Nearly everyone agrees that family involvement in a student s education has strong benefits. The good news is that there are many, many ways for parents to support their child s education. There are almost unlimited ways to be involved, said Candace Whittaker, co-director of Minnesota Parent Center. Different parents find different ways of being active in their child s school, ways that work for their family. Conferences and provid- ing children a regular place and time for completing homework are important ways of being involved for almost every family.
Some parents have the time to be involved directly with their children at the school.
They volunteer in the classroom, coach an athletic team or academic competition, and chaperone field trips. Lack of time can be a significant barrier to participation for many parents, however. Whittaker emphasizes that family involvement does not have to take a lot of time and does not have to take place within the school walls. Many parents contribute treats to school events, help with raffles or other fund-raising, or watch their children s sports activities. I serve as a member of a telephone tree, said John Johnson, the father of a third grader.