Parent Involvement in High School Negligible. Why?
Parents are generally involved in their children's school in elementary school. I recall my mother was actively involved in my elementary school PTA. Even my dad, a person who rarely was involved with any sort of activities, was a member of my school's Men's Club. I especially remember an event in my last year in grade school--which was 8th grade.
In late Spring, before graduation, the PTA, the Men's Club and us kids gathered outside on the basketball court for dinner and dancing. That's right, dancing. I don't recall if the parents danced, but we all had taken ballroom dance lessons during the 7th and 8th grades and we danced the night away.
But then, came one year of junior high and three years of high school. The year I graduated from elementary school in 8th grade was the same year the school district switch from a 8/4 elementary/high to a 6/3/3 elementary/junior/high school structure.
Even back in the days I was growning up, by the time the kids were in high school, parent participation dwindled. I recall a few families attending football and basketball games when I was in high school, but generally only the parents of the ball players. The same happened to us. My wife and I were not in any organization in elementary school for our daughter and grandkids, but we attended most every function--until middle school.
There seems to be a natural trend of "supporting" our children during the elementary school years, but not after. Yet, parent involvement may actually be more critical and more necessary, after elementary school, especially in the middle schools when the boys and girls are transitioning through to adulthood and independence.
As I have shown above, this is not a new phenomena. This trend has been happening for generations, perhaps as far back as the beginning of time. However, the dangers in our society are more prominent and serious today than ever before, some of which I have discussed on my Embrace Our Heritage website.
Consider reading the following article:
8 Ways to Encourage Family Engagement in Secondary Schools
It's likely far more important today than ever before that you be involved in and participate in the lives of our middle/high school children. At the same time, it is equally important for the middle/high schools to support and encourage active participation in appropriate family programs.
If you are encouraged by this article, consider sharing this with other parents and schools and go/return to the Embrace Our Heritage Facebook page to discuss how parents can be successfully involved in your high school children's while giving them their space to grow into adulthood.
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