| The most crucial areas in reading today are parental | | | | parents and parent participation, sometimes claiming |
| involvement and the home environment in a child's | | | | that parents are apathetic and come to school only |
| literacy development. I can look at the importance of | | | | to criticize. Teachers should not assume that parents |
| the home environment from the standpoint of both a | | | | are not willing to help with their children's education. |
| parent and an educator. As a single parent, I can | | | | Many parents are willing to help with their children's |
| relate to the time constraints, financial responsibilities, | | | | education but may have few ideas about how to |
| and stress that raising three children can place on a | | | | provide this help. |
| person. It was often frustrating not being informed | | | | There are several things parents can do at home to |
| of my children's progress in school until a problem | | | | help in their child's literacy development. One of the |
| arose. The problem could have been averted had I | | | | areas where parents can help children to become |
| been notified far enough in advance. | | | | literate, I call survival reading. For example, there are |
| Communication is essential in curtailing areas of | | | | many situations at home to provide practice for |
| misconception that may become major problems at a | | | | interpreting product information. Learning to read |
| later date. As an educator I would like to offer | | | | labels and interpreting the information is a necessity. |
| direction to help parents become involved in assisting | | | | If there is a tube of preparation H and a tube of |
| their children to succeed through open communication | | | | Crest toothpaste on the bathroom sink, it is |
| so that perceptual differences do not become major | | | | obviously important to know the difference. It is |
| problems. | | | | equally important to note warnings on labels as well |
| I am very concerned because I hear many teachers | | | | as being able to read nutritional information on cans |
| complain that parents don't care. At the same time, | | | | and boxes of food. Children can help make out |
| parents expect the school system to solve the social | | | | grocery lists, balance checkbooks, write messages on |
| and behavioral problems for which they should be | | | | greeting cards, and read recipes. |
| responsible. It seems that teachers blame parents | | | | We all need to be more positive in our |
| and parents blame teachers for what appears to be | | | | communication with one another. Teachers need to |
| a lack of standards, accountability, and responsibility | | | | talk with parents, and parents need to talk with |
| for todays children. Instead of pointing the finger at | | | | teachers in a nonthreatening, nonconfrontational |
| one another, it is time that both educators and | | | | manner. Communication is the key to building a better |
| parents become sincerely involved as a team to | | | | understanding and support of literacy programs. I feel |
| encourage and support early childhood literacy | | | | very strongly that a sound educational system needs |
| development. Many parents want to be actively | | | | parents, teachers, and community. Helping parents |
| involved in their child's literacy efforts, but they feel | | | | understand how children become readers and writers |
| intimidated by the frightening monolith; called the | | | | is one of the teachers and the school administrators |
| school system. In many economically deprived families | | | | most important missions. |
| the power of knowledge in others makes them feel | | | | Some parents are illiterate or low-literate. These |
| inadequate, while negative appraisals of their children | | | | parents can guide their children at home with skills |
| by teachers, becomes a negative comment about | | | | such as cooking, critically watching television, going to |
| their lives. | | | | the library and getting books on tape. If teachers |
| I had the opportunity to work with an urban male | | | | have ascertained that these activities exist in the |
| high school student. His mother refused to come to | | | | homes of some of their children, they could point out |
| school for the parent teacher conference because | | | | to the parents the value of increased attention to |
| she said that she felt uncomfortable. When I asked | | | | the print embedded in these activities. |
| her why she felt uncomfortable she said school was | | | | Emergent literacy opportunities have nothing to do |
| "too big". She was reticent to discuss the issue | | | | with socioeconomic status. It is family literacy |
| further. I explained to her that I am a single parent | | | | practices mentioned above which determine young |
| and realized how stressful it can be at times. She | | | | childrens experiences with print in the home. Parents |
| related to the fact that we were both single parents, | | | | need to be viewed as participants in their childrens |
| at which point she seemed open to suggestions as | | | | learning, then teachers need to implement initiatives |
| to how we could work together to help her son. She | | | | that bring schools and communities closer together. |
| still did not want to come to school, but became | | | | I am currently working with a fourth grade student |
| comfortable having telephone discussions with me as | | | | on an individual basis. One of the things that I am |
| to how we could improve her son's literacy. She said | | | | doing is providing three way communication with his |
| that no one ever asked for her input when it came | | | | home experiences, his regular classroom work and |
| to her son's education. I think an early childhood | | | | the work we do individually. Communication with the |
| literacy program would have helped the family | | | | parents and allowing them to assess their childs |
| significantly because the mother sincerely cared | | | | growth and development has been both encouraging |
| about her son's education. | | | | and beneficial to all parties. We all have a working |
| Some parents do not feel competent to deal with | | | | partnership that is helping the student take |
| school work. This phenomenon may reflect parents | | | | responsibility for his own learning. |
| insecurity in the school setting or fears about | | | | Copyright © 2006 by Pamela Beers. All rights |
| participation in their children's learning. | | | | reserved. |
| Some teachers have negative attitudes about | | | | |