How Parent Volunteering in School Activities Can Help Kids

Feb 14, 2022

Parents want to do everything possible to support their children and help them succeed in school. Parents can’t be with their kids in school, but they can help in many other ways. Some of these are clear, such as helping kids with homework and asking questions about what they are learning in school. But volunteering and getting involved in school activities is another key way to help kids succeed in school. 

Parent involvement has proven to be a strong factor in student performance in K-12 education. Even while it could require some time from parents’ already packed schedules, the results are highly satisfying for both students and their parents.

Activities that parents can participate in include PTA meetings, school performances, celebrations and events, field trips, and more. Parents who follow school calendars and bulletins can learn about more school activities that ask for parent participation, to give them a chance to participate.

Participating in school activities introduces parents to other parents, giving them stronger bonds to the school community and helping them share their experiences. These relationships help them identify more strongly as parents and members of the school community. They can also give them feedback on what is happening in their child’s classes and around the school. For these reasons, school activities are advantageous to parents who want to feel like they are involved.

Parents will also come into contact with school administrators and teachers, giving them more opportunities to speak with them and making parents more comfortable talking with teachers about their issues and concerns. Teachers will be more willing to reach out about problems if they know they will get a positive response from the parent. 

Volunteering for school events also helps parents become acquainted with the school’s structure and operations, as well as the most recent educational developments. This makes them feel less like they can’t relate to their children, which encourages them to reach out to them. Providing familiarity to parents makes them feel as though they are participating in the learning process. They will feel more at ease discussing their difficulties with their children. Teachers, classrooms, and the associated issues will no longer seem so far away.

Also, this will have a powerful impact on the kids themselves. When they see their parents interacting with their teachers, contributing to school activities, and volunteering, they will feel less like they are living in two separate worlds. Students will be motivated to do well in school knowing that their parents feel it is so important to contribute to their school environment. This sends a strong message to kids that their parents care about them and their performance. 

There are also ways to volunteer as a family. Schools may offer events that bring students and parents together, letting people interact as families. This is good because it makes people feel more connected to one another compared to school volunteering efforts where parents may not interact with their kids at all. 

Parent-teacher associations are an extremely important part of schools. Taking part in them is more important than any other school activity. They are organized specifically to get parents involved in education, and so parents who take part in PTA meetings will be well-informed and equipped to deal with the issues that their kids are facing. They may get updates on imminent events such as changes to curricula and standardized tests. 

Conclusion

Parent involvement is crucial to the success of students. Parents can’t count on students to update them on every opportunity to participate on their own, and parents often don’t want to pressure their kids either. Therefore, the best way to help is to get involved on your own. Take part in school activities and look for opportunities to learn and support the school.