Why Should Schools Encourage Volunteering?

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Why Should Schools Encourage Volunteering?
by Cassie, Afterschoolers Staff

Some schools have been reluctant to incorporate volunteers into the education team. In this essay Cassie explores the benefits of volunteering for schools.

Extensive research on the benefits of parental participation in education (reviewed in Sheldon & Van Voorhis, 2004; Boethel, 2003) has led to the United States Department of Education to included parental involvement as a top priority for school reform. Strong parental involvement was recommended by the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act. In addition, the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) specifies that school programs involving parents must “ensure that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school” (p. 2). The Comprehensive School Reform Program funded by the US Department of Education requires a “meaningful involvement of parents and the local community in planning and implementing school improvement activities” (Learning Point Associates, 2005). In order to receive federal education funds, schools must demonstrate the effective ways of enhancing parent involvement. Additionally, Title I funding of schools in high poverty areas is dependent on the formation of “compacts” in which families and schools communicate and cooperate in the educational process. The partnership between schools, homes, and community is recognized as being critical (U.S. Department of Education, 1994).

Researchers classify educational programs emphasizing parental involvement into six categories: (a) enhancement of parenting skills and home environments, (b) communication between school and home and vice versa, (c) parental volunteerism within the school, (d) enrichment of the child’s education by parents at home, (e) inclusion of parents in school decision making, and (f) extension of education through community collaborations (Epstein, 1995). For the purposes of this study, we will be emphasizing the physical presence of parents in the school as volunteers.

Many researchers have found that children with parents involved in their school had significantly fewer behavioral problems. Domina (2005) found this effect particularly amongst children of low socioeconomic status (SES), whereas others found that children from high SES benefit more that low SES students (Lareau & Horvat, 1999; McNeal, 1999). Study designs may have influenced the results of each of these studies; however, student behavior improvement as a result of parental involvement has been clearly established.

Cumulating results from a literature review, Gonzales-DeHass, Willems, and Holbein (2005) found parent volunteerism resulted in increased motivation in school engagement, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, autonomy, self-regulation, mastery goal orientation, and motivation to read. These authors explain, “Students become more motivated when they observe their parents take an active interest in school” (p. 119). Jordan, Orozco, and Averett (2002) reviewed several studies that demonstrated that parental involvement positively affected behavior, motivation, social skills and relationships, truancy, and pursuit of higher education.

While parental assistance with schoolwork at home has been shown to improve student academics, there are some limitations in studying the effect of parent volunteerism in schools on student academics. McNeal (1999) points out that parental involvement is more likely to result in improved behavior compared to academic outcomes which are based more on innate cognitive ability. Henderson and Mapp (2002) caution that parent involvement alone will not improve academics; rather parent involvement is a tool to be used in an overall school improvement plan. Studies are contradictory on the effect of parent involvement in the school on student academics (reviewed in Jordan, Orozco, & Averett, 2002). Some researchers believe that data that negatively correlates parental involvement with academics is due to the fact that parents of children exhibiting academic problems will have more frequent interaction with the school through parent-teacher conferences and other interventions (Henderson & Mapp, 2002; McNeal, 1999). Many studies show that routine family interactions with the school do result in positive impacts on academics in all subject areas (reviewed in Jordan, Orozco, & Averett, 2002).

Hradnansky (2001) instituted an effective parental volunteer program for academic improvement. Parent volunteers were trained in literacy development and placed in first grade classrooms to assist with individual reading instruction. As well as meeting the goal of most students reaching or exceeding grade level expectations, the program also resulted in greater parental awareness of how to develop their child’s literacy skills at home. Teachers also expressed satisfaction at receiving assistance with reading instruction in the classroom.

Parents themselves also derive personal benefits from being present in their child’s school. In a qualitative study of an inner city school, O’Connor (2001) found that “the most active volunteers gained a greater sense of belonging, efficacy, and self worth” (p. 195). Cotton and Wikelund (1991) state “The research also reveals that improved parent attitudes toward the school and improved parent self concepts characteristically result when parents become involved in their children's learning” (para. 21). Parents who have firsthand observation of the educational system exhibit improved parental competency and confidence in enhancing their child’s education at home, thus generalizing students’ school life to home (Gonzales-DeHass, Willems, & Holbein, 2005). In a volunteer program in which parents spent many hours in the classroom, Symeou (2002) found “Parents’ first-hand experience of their child’s performance in school and how they were taught in class facilitated the process of enhancing their children’s schoolwork at home” (para. 11)

The level of parents’ societal networks as defined by communication with other parents is a predictor of school involvement and student success (Sheldon, 2002). Parents who were isolated from other parents were least likely to be involved in their children’s education. This for creating a school community atmosphere that facilitates interaction between parents.

Outreach by schools is an important step to create a partnership with parents. Driessen, Smit, and Sleegers (2005) emphasize that schools must acknowledge parents as valuable resources and assets:

The school itself should work more actively on the attainment of greater insight into parental desires and interests that may or may not be raised explicitly by the parents themselves. The extent to which such efforts successfully activate the more reticent (or less involved) parents strongly depends on the extent to which these same groups of parents are approached and treated as serious educational partners. (p. 529)

Many schools need to make more effort to provide an open and welcoming atmosphere to parents (O’Connor, 2001). Schools and parents often have different opinions regarding the role of parents in education, with the school holding more power and often defining the role they would like to assign to the parents (Jordan, Orozco, & Averett, 2002). A breakdown in the school-home communication is often a barrier. In an inner city school action research study, Holoway (1997) surveyed parents’ and teachers’ attitudes regarding each other. Holoway states: “Too often parents are blamed for not being involved even though the teachers are not reaching out to them to foster involvement” (p. 1). Holoway believes this lack of communication may be due in part to the fact that most teachers are not formally trained to deal with parents. In addition, parents may either be wary to bring up concerns with the teacher or be too outspoken and viewed as “troublemakers” (p. 2). A survey found that elementary parents “felt that in order for a child to do well in school a parent must know, personally, about what happens daily at school” (p. 6). However, 70% of the teachers polled by Holoway did not like volunteers in the classroom, even though they described their school as parent friendly. Such situations are unfortunately all too common in U.S. schools. In a meta-study, Jordan, Orozco, and Averett (2002) found that “several of the authors reviewed also argue for the need to develop an ‘asset’ model, in which parents are viewed by school personnel as resources instead of obstacles” (p. 14).

The demographics of parent volunteers point to more involvement from parents with a higher overall education level and whose native language is English (Vaden-Kiernan, 2005). Similar to the U.S., minority populations in European countries also contribute less frequently to their children’s educations, pointing to inherent difficulties with foreign parents communicating with schools (Driessen, Smit, & Sleegers, 2005; Symeou, 2002). Improved academics amongst minority students resulted from increasing teachers’ cultural awareness and sensitivity to minority parents. The resulting increased teacher-parent interactions encouraged minority parents to be more involved, thus providing educational benefits to their children (Driessen, Smit, & Sleegers, 2005; Schmidt & Izzo, 2003). A theme that develops across studies is that all parents regardless of SES or cultural background are interested and willing to improve their children’s academics and are often able to do so with training (Henderson & Map, 2002).

Foreign parents may have different expectations of teachers and schools compared to American parents, and it helps teachers to be aware of the cultural perspectives of education seen by foreign students and their parents. In Japan, teachers are expected to command a certain amount of respect as education professionals, and Japanese parents are accustomed to taking a more submissive role in education. While 81% of Japanese principals expect parents to volunteer for school projects and trips, parent volunteering within classrooms is not a common practice in Japanese schools (Copeland, 2007; author’s observation). American teachers will have different classroom expectations than that which Japanese parents and children are accustomed. For example, when asked how often students interject extraneous comments during lessons, 11.5% of American eighth graders said such interruptions occur “almost always,” whereas only 0.6% of Japanese eighth graders described student interruptions (Copeland, 2007). In the same study, only 48.8% of American students felt that classmates always follow teacher’s exact directions, whereas 69% of Japanese responded affirmatively. The Japanese cultural expectation that teachers are not questioned and the Japanese unfamiliarity with parent’s presence in the classroom may lead these parents to be uncomfortable with classroom volunteering.

Providing information regarding school expectations to immigrant parents has been found to result in more involvement by these parents. Chrispeels and Rivero (2001) describe a program in which a large urban California school district held seminars in Spanish for Latino parents regarding the school system and academic standards. These parents subsequently became more involved in the schools:

After attending the PIQE [seminars], parents had expanded their concepts of involvement in their child’s education both at home and at school. A major discovery by parents was that they could initiate contact with the school and did not have to wait for the teacher to extend an invitation. For some, contact became more frequent. They advocated for their children. (p. 161)

Education in cultural differences can improve teachers’ approach to minority students as well. After finding negative teacher attitudes towards Latino parents and students, public meetings on curriculum and student services were held in two southern California elementary schools (Quiocho & Daoud, 2006). There was a surprisingly large attendance of Latino parents. In this study, providing a forum in which minority parents could be heard opened the avenues of communication and improved teachers’ attitudes towards minorities. The improved teacher-parent relationships had a positive effect on the Latino students.

Many schools throughout the country have developed parental involvement programs with success. The National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) program found in over 1200 schools in the U.S. and internationally implements school-parent cooperation in which “schools are provided with tools, training, and other materials and advice about establishing, maintaining, and improving school-wide partnership programs that reach out to families of all students” (Sheldon & Van Voorhis, 2004, p. 127). Schools in the NNPS program form a school Action Team for Partnership consisting of teachers, administrators, parents, and community members to plan and guide family participation. The quality of the direction provided by the Action Team was found to be instrumental in coordinating parental involvement. Formal self-evaluation of the program by individual schools was also useful in guiding and improving program quality. In a study of 300 NNPS schools, Sheldon and Van Voorhis found that in-school parent volunteerism was the factor that contributed most significantly to the highest quality programs. The example provided by the NNPS shows that a formal school organization devoted to improving parental involvement is highly useful in reaching a school’s volunteering goals.

One teacher in Cyprus was able to institute 100% parental participation in a fifth grade classroom (Symeou, 2002). Three to six parents were present in the classroom every day as either active participants or observers. The project aimed to bring each student’s lesser-involved parent (usually the father) into the classroom at least once, with regular participation by each student’s mother or primary caregiver. Benefits included increased trust in teacher by parents, teacher appreciation of students’ cultural backgrounds, instructional efficiency, increased student self-esteem and enthusiasm, and community spirit. At the conclusion of the study:

Parents expressed gratitude for their new roles. They had the opportunity to live the realities of their child’s day-to-day life. They were provided all the necessary contextual information to draw their own conclusions about their children’s school attainment and behavior. (para. 8)

The research clearly indicates that parent involvement in schools is beneficial to students, parents, and teachers. A conscious effort and planned program is necessary to increase volunteerism. Including parents in school life is a feasible and important goal that will improve the quality of education for all involved.

Cassie is one of the founding members of the Afterschoolers website. She is a mother of three with a science PhD who is working on an education masters degree for a career change.

References

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Chrispeels, J. H., & Rivero, E. (2001). Engaging Latino families for student success: how parent education can reshape parents’ sense of place in the education of their children. Peabody Journal of Education, 76(2), 119-169. Retrieved February 3, 2007, from ERIC database.

Copeland, A. P. (2007). Welcoming international parents to your classroom. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 43(2), 66-70. Retrieved February 3, 2007, from ProQuest database.

Cotton, K., & Wikelund, K. R. (2001). Parent involvement in education. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved February 1, 2007, from http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/3/cu6.html.

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Epstein, J. L. (1995). School/family/community partnerships: caring for the children we share. Phi Delta Kappan, 76(9), 701-712. Retrieved February 1, 2007, from ERIC database.

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Quiocho, A. M. L., & Daoud, A. M. (2006). Dispelling myths about Latino parent participation in schools. The Educational Forum, 70(3), 255-267. Retrieved February 1, 2007, from ERIC database.

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Sheldon, S. B. (2002). Parents’ social networks and beliefs as predictors of parental involvement. Elementary School Journal, 102(4), 301-316. Retrieved February 1, 2007, from ERIC database.

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Symeou, L. (2002). Valuing parents as co-educators: a teacher-parent partnership project in Cyprus. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Family Research Project. Retrieved February 1, 2007, from http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/fine/resources/digest/valuing.html

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