Parental engagement with learning:
Which of the following has the strongest
positive correlation with achievement?
● Assist with school work (e.g., homework help)
● Taking children to events and places that foster
academic success (i.e., museums, libraries, etc.)
● Creating a learning environment at home (e.g., making
educational materials accessible)
● Visits to school for school events
● Volunteering at school
● Communication between parents and school
personnel
● Communicating parental expectations for education
and its value or utility
● Linking schoolwork to current events
● Fostering educational and occupational aspirations
● Discussing learning strategies with children
● Asking preparations and plans for the future.
Parental engagement with learning:
● Home-based involvement
○ Assist with school work (e.g., homework help)
○ Taking children to events and places that foster academic success
(i.e., museums, libraries, etc.)
○ Creating a learning environment at home (e.g., making educational
materials accessible)
● School-based involvement
○ Visits to school for school events
○ Volunteering at school
○ Communication between parents and school personnel
● Academic Socialization
○ Communicating parental expectations for education and its value or
utility
○ Linking schoolwork to current events
○ Fostering educational and occupational aspirations
○ Discussing learning strategies with children
○ Asking preparations and plans for the future.
Top Ten Tips:
Parental engagement with learning
1. Black dot in a white square
It is often necessary, in matters involving our child’s behavior, to put things in perspective. In this
model, the black dot represents the negative aspects about their behavior or school systems, the
white square represents the majority of things that are positive. By focusing on the black dot, we are
forgetting the white square and risk setting a negative tone, which can lead to negative relationships.
2. Familiarise yourself with the curriculum
The IBO website is a useful starting point for deepening your understanding of the philosophy behind the programme. For
more specific detail on the content and concepts covered in class, check the Curriculum Handbook, which was shared on
Back to School Night. Most importantly, communicate directly with teachers when you have questions - for subject specific
questions contact the teachers directly, for more general queries please contact Mark Jobling (AP: MS: Teaching &
Learning) and Alan Johns (MYP Coordinator). The better informed you are, the more natural it is to talk about what is being
learned in class.
3. Communicate positively with subject teachers and other parents
As indicated above, the best point of contact for enquiries about your child’s learning is their teacher. Although we
schedule a number of formal occasions throughout the year for reporting and to meet in person, we encourage you to be
proactive in sharing your perspective and asking for feedback. There are times where we need clarification or are
concerned about a particular lesson. In these instances please contact the subject teacher and/ or Head of Subject with
your feedback and questions. Discussing your concerns among parents and in front of your children, without
understanding the teacher’s perspective, makes a positive and constructive solution more difficult and can have a
detrimental impact on your child’s learning.
4. Focus on individual progress, rather than comparing to others
It is natural to want your child to perform well in school and a comparison to other students can seem the logical way to
measure this. As described in this article, however, such comparisons can have negative ramifications on a child’s
development. It is far better to gauge their performance against the baseline they set themselves and for conversations to
focus on how to make personal progress from this point.
5. Treat assessments as opportunities to show off
Assessments themselves are not scary. Generally, students work in silence and express what they know about a topic. Fear
of failing an assessment can be scary and students put themselves under pressure to avoid this. By reducing the stakes on
assessment, through changing the language and focusing on learning, rather than grades alone, teachers and parents can
reduce the anxiety of students, raise their self-esteem and, consequently, their academic achievement.
6. Take the learning moment from a negative situation
There will inevitably be bumps along the road, which may come with disappointing academic progress, incidents of poor
behaviour or stress caused by poor organisation or conflict with peers. Once a plan has been made to resolve the situation,
take time to reflect together on what has been learned from this experience. Such skills are as much a part of their
education as their academic studies.
7. Support the school’s message of behaviour expectations
Student behaviour at ISF Academy is excellent. There are, however, moments where students cross boundaries. We use
the language of “choice” and “consequence”, when reflecting with students on these occasions: “You chose to wear the
wrong uniform/ arrive late/ talk over the teacher, as a consequence…”. We are sharing our practice with teachers, parents
and students in our Choice and Consequence document, for transparency, consistency and to encourage self-regulation
from the students. This is most effective when the message from school is supported at home.
8. Use time-management conversations as an opportunity for developing autonomy
and independence (Homework)
Adolescents are hardwired to distance themselves from their parents, which is often expressed in a reluctance to be told
what to do and when. Yet they still need guidance with their time-management skills. Aim to avoid nagging your child
about homework, by helping them establish work patterns that encourage autonomy and efficiency. This may include a
timetable that they share with you for Monday through to Thursday and then Friday to Sunday, in which you help them
calculate how much time to devote to their studies, but they choose when they will work. We suggest that you have them
explain the task before they start and how long they plan to spend on this, then ask them to show you their finished work,
rather than checking up on them regularly.
9. Growth mindset
Carol Dweck’s work on Growth Mindsets has been influential in recent years in shaping the language we use with young
people. Grounded in her background in psychology and neurology, Dweck presents evidence for the impact on
achievement of having a “growth” versus a “fixed” mindset. You will note the centrality of this approach in many of the tips
suggested above. This is not an approach to be used only by teachers, we encourage parents to use such language when
discussing challenges and setbacks with children.
10. Healthy body, healthy mind
Underpinning the success and happiness of all young people is a healthy body and healthy mind. A good breakfast as part
of a balanced diet has a huge influence on a child’s ability to concentrate and on their mood in general, as does adequate
sleep. The benefits of exercise include stress relief, the development of social skills, improved energy and brain function
and an enhanced immune system. Support your child by making this part of their routine.
