Year 8 Pastoral Guardian

The Positive Impact of Parental Connection

Research has shown the greatest positive impact is parents providing time to communicate and engage in their child’s learning.  The key to facilitating positive change in a child’s academia and social emotional wellbeing is the engagement of you as parents in your daughter’s learning in the home and at school. 

Evidence indicates that involvement in the form of good parenting has a positive effect on children’s achievement (Sheldon and Epstein 2005; Duckworth et al. 2009).  Parents can communicate their expectations and educational aspirations by discussing subject selection and choices, academic aspirations, and post-school pathways (Pomerantz, Moorman and Litwack 2007).   Such communication represents a style of parenting which is supportive of a child’s academic progress, places value on learning, and models behaviours appropriate for achievement (Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler 2005). 

At school, parental involvement that focuses on school-based activities, such as attending events or volunteering in class or extracurricular activities, is paramount in continuing the connection and relationship that had been long established in primary school.  So - why stop there?   Your daughter values this connection and at a basic level she sees that you are taking an interest in her.  Relationships are improved through common interest with your daughter.  Connections build a greater sense of belonging to the college community.

International research has shown that parental connection has a positive impact on student achievement, including: 

•  higher grades and test scores; 
•  enrolment in higher level programs and advanced classes; 
•  higher successful completion of classes; 
• higher graduation rates;  and 
• a greater likelihood of commencing post-secondary education. 

This also includes social emotional indicators as listed below:

• more regular school attendance; 
• a greater connection and sense of belonging to school;
• better social skills; 
• improved behaviour;  
• a greater sense of personal competence and efficacy for learning; 
• greater engagement in school work;  and 
• a stronger belief in the importance of education. 

Emerson, L. (2012). Parental engagement in learning and schooling: Lessons from research. Retrieved from: https://www.aracy.org.au/

Conversation Starters

As a parent, what connection do I have at Mt A?

Where does my daughter want me to help at school?

Do I know my daughter as well as I should?

Michael Butterworth