ABSTRACT
Parents are their child’s first teacher. Parents shape their children’s beliefs, expectations, enjoyment, and investment in learning, and can have a significant impact on achievement. Students who have parents who are involved in their education achieve at substantially higher levels. Setting high expectations, having a supportive parenting style, and tutoring at home are the most effective forms of involvement. For example, parents who listen to their children read and actively teach their children can successfully improve their children’s abilities. Attending school events is more strongly linked with positive teacher perceptions than students’ academic achievement. And excessive home supervision, such as overmonitoring screen time and micromanaging homework, can be harmful. Coaching parents to maintain high expectations, employing a supportive versus surveillance style of parenting, and avoiding micromanaging or helping children with their homework. While there is evidence that voluntary parent involvement is beneficial, school programs designed to increase parent involvement lack evidence of success.
