Parent Participation in Primary School Classrooms

Parent participation in primary-grade classrooms have many pros and also some cons.

Parents can be an extra set of hands so teachers can devote their attention to tasks that really require a teacher's attention rather than to tasks anyone can do. Parents can provide an extra set of eyes at times when that may be helpful. Children often like to know their parents are a part of their school day, and they often enjoy the presence of "another mother" who has come to help and from whom they get a little extra attention.

While the "cons" may include things such as the occasional parent who attempts to interfere or who oversteps bounds, parents' being in the way simply because they may be there when - really - the teacher would do better alone, not showing up or bringing younger children along; the less obvious "cons" may be the ones which most need to be considered: The first relates to children who have parents who cannot be among those who help at school. These children could feel left out to some degree and, more importantly, even if their parents offer good reason for not being able to show up at the school, children could feel somewhat isolated to always be the kid with parents who never show up. Depending on the personality of the teacher and of any parents, there is also the chance a teacher could feel a little more uncomfortable or less free to teach and relate to the students, themselves.

Another big "con" is that children often enjoy their "school world" as something that belongs just to them. Its important for even young children to have some degree of a little life of their own apart from their parents and family, and school gives that to children. Parents, do, of course, need to pick up where schools leave off when it comes to homework, school activities, and behavior in school; and the wisest parents realize they really need to supplement the education their child's school provides and to offer their own child educational opportunities above and beyond what the school offers. There is a difference, though, between parents' picking up where the school left off or parents' overseeing the child's whole education within the context of being parents, and parents' not knowing when to step back and let their child have his own little school-world to himself (with, of course, exceptions being made for parent/teacher meetings and special school days when parents are invited).

Parents really do need to participate in their child's education, but whether or not they should be physically present to participate in classrooms may be a separate issue.