They have given a lot just by opening up the doors to parents. Parents said that they are encouraged and supported by the principal and other members of the school staff to work on various committees and projects, and are often paired with more experienced parent volunteers. They encouraged me. Just sign your name if you think you might be interested. They were really encouraging.
Parents also feel honored when they sense that the school staff respects their opinions.
Parents spoke of feeling empowered by this recognition of their thoughts and ideas. These parents' stories suggest that joining and honoring are important components in creating links between families and school personnel. Needs and circumstances differ among schools, but most can, nevertheless, make changes and improvements to the school environment to help make parents feel more welcome, validated, and respected. For parents, the personal connections with school staff seem to be what makes the difference. My hope is that these findings will be useful for teachers, policymakers, school officials, and other parents attempting to design and implement parental involvement initiatives.