Parent Leaders

Did you know that you don't need to have a position or a title to be a parent leader? Whenever people follow you, you are leading. The challenge is to find positive ways to lead.

Schools are recognizing that school-based groups that should be advocating and providing resources for parents are indeed the very organism responsible for being the gate-keepers of the status quo. Each time schools speak of parental involvement and parent leaders they refer to school based groups such as Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) and School Site Councils (SSC). These groups usually represent White middle class values. A good example is a SSC that chooses to meet on a weekday at 7:45am. Most working families would not be able to attend this meeting. If they could attend they would quickly learn that their questions appear to irritate the group and not much attention is given to bringing in new leaders. They customize meeting times and agendas based on their lens. It leaves out a multitude of parents that would love to get involved but cannot given the structure. Each time I find myself in a wonderful training such as cross-cultural communications I look around the room and there are no school-based leaders present.

Schools value some parental involvement more than others. In fact research tells us that all types of involvement have a profound impact on student achievement (Jeynes, 2005). This means that whether a parent is communicating with a teacher via phone, email, face-to-face, helping with homework, supplementing school curriculum, attending PTA and SSC meetings or working with district personnel to improve systems all parental involvement is meaningful. Research also tells us that certain types of parental involvement have different outcomes for different groups. This means that all groups parental involvement need not look the same to improve that groups' student outcomes. It is a myth that parents who do not show up on school sites are not involved. When educators do not see parents they believe they do not care. When educators do not initiate positive contact parents believe teachers do not care. We need more communication. When? Parents have less and less access to teachers.

Parental involvement is not being at a certain place at a certain time. It can be things that parents do at home and send to school to assist the class. Involvement can be working virtually with education professionals and other parents to improve a school. There are three levels in which parents can be involved level 1 - in their child's classroom, level 2 - school site, and level 3 - district. It is a shame that we still have teachers who refuse to allow parents of K and high school students observe and volunteer in their classrooms. Its is illegal and a lack of good leadership. It seems to me that given the social capital that parents bring to schools, parental involvement, would decrease the school's work. Schools are indeed territorial and have decreased parental involvement. No Child Left Behind and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act knows this and have placed mandates on schools to recognize parents as partners. These mandates have yet to be realized. All parental involvement should be recognized and respected.

It won't be easy to join the pre-existing groups. Keep trying. If the larger group is too overwhelming build relationships with one or two people. Try to find common ground. Share your ideas. When you have a great idea come with practical ways to implement them and possible volunteers to help. Choose activities wisely or schools will have you working full-time for them. Prioritize so that your own family does not get the short end of the stick.

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