Family, school, and community involvement in a child’s education should not stop as they grow older. Adolescents require as much support as they attend middle and high school. Parents have an important role to play in their teenager’s education. The performance and behavior of a child at school are partly influenced by their relationship with their guardians. The partnership should continue even in middle and high school to improve children’s academic performance and prevent negative behaviors.
One reason why partnerships are important through middle and high school is that they improve academic performance. According to Epstein et al. (2019), active parenting can improve a child’s academic performance in terms of attendance, report card grades, and postsecondary plans. Parents who provide encouragement for learning and show interest in their children’s academics help their children perform better in school (Boonk et al., 2018). Thus, partnership with parents is essential to enhance student performance.
Besides improving academic achievement, partnership reduces risky behaviors. Adolescents who feel connected with their families are less likely to engage in drug abuse or display violent behaviors (Epstein et al., 2019). A strong parent-youth relationship is associated with lower incidences of binge drinking and marijuana use (Rusby et al., 2018). Such a relationship also makes adolescents less violent since parents promote and provide the warmth and structure necessary for healthy behavioral development (Labella & Masten, 2018). Aside from parents, the community helps to impart prosocial values and behavior to teenagers. Consequently, a partnership between the parents, the school, and the community is needed to prevent risky or harmful behavior.
In conclusion, children need help and encouragement as they traverse adolescence. Parental support has a positive impact on teenagers in middle and high school. Besides parents, schools and communities contribute to the nurturing of well-rounded adolescents. Collaboration between parents, schools, and communities is necessary to ensure students have adequate support. Partnerships should continue through middle and high school to promote optimal academic performance and encourage positive behavior.
References
Boonk, L., Gijselaers, H. J., Ritzen, H., & Brand-Gruwel, S. (2018). A review of the relationship between parental involvement indicators and academic achievement. Educational Research Review, 24, 10-30.
Epstein, J. L., Sanders, M. G., Sheldon, S. B., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C., Jansorn, N. R., Rodriguez, N., Voorhis, V., Frances, L., Martin, C. S., Thomas, B.G., Greenfeld, M. D., Darcy, J., & Williams, K. J. (2019). School, family, and community partnerships: Your handbook for action (4th ed.). Corwin Press.
Labella, M. H., & Masten, A. S. (2018). Family influences on the development of aggression and violence. Current Opinion in Psychology, 19, 11-16.
Rusby, J. C., Light, J. M., Crowley, R., & Westling, E. (2018). Influence of parent–youth relationship, parental monitoring, and parent substance use on adolescent substance use onset. Journal of Family Psychology, 32(3), 310-320.