Parents Perceptions of Family Involvement

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Parents Perceptions of Family Involvement
Youth Outcomes at an Urban 4-H Education Center

• Theresa M. Ferrari, Ted G. Futris, Carol A.
  Smathers
• Graham R. Cochran, Nate Arnett, Janel K. Digby
• Ohio State University Extension
• National Association of Extension 4-H Agents
• Seattle, WA -- November 1, 2005

Presentation posted at http//www.ohio4h.org/tfer
rari/publications2005.html
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Rationale for Study

• Adventure Central is part of Ohios CYFAR Project
• Comprehensive program
• New program emphasis on parent involvement
• Site is evolving to serve as applied research
  center

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The Adventure Central Program Context

• Began in 2000
• OSUE MetroParks
• Facility based in urban neighborhood
• Hub of out-of-school programming
• After-school program M-Th
• Youth board
• Workforce development
• Summer day camp, overnight camping

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The Adventure Central Program Context Key Goals

• Long-term contact
• Improved academics
• Fun, learning activities with focus on science
  nature
• Life skills
• Activities with parents
• Ownership

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Review of Literature

• Enhances effectiveness of community programs
  (Eccles Gootman, 2002)
• Parent involvement is key to academic achievement
  overall healthy development (Epstein, 1991 Fan
  Chen, 2001 Gettinger Guestchow, 1998 Hara
  Burke, 1998 Jeynes, 2005)
• Considerable and consistent relationship with
  academic achievement specifically among urban
  students, holding across race gender (Jeynes,
  2005)

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Review of Literature

• Barriers to parent involvement (Eccles Harold,
  1993)
• Parent involvement is a multi-dimensional
  concept broad definition is needed
• Components (National Education Longitudinal
  Study Epstein, 1995)
• Home-school communications
• Volunteering
• Setting school-related rules at home
• Discussion school-related outcomes
• Involvement in decision making
• Collaboration with community

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Review of Literature

• Most research relates to schools
• Out-of-school programs (HFRP, 2002)
• Enrich adult educational development
• Engage with children in shared experiences
• Participate in program governance
• Build stronger links with schools

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Purpose

• Gain parents perceptions regarding
• Current involvement in practices that support
  their childs educational success
• Barriers currently inhibiting parent involvement
• Interests in educational programs, family
  involvement opportunities, and delivery method
  preferences
• Supportive environment for self and child
• Youth outcomes of program participation

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Procedures Sample

• Survey
• N 54
• 84 response
• Mothers
• African American females
• Reported on youth (N 82)
• 86 of youth represented

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Procedures Sample

• Focus Groups
• 3 groups
• N 20
• Grocery card incentive
• Parent moderator
• Tapes transcribed
• Themes developed

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Results Educational Support Practices
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Results Educational Support Practices (Every day)

• 91 Check on homework
• 83 Encourage school
• 80 Good conversation
• 65 Praise hard work
• 61 Limit time with friends
• 59 Offer homework help
• 48 Help with homework
• 48 Limit TV time
• 4 Read to children

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Results Educational Support Practices
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Results Educational Support Practices (Once a
Week or More)

• 33 Attend activity
• 33 Talk about future
• 17 Volunteer at school
• 13 Help organization
• 10 Take to library
• 6 Take to musical
• 4 Take to museum

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Results Barriers to Involvement

• Work hours
• Lack of time
• Stressful evenings
• Not feeling welcome was not a barrier

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Results Interest in Activities

• Activities for children
• Childrens growth development
• Computers
• Family-focused activities

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Results Climate and Support

• Safe place
• Caring staff
• Philosophy

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The kids get a lot of nurturing, love and
support. And as parents, when you walk in and you
feel good.
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4-H, the mission and the value statements which
are displayed throughout the building are key for
methose values are the rule of what my wife and
I are trying to instill in our daughters
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Results Youth Outcomes

• Youth have improved
• Social skills
• School performance

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Results Youth Outcomes
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Results Youth Outcomes

• 95 More confident
• 89 Makes friends
• 88 Tries new things
• 85 Problem solving
• 85 Likes self better
• 83 School performance
• 83 Completes homework

• 83 Takes responsibility
• 79 Talks about future
• 79 Better communication
• 76 Conflict skills
• 71 Tells the truth
• 69 Gets along with family
• 69 Less impulsive

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We live in an older neighborhood, so Im scared
to let him go and play by himself. So he gets to
interact here with other kids.
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His social skills are so much better. Now hes
interacting with other kids, and learning to go
along with other kids and what to step back from.
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With what he learns here, hes taken back to
school, and his teachers like, you know, well,
whats going on?...And she was like, Hes doing
so much better in school now than from when he
first started the beginning of the year.
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My oldest is a part of the youth board. And I
think that teaches time management, because she
says I have so much to do before the next
meeting.And I say thats where prioritizing
comes into play.as well as social skills, and
just dealing with other students, but also adults
as well.
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Its helped my son tremendously.hes involved
with a lot now. He sits on the Board and he goes
on most of those overnighters, and hes gonna be
a teen assistant this year. Its really enhanced
his ability to be able to communicate. He has
been to conferences hes been up to Columbus.
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You know, with a busy schedulewith juggling
jobs that was a big factor in our home, trying
to get homework done.This has been a blessing
that this type of place has been established.
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Discussion

• Extends previous research at the site by
  obtaining parents perceptions
• Conditions exist that support parent involvement

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Implications

• Guide program delivery
• Connecting home, school, and after school through
  a family involvement specialist
• Expanded offering of shared out-of-school time
  experiences

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Implications

• Revise survey instruments
• Annual evaluation process

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Questions?
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References

• Eccles, J., Gootman, J. A. (Eds.). (2002).
  Community programs to promote youth development.
  Washington, DC National Academy Press.
• Eccles, J. S., Harold, R. D. (1993).
  Parent-school involvement during the early
  adolescent years. Teachers College Record,
  94(3), 568-288.
• Epstein, J. L. (1991). Effects on student
  achievement of teacher practices of parent
  involvement. In S. Silverman (Ed.), Advances in
  reading/language research, Vol. 5, Literacy
  through family, community, and school
  interaction. Greenwich, CT JAI Press.
• Epstein, J. (1995). School/family/community
  partnerships. Phi Delta Kappan, 76(9), 701-712.
• Fan, X., Chen, M. (2001). Parental involvement
  and students academic achievement A
  meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review,
  13(1), 1-22.
• Gettinger, M., Guetschow, K. W. (1998).
  Parental involvement in schools Parent and
  teacher perceptions of roles, efficacy, and
  opportunities. Journal of Research and
  Development in Education, 32(1), 38-52.
• Hara, S. R., Burke, D. J. (1998). Parent
  involvement The key to improved student
  achievement. School Community Journal. 8(2),
  9-19.
• Harvard Family Research Project. (2002). Beyond
  the head count Evaluating family involvement in
  out-of-school time. Cambridge, MA Harvard
  Graduate School of Education. Retrieved from
  http//www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/content/projects/a
  fterschool/resources/ issuebrief4.pdf
• Jeynes, W. H. (2005). A meta-analysis of the
  relation of parental involvement to urban
  elementary school student academic achievement.
  Urban Education, 40(3), 237-269.

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References