The
Importance of Family Involvement
“Parents are the primary teachers and nurturers of their children. They provide appropriate environments and interactions that promote learning and help their children develop the skills and values needed to become healthy successful adults. Two of the main purposes of an early childhood program are to support and strengthen the parent in this role and to provide the foundation for a family’s ongoing involvement in their child’s education.” (DiNatale, 2002. p. 90)
According to an article written by Kieff and Wellhousen (May 2000), the school and the classroom teacher have the responsibility to encourage family – school relationships. A recent survey indicates that teachers have identified family involvement as the greatest priority for improving education. This also supports studies regarding family involvement and school effectiveness. Families provide the primary educational environment for their children and involving families in formal education has a positive impact on the child’s achievement.
Decades of research have shown that one of the best predictors of achievement in school is the extent to which the parents believe they can be key resources in their children’s education and become involved in the community and school. Family involvement benefits the children, parents, teachers and overall quality.