Parents are their children's first and most influential teachers. What parents do to help their children learn is more important to academic success than how well-off the family is. Unfortunately, recent evidence indicates that many parents are doing much less than they might. Fathers spend less than 15 minutes. They do this through their daily conver- sations, household routines, attention to school matters, and affectionate concern for their children's progress.
Conversation is important.
Research on both gifted and disadvantaged children shows that home efforts can greatly improve student achievement. For exam- ple, when parents of disadvantaged children take the steps listed above, their children can do as well at school as the children of more affluent families. Discipline, Order, and Student Behavior in American High Schools. National Opinion Research Cen- ter. ERIC Document No.