by Howard Campbell
ATLANTA – With technology’s impact on education increasing rapidly, many parents believe their influence on children’s progress in the classroom is threatened.
In her latest book, Families As Partners: The Essential Link in Children’s Education, Andrea Nelson-Royes addresses these concerns. She makes a comprehensive case for a return to basics.
The Jamaican educator/author, who lives in Atlanta, utilizes studies from leading American institutions such as Harvard to stress the importance of parent involvement in schools.
“This book contains demonstrations that are taken from schools with outstanding involvement programs in the US system. However, its many demonstrations can transmit and become useful to other homelands worldwide,” Nelson-Royes stated.
She also addresses the growing specter of violence in schools and sensitive issue of child obesity in the book, her fifth. Her previous publications, which include Transforming Early Learners into Superb Readers: Promoting Literacy at School, at Home, and within the Community, are based on early childhood education as well.
One of her references in ‘Families As Partners’ is Joyce L. Epstein, a respected research professor of education and sociology at Johns Hopkins University. Epstein’s tried and proven six-point method that calls for the involvement of parents and communities in schools is outlined in Chapter 1.
It focuses on how participation in homework and curriculum generally has positive results for children. So too attending Parent Teachers Association meetings and being part of school committees.
Born in Clarendon, a rural parish in central Jamaica, Nelson-Royes is from a family of educators and holds a doctoral degree in educational and organizational leadership from Nova Southeastern University in Florida.
“My advantage in doing this book (as a parent and educator) is for school official, parent, professional, or community liaison to find it as a useful guide and resource to create a productive family-school partnership to improve student achievement,” she said.
According to Nelson-Royes, parents who make an effort to (1) read with their children (2) organize and monitor their child’s time (3) attend and actively support school activities (4) volunteer in classrooms, field trips and special events and (5) continue involvement in their child’s progress to middle and high school, will make a significant impact on their education.
