Parents Matter

About the Book

This book discusses the vital part that parents play in the academic achievement of students. It describes the many roles that parents assume in the different educational stages of a child’s life from infancy to late adolescence and how these roles ultimately impact students’ academic and future success. The book explores in detail the impact of parent involvement in early childhood education; middle, junior high, high school education; and with at-risk students. Parent involvement is also a critical factor within the school atmosphere. The book discusses in detail how parent involvement affects the school’s caliber to promote student achievement, thus contributing to the overall school improvement process. Practical and research-based strategies are introduced under each parent role, thus enabling the reader (whether it be parent, school administrators, or educators) to apply what was read to the real-life context within the relevant settings.

About the Author

I have been a middle and junior high educator for the past twenty years. My experience as a teacher, a researcher, a doctor in the field of education, and a parent of two children qualifies me to undertake this project. My own research in parent involvement and its impact on students of all ages have been the impetus behind all endeavors that I have devoted towards the success of this project. I am also part of the leadership team in the WCEA/WASC Accreditation process at St. John the Baptist parochial school, where this research is currently being presented and implemented as part of the school improvement process. The philosophy of the school clearly states that “parents are the primary educators of their children”, and through research findings that implicate the impact of parent involvement on student achievement and school improvement, teachers and administrators emphasize the many critical roles that parents play in this regard. My convictions and commitment to improving student learning consistently guide me in implementing my research findings with parents that I work with within the school to promote positive student learning outcomes for my students. I believe that this project, if and when published, will bear fruition at the classroom, school, and district levels. I also plan to continue research on the topic of parent involvement and its various forms at the school district level and provide guidance to administrators how help promote more opportunities for parent involvement within schools.