| It seems that when our children are in | | | | to their success. |
| the elementary grades, parental | | | | But the one common characteristic that I |
| involvement in their day to day school | | | | observed among most successful high |
| activities is easy. Attending PTA | | | | school students was that of continued |
| meetings and school plays, serving as | | | | parental involvement during the high |
| homeroom mom, and even helping with | | | | school years. In doing some extensive |
| homework assignments keep us connected | | | | research on the subject, I discovered |
| to school life and help us keep a close | | | | study after study that overwhelmingly |
| watch on our children's progress. | | | | indicates that parental involvement in |
| But for most parents, as their students | | | | teen education is directly related to |
| progress through school the monitoring | | | | increased achievement. |
| of their schoolwork and activities gets | | | | So, what exactly do we mean by parental |
| a bit more complicated. When the kids | | | | involvement? What form does it take |
| reach junior high and high school, they | | | | during the high school years? Actually, |
| have several different teachers and the | | | | it can take many forms. Attending school |
| academic demands become more advanced. | | | | functions, frequent communication with |
| There are also fewer activities that | | | | teachers, monitoring of schoolwork, |
| draw parents into school life at this | | | | responding to requests from the school |
| level. | | | | for interaction, and taking an active |
| Teens become seemingly more independent, | | | | part in your teen's preparation for the |
| translated they don't need (or want) us | | | | transition to life after high school are |
| as much, they become mobile, and all of | | | | integral components of what parental |
| a sudden it becomes more and more | | | | involvement should include at the high |
| difficult to keep up with what is going | | | | school level. |
| on in their lives, both academically and | | | | The structure of most education systems |
| socially. | | | | seems to be constantly changing, |
| In my 29 years of teaching high school | | | | sometimes with good results and |
| mathematics I, like most educators do, | | | | sometimes not so good. This instability |
| witnessed varying degrees of successful | | | | deems it almost necessary that parents |
| parenting of high school students. Of | | | | take charge of their children's |
| course, there are many variables | | | | education. Even the best of schools may |
| involved in each individual case. Teens | | | | have overloaded teachers and too few |
| are very unique creatures; what works | | | | resources. |
| for one may not work for another. One | | | | Parents must take a pro-active role if |
| teen may be a very successful student | | | | they want their child to be a successful |
| despite having little, if any, parental | | | | student. Not surprisingly, this is just |
| guidance. Another might have parents | | | | as important during the high school |
| doing "all the right things" and still | | | | years as it is at the elementary level. |
| venture into areas that are detrimental | | | | |