Perceptions of Parents and Teachers Regarding the Impact of Parental Involvement on Students' Academic Success and Attitude: A Case Study

摘要

Parents are prominent teachers and role models that convey values of education to their children. Research shows that academic performance and student's attitudes are significantly associated to the level of parental involvement (PI). Many parents struggle to identify their role and level of involvement in creating opportunities for academic success and developing positive attitudes towards educational goals for their children. This aided in laying the foundation of parenting practices that guided this research. The problem this study focused on is how PI can help students to become more successful. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the effects of PI on different measures of academic success and students' attitude from the perspectives of teachers and parents. Open ended, semi-structured, interviews were conducted with twelve participants; six tenured teachers and six parents from a rural area high school in Louisiana. The results showed that all twelve participants strongly believed that PI have a significant impact; if not the most determinant factor; on students' academic achievement and attitude towards learning. Three common themes emerged relating to PI that can improve students' academic achievement, providing parental support, establishing a parental reward system, and managing child independence through parental guidance. Additionally, three common themes emerged relating to PI that can improve students' attitude towards learning; parents maintaining a safe and structured home environment, setting goals, and developing and maintaining positive relationships with their child. It is recommended that secondary schools include the forms of PI identified in this study when developing parenting programs, interventions, and activities for parents from rural areas to help students experience eminent academic achievement and attitude. Further research is recommended that includes a larger sample size, parents who children are identified as SPED, or high school administrators.