February Board Address by Frances Smith, President TSTA/NEA
Frances Smith, CyFair TSTA/NEA President speaks before the school board each month about topics of concern to local members. Her February 11, 2008 board presentation follows.
"Good evening President Ryan, Board Members and Dr. Anthony. Through April, the teachers in public school districts in Texas will be focused upon testing. TAKS will determine what is accomplished in the classroom. Till then, elementary students will have benchmark tests to determine progress, and secondary students will be graded on the SFAs or the Secondary Formal Assessment. Not only is there student anxiety, but there is teacher, administrative, and parental anxiety also. No one wants a poor report card! The National Education Association and the Texas State Teachers Association both search for solid educational research and disseminate it to our members. Some of the most important research considers the parents’ involvement in their child’s education.
Their involvement is crucial to student success which begins whenever the child enters school. Study after study shows that when parents are involved in their children’s education at home, the children do better in school. Further more, when the parents are involved in school, the children go farther in school – and the schools the children attend are better. It only makes sense.
The family also makes critical contributions to student achievement from pre school through high school. Research shows that a home environment that encourages learning is more important to student achievement than income, education level, or cultural background of the parents. Parents are the greatest influence upon their children!
Reading achievement is more dependent on learning activities in the home than is math or science. Reading aloud to children is the most important home activity that parents can do to increase their child’s chance of reading success and then subsequently talking to children about the books.
In addition, when parents talk regularly about school, children perform better academically. Children learn that their parents know school is important.
Three types of parental involvement at home are consistently associated with higher student achievement: 1. actively organizing and monitoring a child’s time, 2. helping with homework and 3. discussing school matters. And, the earlier a parent becomes involved, the more powerful the effects. Positive results of parental involvement include improved student achievement, reduced absenteeism, improved behavior, and restored confidence among parents in their children’s schooling.
Whether it is reading to your child, checking homework, discussing your child’s progress with his/her teachers, voting in school board elections, supporting challenging academic standards, limiting TV viewing on school nights, or becoming an advocate for better education, be involved, so your child will benefit and reach his/her potential. To emphasize the importance of reading, we also invite Board Members and Central Office Administrators to participate in Read Across America on Monday, March 3."
