Parental Involvement in Education

            There are many ways that the tax paying public can make a difference in public education. However, I believe that greater parental involvement would be the best way to make progress toward improvement. Lack of parental involvement is one of the biggest issues facing public schools today, and it needs to be addressed. If parents became more involved in their children’s studies, this would not only benefit the children, but it would also help make sure that teachers are doing their jobs properly. More involved parents could talk to their kids about their teachers and the learning environment in their classroom. This communication can help parents get a better idea of how their children’s teachers are conducting themselves in the classroom. If they believe that there is something that needs to be addressed, they can arrange a conference with the teacher, or speak with the principal or vice-principal. When parents get more involved, they will be able to tell which teachers truly care and which simply do not. If a teacher has no interest in getting back to a concerned parent or a parent who has reached out to them, the parent will surely realize that the teacher is simply not interested, which is not a good sign from a teacher. Communicating with parents is a key ingredient in good teaching. The best teachers never surprise parents, as they always know how their child is doing in class. Teachers that regularly contact parents by e-mail, phone or however they choose and regularly keep them involved in what is going on at school show parents that they truly care and are there to help. When it comes down to it, parental involvement in schooling is necessary in order for the tax paying public to have an idea of what is going on in their children’s’ classroom. In my opinion, it is the best way to try and make sure that teachers are doing their jobs properly.