How to Get Involved at School -- and Why It Helps Your Kids
The issue of how to improve the country's public schools seems like a never-ending debate held at national, state and local levels. From congressional acts to voucher proposals to new learning systems, every politician and educational specialist claims to have the answer. But Linda Hodge, president of the National PTA (Parent-Teacher Association), has one simple suggestion for parents: Get involved.
According to Hodge, more than 85 studies show that a myriad of benefits result when moms and dads get involved: Kids get better grades, have higher self-esteem, boast higher graduation rates and post-secondary education attendance -- and enjoy greater success in life in general. Why? "Kids see that school is important to you," says Hodge, "and so it becomes important to them."
Happily, these benefits are reaped no matter how much you're able to do, as long as you're doing something, says Hodge. And, she adds, the benefits extend to the whole school -- schools with a higher level of parental involvement tend to enjoy better curriculums and facilities, and with greater volunteer support teachers end up having more time to teach. "Most schools don't have ideal student-teacher ratios," Hodge points out. "When a parent volunteers to go in to make copies, she's giving the teachers more time in the classroom." But Hodge emphasizes that getting involved in your local school's community isn't limited to activities that happen between 9 and 3 on weekdays.
Here are some ways she suggests any parent -- working or not -- can become an active participant in his or her children's school lives:
Start at home: Asking your children who their friends are, knowing what's gone on during the day at school and being aware of the homework that's been assigned may seem obvious, but, says Hodge, these things matter. She also emphasizes making time to go to your child's parent-teacher conferences -- it's an important opportunity to connect with your child's teacher and also show your child that you're paying attention to what's going on in his or her life.
Look for small ways to contribute: You don't have to chair the largest school fundraiser to be "involved." There are many levels of participation, says Hodge. "Someone who has 10 minutes to give is just as important as someone who can devote 23 hours a day to the school." You can look for one-day ways to contribute, such as volunteering at the school fair on a weekend or taking a morning off from work to talk to your child's class about your career.
Think creatively about scheduling: If you work, you might need to make your interest known to the PTA or principal to get some help in finding what would work for your schedule. "Get together with other working parents and meet as a group with your school's principal," Hodge suggests. "Tell her that you want to be involved and need her help in finding ways to do it." Some of the creative ways parents and districts have worked together:
Monthly "parent work nights," at which parents go into the school in the evening to help create bulletin boards, make copies for the teachers and attend to other activities that otherwise wouldn't get done.
PTA meetings held on Saturday mornings at the town soccer fields. "That's where the parents are," says Hodge, "so this particular principal moved the meeting to them."
Evening "homework help" and mentoring sessions.
Broadcast your talents: Don't feel limited by the obvious choices. Maybe you don't have the time to be class mom or to chair a big committee, but you could help out in other ways. Your current or past professional experience may offer a skill needed by your school. Perhaps you worked as an executive recruiter before having kids -- you'd probably do great recruiting other volunteers for school events. Have your CPA certificate? Offer to help the school's PTA manage the budget and books. Produce video professionally? Help out with making the official video of the school play. If you don't tell anyone what you can do, they'll never know. So broadcast your talents and ask for ways to incorporate them into the life of the school.
Bottom line: Parents' involvement is needed to make schools work in general -- and to make their own kids' lives better. "Your kids will grow up whether you get involved or not," say Hodge. "It's a matter of how you want them to grow up."
