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Quotes |
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"Thanks
for all you do! In
addition to saving us time (and
money!), your reviews have
helped me have good discussions
with my son about how important
it is to make choices that
reflect our values." - Laura,
Austin, Texas
"This is
by far the best website I have
found for Christian schools to
see the content of books without
having to read them all.
Keep up the good work!" -
Gloria, Savannah Christian
Preparatory School
"I was
able to use the service to
determine if what my daughter is
reading is appropriate. It
turns out that there are a few
touchy subjects that I need to
discuss with her about the book
she's reading now. The
site is a huge blessing for
today's busy parents." -
Michelle, San Antonio,
Texas
"Discovery
Journey helps me be a better
parent. Knowing what my
children are reading and viewing
affords me an opportunity to
have more open communication
with them." - Peggy -
Atlanta, Georgia
"Your
commitment to good character is
demonstrated first hand in your
prompt and thorough response." -
Natasha - Naperville,
Illinois
"Your
service is outstanding." -
Amy - Lizella, Georgia
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Parental Involvement in Learning
Whether children attend public or private schools, they
benefit when parents become involved in their education.
According to the National Institute for Literacy, when
parents or other family members frequently read to children
entering kindergarten, those children were at a distinct
advantage over children whose families read to them less
often.
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study found that "Children
who were read to at least three times a week by a family
member were almost twice as likely to score in the top 25
percent in reading than children who were read to less than
three times a week." The study also found that, of children
who were read to at least three times a week,
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76 percent had mastered the letter-sound relationship
at the beginning of words, compared to 64 percent of children
who were read to fewer than three times a week,
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57 percent had mastered the letter-sound relationship at
the end of words, compared to 43 percent who were read to
fewer than three times a week,
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15 percent had sight- word recognition skills, compared to
8 percent who were read to fewer than three times a week, and
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5 percent could understand words in context, compared to 2
percent who were read to fewer than three times a week.
The positive impact of parental involvement in learning
doesn't end with kindergarten. Having a variety of reading
materials available at home helps older children with
reading proficiency. The National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) found that, among students in the fourth
grade, "The 68% of students who had three or more different
types of reading materials at home performed at the
Proficient level, while students who had two or fewer types
of reading material at home performed at the Basic level.
Students who had 4 types of reading material at home
performed the highest."
Similarly, students who discussed their studies and who
talked about reading at home had greater reading proficiency
than those who did not. And students of all ages who
regularly saw parents and other family members reading at
home were positively influenced.
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In addition to having a variety of reading materials
available at home, discussing reading, and setting a good
example by reading, there are a number of ways that parents
can create and nurture a home learning environment. Although
the Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork (TIPS) program
from the National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns
Hopkins University is directed to teachers, it includes a
number of excellent strategies that parents can implement to
become active in their children's education.
Communicate: Regularly communicate with the teacher, either
via parent-teacher conferences, weekly progress reviews, or
homework reviews. Talk with the child, and have them share
their schoolwork and school day experiences.
Volunteer: Volunteer to help out in the classroom or at
other school activities.
Home Learning: Point out the links between schoolwork and
real life situations. Go on family outings that reinforce
the concepts being learned in school.
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According to the National Education Association, parental
involvement in learning is crucial. As evidence, they cite the
following findings of research into parental involvement:
- When parents are involved in their children's education at home, they do
better in school. And when parents are involved in school, children go
farther in school - and the schools they go to are better.
- The family makes critical contributions to student achievement from
preschool through high school. A home environment that encourages learning
is more important to student achievement than income, education level or
cultural background.
- Reading achievement is more dependent on learning activities in the home
than is math or science. Reading aloud to children is the most important
activity that parents can do to increase their child's chance of reading
success. Talking to children about books and stories read to them also
supports reading achievement.
- When children and parents talk regularly about school, children perform
better academically.
- Three kinds of parental involvement at home are consistently associated
with higher student achievement: actively organizing and monitoring a
child's time, helping with homework and discussing school matters.
- The earlier that parent involvement begins in a child's educational
process, the more powerful the effects.
- Positive results of parental involvement include improved student
achievement, reduced absenteeism, improved behavior, and restored confidence
among parents in their children's schooling.
There are many ways that parents can become involved in their
children's education - the important thing is to become and stay
involved!
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Kid Tested |
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Many of
the titles we list on Discovery
Journey are road-tested by our
10-year-old Triplet Testing
Team. To see the likes and
dislikes of each kid on the
team, see the
Meet the
Guides page.
In
addition, Discovery Journey
explorers share their family's
experience with books and movies
so that you can benefit from
their knowledge as well.
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Example
Reviews & Review List:
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