Student Engagement (Parental Interest: 60% of Successful Equation)

Local commentary

Parents must play role in kid’s education

   We can’t truly address the issues facing schools until we make a serious effort to tackle issues of parental involvement, student apathy and poverty.

   Many of the students struggling in schools lack parental involvement at home. They do not have the structure and discipline at home needed to be a successful student. These students struggle with organization and time management skills needed to complete assignments in a timely manner.

   Our staff consistently contacts the homes of struggling learners to see whether the parents are accessing their child’s grades online. Unfortunately, many are not.

   Many parents are not able to be home with their child because of work or other commitments. They may feel that their child’s education is a low priority in their life. If a parent acts like education is unimportant at home, or if he or she is unable to help the child become a successful student, the child tends to become apathetic toward education.

   Apathetic students do not appreciate the significance of an education. They simply don’t care. They may be overwhelmed with the class assignments, their home life, or other commitments in and out of school. Parents of these students either make their choices for them or are not involved enough.

   After speaking to colleagues about this problem, we determined student apathy could be caused by a lack of connection between the student and the classroom or the teacher. We should support our students with their extracurricular activities, and show that we are excited about their passions. In order to avoid apathy in students, educators need to ask students about their passions and goals.

   Because there is a relationship between economic advantage and student performance, students of disadvantaged households are more likely to develop feelings of apathy. This is a major problem facing our institution , especially as 20% of American children are living in poverty.

   The level of achievement required of all students — including those in poverty — places a lot of pressure on schools. Our school, for example, provides low-income students a free or reduced-priced breakfast and lunch in order to improve their health and nutrition, which can in turn enhance their learning. We also provide free tutoring to at-risk students after school and during the summer. If the student’s family cannot afford a field trip or an educational resource, our school covers the cost. Our school also offers free counseling to students and families in need of guidance through social workers.

   One of the biggest challenges in my job is the number of students in my classroom. Since state funding for schools has been cut, our class size limits have been lifted. This makes it more difficult to give each student the individual attention he or she needs.

   I have donated numerous hours of my time to help my students before or after class, especially if they return to homes where their parents do not help them with homework.

   However, there’s only so much we as educators can do — policymakers must focus on addressing these issues of poverty and apathy in order for all students to be successful.

   One thing our state’s elected leaders can’t continue to do is place such an emphasis on high-stakes standardized testing. It is an unfair measure of student achievement and misinforms the public. Test results do not take into account socioeconomic issues that affect students’ education. Instead, we must focus our energy on empowering all students to care and understand the importance of obtaining a quality education.

   A child’s education begins at home with their parents and continues in the classroom. When a child begins school, parents need to be there for support and encouragement.

   Mike Lerchenfeldt teaches math, science, and reading enhancement classes at Iroquois Middle School in the Chippewa Valley School District.

Mike Lerchenfeldt