Sunday, September 6, 2009

Back-to-school tips: Parental involvement key to high performance - San Jose Mercury News


Back-to-school tips: Parental involvement key to high performance - San Jose Mercury News:

"Sixteen-year-old David Acosta hates to admit it, but said he knows why his mom helps him succeed in school: 'She gives me a hard time.'

The Options for Youth Hesperia student credits his mother's daily questioning with keeping him focused. He even confessed that her punishment — taking away his CD player and X box game system — helps him complete his assignments on time.

Educators across the Victor Valley insist that parental involvement is crucial to student success.

School spending would have to increase by $1,000 per pupil to achieve the same results that are gained with parental involvement, according to a University of New Hampshire 2008 study of more than 10,000 eighthgraders.

And there are simple ways parents help boost their child's performance — even for those commuting down the hill with hardly a minute to spare."