more hours revising the concepts and doing practice questions kept her spirits high. 

If in any case, she does not score well on tests, instead of getting demotivated, she analyzes where she went wrong and works even harder to improve next time. Her passion and perseverance helped her to gain admission into her dream medical college.

The common sentiment about the value of hard work says that hard work is the foundation of success, whether in real life or in academics. It is the continuous dedication of one to continue the path of improvement, development, excellence, and achievement

Hard work is important not just for academics, but for all aspects of life. When you work hard in your household or your hobbies, you develop a sense of responsibility and discipline, which is going to help you in every part of your life. The sense of responsibility teaches you well how to prioritize your tasks and efficiently manage your time. 

Furthermore, hard work helps not only in overcoming obstacles but also in building up a problem-solver and enhances self-confidence. This confidence further initiates other areas of life and boosts up to take on new challenges and responsibilities with determination. 

After learning the benefits of hard work, it is important to understand how we can develop a mindset through our hard work. In reality, a growth mindset is the belief in immense effort and practice, and of course, taking pain for your task is the only key to success.

For example, if a student finds a subject difficult at the beginning, keeping a pace of working hard continuously helps in understanding it better. The idea that your capabilities can expand through hard work helps you develop a growth mindset.

Accept the challenges and see every failure as an opportunity. We all make mistakes and they play an important role in learning. The thing is, one should not get discouraged and keep on striving for the best with hard work. 

School plays an important role in encouraging a strong work ethic in students. Teachers can create an environment that encourages as well as rewards students for their hard work. They can design a challenging curriculum that pushes the students to work hard and think critically. At the same time, parents can also build a home environment where the child gets inspired by them. 

When the raisers model themselves either through professions or household responsibilities, the children learn the importance of sweat and tears. 

Hard work is the key to success in academics, in a career, and in life itself. It helps you to learn better, and achieve your goals and mindset. When individuals put in the effort and see the fruits of their labor, they gain a sense of accomplishment, pride, and self-worth. This positive boost motivates them to continue striving for excellence taking on new challenges and developing important qualities like discipline, determination, and a growth mindset.  

Also Read: Essay on Good Habits for Children: List of Healthy Habits

Hard work is the key to success in any area of life. It means giving your best efforts and dedication to your task until it is accomplished. When you work hard, you keep on trying despite facing any obstacles or setbacks. Making sacrifices, pushing yourself through challenges, and not giving up easily are the keys to hard work.

Now here comes a question, why is hard work important? Learn that hard work helps you learn things better. If you work hard at your studies, you will understand concepts more deeply. This further leads to better grades and good academic performance. 

Moreover, developing the habit of pursuing hard work prepares you for the future. The practice

The practice of toiling hard makes one able to work hard in a job as well as in a professional life. It is appreciated at the workplace and the individual is always promoted and rewarded for their utmost efforts. 

Further, hard work helps in building up valuable qualities like discipline, persistence, and determination. These important qualities help in overcoming difficulties in life and boost the confidence to fight back.

Students should be encouraged to work hard in school as well as at home. Teachers and parents should appreciate the young ones not only for their success but also for their efforts. This will help the children motivate themselves to work hard throughout life. 

It is important to remember that there is no shortcut to success. It is only hard work and perseverance that will turn one´s dreams into reality. Be always ready to work hard to achieve your goals and ambitions. 

Also Read: Essay on Indian Heritage for Students 

Ans. Hard work is a good value because it helps us achieve our goals through dedication and effort. It builds self-discipline, boosts self-confidence, and leads to a sense of satisfaction.

Ans. The benefits of hard work include gaining knowledge, skills, success, respect from others, financial stability, and a feeling of accomplishment. It shapes strong character and positive habits.

Ans.  Hard work is good as it enables progress and growth. Laziness leads to stagnation, while hard work paves the way for a fulfilling life. 

Related Blogs:

Visit our  essay writing page for more similar and interesting topics. Check out our school education page for academic content and visit Leverage Edu .

Deepika Joshi

Deepika Joshi is an experienced content writer with expertise in creating educational and informative content. She has a year of experience writing content for speeches, essays, NCERT, study abroad and EdTech SaaS. Her strengths lie in conducting thorough research and ananlysis to provide accurate and up-to-date information to readers. She enjoys staying updated on new skills and knowledge, particulary in education domain. In her free time, she loves to read articles, and blogs with related to her field to further expand her expertise. In personal life, she loves creative writing and aspire to connect with innovative people who have fresh ideas to offer.

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