I chose this article to acquire more comprehensive insight into one of the most fundamental yet oftentimes challenging components of children’s success—meaningful family engagement. I decided to review this particular article by reason of it not only illustrating a general understanding of what meaningful family engagement looks like, but also detailing the effects of family involvement as it relates to student outcomes. That is, I chose the article given that it provides invaluable information in regard to understanding the various roles that families can and should play in the context of their children’s development.
SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLE
Family engagement is an integral component of many expanded learning …show more content…
ASSESSMENT OF THE ARTICLE
The central purpose of the author writing the article is to make use of research findings to support and bring awareness to the need for increased family engagement practices in afterschool and summer learning programs, specifically as it relates to increasing participation, improving student achievement and parental support for in and out of school learning. Furthermore, the author’s purpose for writing the article is not only to emphasize the importance of family engagement, but to also convey that family engagement is not a one-size-fits-all approach. For instance, methods of engagement may significantly differ depending on the demands of students, families, and programs. That being said, I maintain that the author provided ample evidence from several research studies to support the rationale for why meaningful family engagement is a critical component of afterschool and summer learning programs. The author noted research that found that programs with a paid or volunteer parent liaison exhibited higher rates of youth attendance and retention, …show more content…
If children are to have an opportunity for success, it’s vital that families continually support their children’s learning and development at every level—both in school and out of school. “Family engagement is a shared responsibility in which schools and other community agencies and organizations are committed to reaching out to engage families in meaningful ways and in which families are committed to actively supporting their children’s learning and development.” It’s essential for families and program staff to construct a mutual relationship that not only meets both their needs, but that has a primary focus on improving student learning and achievement. “Effective family engagement cuts across and reinforces learning in the multiple settings where children learn.” It’s necessary for families to view every opportunity as a learning opportunity for their children. Essentially, effective family engagement entails building on students’ previous knowledge and taking advantage of opportunities to create new learning experiences. “As more and more local, state, and federal efforts to expand learning after school and in summer emerge, it is critical that these efforts include a strong family engagement component.” Parents have a tremendous impact on