Parent Workshops A Good Way To Foster Student Learning

Getting parents involved in their children's education is often considered the key to a student's success. At least three Highlands County schools are helping parents do that, and we hope many more do.

In the last few weeks, one school has held a Better Readers workshop to guide parents on how to help their children's reading at home. The Kindergarten Learning Center had a curriculum night to familiarize parents with what is expected of their children in school while another middle school had something similar.

Some of these workshops were packed with parents and students on a school night. In Park Elementary School, about 300 attended the reading workshop. We're sure many went home with valuable tips on how to help their children. It shows that if an event is publicized right, parents will come.

Other schools could perhaps take on this cue and organize something on those lines. How about a "Demystifying Math" workshop to help parents learn ways to help children with their math homework or a "Know Your FCAT Better" seminar. Some of the curriculum has changed so much since the time parents were students that helping children at home, without any refresher help, is probably tough for some.

We know organizing these workshops takes effort and time but by investing in parents, the schools are in turn helping out their students.

Statistics that show parental involvement in their children's school have not been very encouraging. Only one in four parents is actively involved. That number shrinks to one in nine among working parents, according to the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA).

But we can redirect the seeming apathy to more constructive involvement through workshops like these. Some parents may not realize that coming to a PTA meeting is a way to get involved in their children's education. But if they are told that a meeting may help them help their children better while doing homework, the parents who care will come.