students’ math achievement. Parents’ educational attain- ment and confidence in their own math skills affected the extent to which they assisted their children with math homework.5 However, workshops for parents and guide- lines to use math kits at home helped more parents gain confidence about helping their children and increased the percentage of students attaining math “proficiency” from one year to the next.6, 7 A longitudinal study of elementary school classrooms
that used Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork (TIPS- Math) activities found that more parents were involved in positive interactions with their students in math com- pared to those in matched control classrooms. With stu- dents’ prior achievement and other background variables statistically controlled, TIPS-Math students had higher standardized test scores and more students and parents reported being happier doing math homework than did the control group.8, 9
Parental Involvement in Science. There are fewer studies of parental involvement in science than in math, but the existing studies suggest that when parents are involved stu- dents’ improve their attitudes about science, complete more science homework, and have higher science report card grades and test scores. In Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork (TIPS-Science) students “take the lead” in
discussing science or conducting science experiments with a family partner.10 Two lon- gitudinal studies of TIPS-Science in the middle grades reported that more parents were involved in discussing science with their children at home. After controlling for back- ground variables and past performance, TIPS students completed more science homework and had significantly higher report card grades than non-TIPS students.11, 12 It seems clear that more parents become involved with students in science and students
increase science learning when teachers design homework that enables students to lead experiments and discussions. Students’ knowledge and test scores benefit most from high- quality science teaching, but parents’ beliefs, attitudes, and interactions with their chil- dren about science also influences students’ science attitudes and achievements.
Promising Practices that Involve Parents with Students on Math and Science
What should teachers do with the results of research on family involvement in math and science? NNPS Schools are demonstrating innovative ways to engage parents in math and science activities and to increase students’ success in these subjects. In addition to TIPS interactive homework, NNPS has collected in annual books of Promising Partnership Practices many examples that help teachers to connect families with students in math and science.13, 14
SAMPLE MATH INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIES
Involve Families Unable to Attend Family Math Night. Very few school-based activi- ties involve all families, even when that is the goal. Good partnership programs try to get important information to parents who could not attend meetings and events. Edison Ele- mentary School in Kennewick, Washington, took this challenge seriously in developing Math Games at Home. Families played math games and received a bag to take home with the pieces and directions for all of the games they played. Then, the ATP distributed the
©SYNERGY LEARNING • 800-769-6199 • MARCH/APRIL 2012 Connect • PAGE 23
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