Case Analysis – Building learning

communities

- Mahra Bahkeet Mohammed Alrayhi.

- H00328199.
- ECE 3703
- Antoinette Wiseman.
September 20, 2018
 Am doing case analysis for the course “ECE 3703”, about family and community

influence in learning especially under “New Thinking about Family Involvement.” As we

all know, the family is a part of the community which is mean it is impossible to be separate

from the community. Besides, family, community and the environment can affect the

student’s learning in the school either better or worst. For example, when the child has

divorced parents or a single family that influence the child learning, and it might make him

more confident and hard worker or either poor level and shaky personality between his

friends.

According to the researches who researched over 25 years has demonstrated:(The

involvement of the family is essential to the educational success of their children) (Healthy

relationships, n.d.). So, the child when he has an encouraging family that will enhance his

educational achievements and develops his understanding of the world.

(New Thinking about Family Involvement, 2008)

There is a structure of families in the community that could be affected positively on the

child’s educational success or negatively. These families are;

- Nuclear family: (Family that contains married couple that has kids),

- Extended family: (More generation live together not just mom, dad and kids and it could

be; uncle, grandparents and cousins).

- Blended: family: (Family that joins after divorce and death by remarriage of a spouse or

both and they may have children).

- Single-parent family: (One adult who is raising a child or more).

- Reconstituted family: (One or more parents have been married previously, and they bring

their children from the previous marriage).

- Foster family: (Family based on foster care is preferred to other forms of out of home

care).

- Symmetrical family: (This is one in which the roles of the husband and wife or co-habiting

parents have become more alike or equal).

These are the types of families that could affect the child’s education by living with them.

Some researchers believe that: (Families can help the children have a much better chance

for success, not just in school, but throughout life) (Healthy relationships, n.d.). That is mean,

the benefits of families are a lot, and that can be by having a higher grade in the school,

better attendance and achievements during the school and having good manners and

behaviors with others. Also, that will lead to having a great knowledge for the children

which will probably enhance their level of learning even in their life in general and in the

future.

(Healthy relationships, n.d.)

Having good relationships between for the families is essential for both family and

children. There is research that believes that:( What children learn first about a good

relationship they learn about their family’s relationships. Families give them a good model

from which they start to discover and how to build relationships throughout their lives)

(Bauman, 2017).

The researches agreed that the learning starts from home before attending the schools

which show how much the family play essential step for their children's learning and that

gives them the opportunity to grow up as it should be or even much better. Unclear and

extended families are a good example to have good children raised and the perfect

environment to live with. The most important persons in the family are parents,

grandparents and then the rest of them who could be sister brother, uncles, and cousins.

Moreover, all of them can impact on the child’s behavior, education and manners by living

in one environment and house.

Research shows that; (28%) Parents are more likely to see their child’s education as their

responsibility. Comparing 2007 with previous years, nearly half (45%) of parents believed

that they had equal responsibility with the school.

(Bauman, 2017)
Parents now participate in different activities with their children. These include: doing

school projects together (83%), making things (81%), playing sport (80%) and reading

(79%). That will impact positively on children achievements and grads in school.

However, sometimes families face feelings and emotional issues or misunderstandings. By

communicating and finding time to be together will helps to have good communication,

flexibility, and creativity to manage these situations and values.

Researches give tips for families to build healthy relationships which are;

- Talk to each other: Talking to each other will build good communicating with each other,

and that could be by saying what do you like and don’t like about your family relationships

to make it better and enhance it.

- Have family discussions: The all can sit together and share ideas, organize family events

and work through difficulties.

- Share values: The family is the model for the children, and they first learn from them

even the good or bad values. However, it is the responsibility of the family to deliver and

teach good values.

- Give helps and advises: The family can share advises and helps to make their relationships

stronger and that will have a positive impact on children.

(Bauman, 2017)
Schools and community are important and can impact either positively or negatively on

children and families. Support and help influence the quality of educational opportunities

which are offered to children. Ultimately, those schools will have students with higher

achievement, and everyone feels right about that kind of benefit. It makes sense that those

schools would also have good reputations in the community. Furthermore, most

communities care about the education of the children who live in them and their families.

Those schools that produce high achievement by encouraging the students and their

families and join them by doing workshops for the family invite them for events and ask

them to join their kids during the activities in the classroom. Besides, that will help to

achieve more, gain self-confidence and naturally be valued and supported. by

American Institutes for research followed established procedures for identifying potential

studies to review, through structured search processes. They searched for studies that

demonstrated a direct link between family or community partnership programs or efforts

and improvements in a student in the school. In addition, this was done by conducting

searches in “Academic Search Premier and JSTOR,” which are multidisciplinary approach

databases that include journals and articles the shows the study of family and community

influence on their children’s learning. Also, they did searches on the Internet, including the

“Harvard” family research Project website.

(Bauman, 2017) (Healthy relationships, n.d.)

A review of the literature shows that: (Many families and communities engagement

programs and practices that have been shown have a positive impact on student outcomes

and improvement in the school. In addition, the strategies that were found to be most related

to student achievement include engaging parents in their children’s learning through social

networks, providing parents with classes to help with their own education or their child’s

education, engaging parents with leadership roles in the school environment and give

families opportunities to be involved with their children’s education at home and school)

(How many parents get involved and. (n.d.). The Impact of Parental, 2-3.).

This impacted on schools that reach out to families and the community and have the

opportunity to build strong parent-school relationships. Also, when the parents are

engaged with their children in the schools that will lead to having good relationships

between them and their children.

How many parents get involved and. (n.d.). The Impact of Parental, 2-3.
To sum up, in the UAE, they agreed and supported “International Research on the Effects

of Parental Involvement”. UAE support the engagement of families in schools during

events and activities and they believes that: (Most children have two main types of

educators in their lives which are; their parents and their teachers. However, parents are

the primary educators and care givers until the child attends school) (Sumaiti, 2012).

. That shows, the main influence on the children’s learning first are the parents and then

school and into higher education. The community plays also an essential role in building

this relationships between the families, schools and the children. Moreover, it depends on

the community and their support.

(Sumaiti, 2012)
 References:

Wiseman. A, (2018), ECE 3703 Lecture notes

Bauman, E. (2017, February). How Family, School and community engaement. Retrieved
from nmefoundation: https://www.nmefoundation.org/getattachment/67f7c030-
df45-4076-a23f-0d7f0596983f/Final-Report-Family-Engagement-
AIR.pdf?lang=en-US&ext=.pdf

Healthy relationships. (n.d.). Retrieved from kidsmatter:

https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/sites/default/files/public/KMECC3-201208-
Healthy%20family%20relationships.pdf

How many parents get involved and. (n.d.). The Impact of Parental, 2-3.

New Thinking about Family Involvement. (2008). Importance of Early Childhood

Education: Family Involvement, 2-2.

Sumaiti, R. A. (2012, January). Parental Involvement in the Education In the Dubai.

Retrieved from khda:
https://khda.gov.ae/CMS/WebParts/TextEditor/Documents/Parental_Involvement
_in_the_Education.pdf