Parenting is more important to how a child performs academically than
the quality of the school they go to, new research reveals.
The study, from three US universities, finds the time parents invest in
their children’s schoolwork and life is what marks the high achievers out from
the rest. It concludes that the closer the bonds between parent and child –
including levels of trust, communication and an “active engagement” in a
child’s academic life – the better the academic performance.
Conversely, if parent-child engagement is “low”, even an excellent
school providing a positive environment for learning, student involvement in
extracurricular activities and an individualised approach to teaching is not
enough to beat the academic records of children with strong family lives.
Co-author of the paper, professor of sociology Dr Toby Parcel, said:
"Our study shows that parents need to be aware of how important they are,
and invest time in their children - checking homework, attending school events
and letting kids know school is important. That's where the payoff is." Researchers
from North Carolina State University, Brigham Young University and the
University of California evaluated data from more than 10,000 students as well
as their parents, teachers and school administrators.
They examined so-called “family social capital” – the bonds between
parents and children - and “school social capital”, or the school’s ability to
give an excellent learning experience. “While both school and family
involvement are important, the role of family involvement is stronger when it
comes to academic success," adds Parcel. The report is published in the
online journal Research in Social Stratification and Mobility.
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