Fatherhood and Education

Yippee!!!! Today, was a big one for me. It was the first day that I had to speak to a large group in years. I was part of a group presentation teaching a lesson on the importance of fathers in society and education. My group all wore ties. We had a super powerpoint that included some great videos (here is a great one from ABC News), handed out a rockin' brochure and gave out tootsie "POPS"! I spoke about my dear friend Mark who is a wonderful and involved dad! I had asked him questions about how to make father's feel welcome and what future teachers need to know about father involvement among a few other things. Here are a few of his answers:

• Ask for help with enthusiasm and expectancy!



• Make sure to extend offers to fathers.



• Have dad specific activities. Getting one Dad in the door will encourage other Dads to join the fun!



• Dads can be an additional resource that wasn't previously expected.

Here are some interesting facts:

• Fatherless children are twice as likely to drop out of school.Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Center for Health Statistics. Survey on Child Health. Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1993



• Father involvement in schools is associated with the higher likelihood of a student getting mostly A's. This was true for fathers in biological parent families, for stepfathers, and for fathers heading single-parent families.Source: Nord, Christine Winquist, and Jerry West. Fathers’ and Mothers’ Involvement in Their Children’s Schools by Family Type and Resident Status. (NCES 2001-032). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2001



• A study of 1330 children from the PSID showed that fathers who are involved on a personal level with their child schooling increases the likelihood of their child's achievement. When fathers assume a positive role in their child's education, students feel a positive impact.Source: McBride, Brent A., Sarah K. Schoppe-Sullivan, and Moon-Ho Ho. "The mediating role of fathers' school involvement on student achievement." Applied Developmental Psychology 26 (2005): 201-216



• http://www.fathers.com/ This is a great website for fathers and for those of us who want to encourage their involvement!
  

OK... so can you tell I am VERY excited about everything I am learning :-)

My kids are very lucky to have a wonderful Dad who takes his role in their life VERY seriously!