Strengthen the Home to School Connection

Parents play a vital

The Influence of part in their child’s
Parent growth
academically and
Involvement on socially. Different
their Child’s kinds of involvement
Social can have varying
results.
Interactions
Table of Contents
2 Methods
--Parent
Involvement
--Student’s Social
Interactions

3 Observations
Analysis

4 Implications
Mimi Tran Conclusions
University of California, Summary
References
San Diego

Parents have a powerful role in their child’s involvement in their child’s academic
developmental outcome. It is a common engagements influence their child’s social
understanding that a parent or guardian’s interactions in the classroom? In order to
“All parents are presence influences their child’s outcome properly answer this question, two things

involved in in a classroom. There are many studies
showing a strong correlation between
different ways.”
positive parent interaction and student’s
academic achievements. With so much
-Assistant Principal
attention on student’s academic
from San Diego Unified
School District achievements, the influence that parents
have on students’ social interactions in the
classroom tends to be overshadowed.
The question that will attempted to
be answered is: How does parent
will need to be clarified. First, the idea of
“parent involvement” must be discussed as
to clarify the degrees and extent of such
influence. Secondly is the concept of
student social interaction and how this was
measured. According to observations of a
5th grade classroom and interviews of
different stakeholders, positive parent
influences generally have positive effects
on student’s social interactions in the class.

The Influence of Parent Involvement on their Child’s Social Interactions

Mimi Tran UCSD EDS 2014

“Across all social

classes, parents pay
close attention to
their children’s
education…
[working-class and
poor parents] take a
different approach to
helping them reach
their goal.”
-Lareau (2003), Unequal
Childhoods

Methods different based upon different factors. In this brief study, parent
According to sociologist Annette involvement was measured for each
This study observed 32 students in a
Lareau (2003), “Across all social student in the 5th grade classroom.
5th grade classroom at a school in San
classes, parents pay close attention to Observations and notes were taken
Diego, CA. In addition to the
their children’s education… [working- based upon the parents and students
observations, there were also a
class and poor parents] take a different who attended two out of classroom
series of interviews varying
approach to helping them reach their activities: the parent-teacher potluck
stakeholders, including a teacher, an
goal, however” (p. 198). Under all and the ice skating party. Important
assistant principal, and a parent.
circumstances, parents can be stakeholders were also interviewed
Parent Involvement influential to their children. about the concept and purpose of
Parent involvement is a
In this article, parent parent involvement.
broad term that can mean different
involvement is defined as positive Student’s Social
things. As an assistant principal from
parent interactions with their child’s Interactions
San Diego Unified School District
academics. Steven Sheldon (2002) Students’ social interactions
stated, “All parents are involved in
states, “the term refers to a range of refer to how students interact with each
different ways.” This is, by all means,
behaviors, including ensuring that other. In the classroom setting,
true. The influence of parents who
children have breakfast before they go observations were made during
feed their child and attend parent-
to school, volunteering at school, transitional periods for which students
teacher conferences cannot be
helping children with homework, and went to talk or sit next to other students.
denied. However, there are also
holding a position on the local school These observations were made on a
parents who will also help their
board” (p. 302). There are countless random school day. Notes were made
students with homework at home or
ways for parents to be a part of their for the top three students that each
attend school functions.
child’s education. student made an attempt to socially
These various levels may be

The Influence of Parent Involvement on their Child’s Social Interactions 2

Mimi Tran
“The more the parent is
involved in the
students’ life inside and
out of school, the more
confidence the child
will have academically
and socially.”
interact with. The social interactions
could be who they chose to play with
during recess, sat next to during
whole class lesson, or who they
talked to when transitioning or
project time. This data was collected
and used to create a sociogram in
order to display which students were
more interactive with a greater range
of students.
Observations
When looking at the observations
and data yielded for parent
involvement and for student’s social
interactions, there seems to be a
correlation relationship. The parent
th
observations of the 5 grade
classroom showed that there were
parents who would show up to more
events than other parents. Also,
analyzing the sociogram showed
The Influence of Parent Involvement on their Child’s Social Interactions
UCSD EDS 2014
clearly that there were groups of groups. In one group, many of these
students who interacted with more students seemed to gravitate towards
students than others. each other. There was a group four to five
Of the students whose girls who were friends, but their
parents were more active in the friendship was exclusive. Students who
school events, there were two were not in exclusive friendships were
distinct groups. There were the isolated and did not reach out or attempt
students who the teacher felt were to socialize with their peers.
more vocal and more social. There
were also the students who were Analysis
more isolated. Students who were These observations suggest that parents
social and vocal tend to interact with who are more involved in their child’s
a greater variety of students schooling have a positive influence in
throughout the class and played with their child’s social interactions. Students
different students at recess. Students can become more confident in school and
who were more isolated seemed to are eager to reach out socially. A mother
still reach out to their peers, even if of two children shares her belief that, “the
their efforts were not as more the parent is involved in the
reciprocated. students’ life inside and out of school, the
Students whose parents were more confidence the child will have
not involved in the school activities academically and socially.” Parent
were classified into two different involvement in a child’s education is
3
Mimi Tran
correlated with their child academic
and social success.
Interestingly enough, there was
also a danger of having too much
parent support or involvement. There
were several students who seemed too
reliant on their parents, resulting in
their own social isolation and difficulty
with making friends.
However, students who do not
have a clear parent involvement are not
doomed. Correlation does NOT imply
causation. While students who have
parents who are interactive in school
events tend to be more social, students
whose parents are not as involved are
still capable of being social.
Implications and
their child’s social interactions in the
classroom. An assistant principal
believes that parents are one of the
most important stakeholders in their
child’s education because “the
parent is the child’s first teacher.” As
a result, parent support for children
yields many benefits, including
increase academic and social
success.
Lastly, a teacher from a
school in San Diego shared his
thought, “no [parent] WANTS to not
help their children. Some WON’T.
Some don’t know how. And for some,
it is a bit of both. But, most are doing
all they can given their situation.”
Parents are involved based on their
own understanding and their
UCSD EDS 2014
ideas on how parents can be more
involved in their child’s education:
• Communicate with the teachers
to get updates on events and the
child’s progress
• Attend school events – parent
teacher conferences, back to
school night, Open House, choir
concerts, etc.
• Check the child’s homework
daily
• Provide homework help if
needed – either the parent can
help or get a tutor
• Model positive attitudes towards
school and social interactions
• Talk to their children about their
day and things they learned !

Conclusions situations. While some parents are

able to be more present in the school
In conclusion, based on the
setting, others show their support at
observations and research collected in
home.
this research brief, it is suggested that
Here are some suggestive
parent involement positively influences

References
Summary
Lareau, A. (2003). Unequal
• Parent involvement and support for their child’s
Childhoods. Berkley, CA:
academics usually had a positive correlation with
University of California
their social interactions in the classroom,
regardless of social class. Press.
• For all circumstances, parents can be influential Sheldon, S.B. (2002). Parents’
in various ways: Social Networks and
o Parents can review their child’s homework. Beliefs as Predictors of
o Parents can have a positive relationship
Parent Involvement. The
with the teacher.
o Parents can attend school functions. Elementary Journal, 102(2),
• Positive parent and student relationships can 301-316.
lead to increase in the child’s confidence –
academically and socially.

The Influence of Parent Involvement on their Child’s Social Interactions 4

Mimi Tran UCSD EDS 2014

The Influence of Parent Involvement on their Child’s Social Interactions 5