This document was prepared by Westat under contract ED-00-PO-1528 to the U.S. Department of Education
This report does not necessarily reflect the position of the Department,
and no official endorsement by the Department should be inferred
NOTE: You may order the Fathers Matter! video from the Department's ED Pubs On-Line Ordering System.
Richard W. Riley
U.S. Secretary of Education
Terry K. Peterson
Counselor to the Secretary
G. Mario Moreno
Assistant Secretary
Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs
W. Wilson Goode
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs
June 2000
The full text of this public domain document is available on the Web site of the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education at http://pfie.ed.gov and in alternate formats upon request. Feel free to photocopy or reprint this document.
For more information please contact us at:
U.S. Department of Education
Partnership for Family Involvement in Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20202-8173
http://pfie.ed.gov
E-mail: partner@ed.gov
Telephone: 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327)
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U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala are the hosts of the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education Teleconference on Fathers. In their opening remarks, they focus on two major themes: 1) fathers matter and 2) schools and other child-centered institutions can and must involve fathers in their children?s learning and development.
Parents are their children?s first teachers. The way children are nurtured during their first years of life has enormous impact on the rest of their lives. For many years, mothers have tended to be the ones who nurtured children and communicated with schools. In the popular imagination, then, schools are considered "feminine" places. The time is ripe for challenging this view.
Research tells us that both parents are needed to nurture a child and get her or him ready to begin school. Once they enter school, children whose fathers and mothers are involved generally perform better and have fewer behavior problems. Whether parents live together or apart, it is important that both are involved. Good fathers are as important as good mothers to children?s healthy development.
In order for fathers to become true partners in their children?s education, schools, Head Start programs, childcare centers and other child-centered institutions must overcome some obstacles and make some changes regarding their involvement of fathers. They must:
As a follow up to this teleconference, the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are developing and disseminating toolkits and other materials to help teachers and other providers in their efforts to engage fathers in their children?s learning and development. Call toll free 1-800-USA-LEARN to request materials on "Fathers Matter!"
The second panel of experts discussed strategies for engaging fathers in their children?s learning and development and suggested areas in need of further research.
Many fathers would like to play more active roles in their children?s schooling, but do not feel comfortable or, sometimes, even welcome. Schools have always expected more from mothers—and gotten it. Lack of fathers? involvement reflects, in part, the low expectations for their involvement in children?s education. As a result, some fathers think schools are the domain of mothers and mother figures. They cannot imagine roles for fathers in children?s learning. Often fathers have little or no access to information about school activities or their children?s progress. Although more knowledge is needed about the factors determining fathers? involvement or lack of it, schools can take certain steps to help fathers feel welcome.
Panelists suggest several steps that schools and other service providers can take to remove barriers and engage more fathers in their children?s learning and development. These steps include doing community outreach, creating activities that are comfortable or appealing to fathers, keeping fathers informed, and supporting employers who give parents time off work to participate in school activities.
Go to Fathers in the Community
In the minds of many Americans, "family involvement" translates into "mother participation." Historically, mothers have been more actively involved in their children?s schools. To reach fathers, teachers and other practitioners may need to go into communities and meet fathers in their own space. In addition to engaging fathers, this type of outreach also helps teachers better understand the lives of their students.
Create New Activities
Activities that are comfortable for mothers may not be comfortable for fathers. A major goal, then, is to find activities that will attract fathers and father figures to schools. Many may find athletics and outdoor education more comfortable and enticing than tutorial classroom activities. Once comfortable, fathers can be encouraged to communicate with their children?s teachers more regularly, or to take more interest in their children?s homework.
Keep Fathers Informed
School calendars, report cards, parent-teacher conference materials, and other pertinent information should be sent to mothers and fathers. This includes non-custodial fathers, as well as stepfathers, grandfathers and other father figures. In order to reach the appropriate father or father figure, teachers and schools must familiarize themselves with every student's family living situation.
Recognize Employers with Flexible Family Leave Policies
Many school activities occur while fathers are at work. Schools can enlist the support of local employers to encourage their employees to become involved in their children?s schooling. Employers who provide parents with some flexibility in their work schedules so they can participate in activities at their children?s schools should be recognized publicly for their commitment to children?s education. Other local employers should be encouraged to adopt these policies.
Research is needed to further understand how fathers contribute to children?s development. Also, teachers and other practitioners should identify their information needs and shape the research agenda. Research should yield results that are useful to teachers and other practitioners. Panelists suggest a number of topics in need of further investigation, including:
This panel of program specialists discusses strategies they have used to connect with fathers and involve fathers in their children?s education. Panelists represented diverse programs and community-based organizations, including Head Start; a public elementary school; the Center for Father, Families and Workforce Development; and the National Latino Fatherhood and Family Institute.
Traditionally, early childhood education programs and schools have been oriented toward mothers and mother figures. If increasing fathers? involvement is important, then there is a need to expand these programs to include men.
Head Start and Healthy Start are two federally funded programs that place strong emphasis on parent participation. For many years, however, parent involvement was synonymous with mother?s participation. To involve fathers, program leaders learned, it was important to rethink their programs. One of the more important realizations was how few men were employed as staff in their programs—particularly in jobs that involved direct contact with parents and children. Another was that they needed to find ways to help fathers form social bonds with other fathers in the program. They hired male social workers and classroom aides. They also conducted weekend retreats so men could develop the sort of bonds with one another that would support ongoing involvement in their children's school programs. They provided men with workshops on diverse subjects, ranging from nutrition and parenting to literacy and computer skills. Over the years, interest in these special programs has grown.
Organizers of successful family involvement efforts understand that many fathers are not likely to volunteer on their own. It is important for teachers and other family service providers to go into the community, talk to men about their children and lives, and invite them to visit the program or school as a first step toward building an effective program of fathers? involvement in children?s learning.
Community outreach programs also challenge teachers and other family service providers to question stereotypical images of fathers as deadbeats. Many men who do not attend meetings or volunteer at their children?s schools are in fact involved in their children?s lives. Programs that do not acknowledge this, or minimize it, inadvertently alienate the very men they are trying to attract.
There are many ways parents can participate in their children?s learning and development. Successful school and community-based programs give the parents room to acquire parenting skills and opportunities to select activities that are meaningful to them. For example, the Watch Dog program in Springdale, Arkansas was started by fathers who were concerned about their children?s safety at school. Over time, however, the fathers became aware of other roles they could play in the school, including mentoring and tutoring the students. The Watch Dog program also gives public recognition to local employers and businesses that give fathers time off to participate in the program.
Some fathers encounter barriers to participation. Those with poor reading skills may shy away from activities or events at their children?s schools. The Respect and Read program in Los Angeles helps men respect themselves and others through discussion and involvement in community change activities. Men are encouraged to read—on their own and with children. Fathers who cannot read are assigned to preschools where they can serve as role models and, at the same time, improve their skills. This program has resulted in stronger bonds between fathers and children. Also, participation has motivated some fathers to go back to school, sending strong signals to children that education is important.
Research shows that parents of teenage fathers are often not sufficiently involved in their children?s education. Like their children, then, these young men need input and guidance from mentors or father figures. Around the country, programs nurture and guide teenage fathers so they can, in turn, nurture and guide their own children.
Programs that attribute their success to the unique character, talents or commitment of a particular individual cannot be replicated. Programs should be well designed and based on a few simple principles that can be used in any community.
The fourth panel discusses the importance of forming partnerships in the community to better engage fathers in their children?s learning. The panelists talk more generally about core principles or practices that have contributed to the success of their programs.
Local businesses and employers, colleges and universities, faith-based groups and other organizations are important partners in the effort to engage fathers.
Panelists provide several examples of successful partnerships between schools and organizations and local businesses and employers. For example, the Illinois Fatherhood Initiative has garnered support from more than a dozen businesses, including major department stores and auto dealers, as well as a major newspaper, a radio station and a baseball franchise. In this and other programs, employers and business owners provide cash and in-kind support. Also, through family-friendly policies, employers or businesses can send the message to employees that involvement in their children?s education is important. Businesses benefit from their partnerships with schools, for example, through the recognition they receive in the community and through the contribution they make to the development of tomorrow?s workforce.
Colleges and universities can help in a number of important ways. In their professional training courses, they can develop the attitudes, motivation and skills that will enable teachers, social workers and others to effectively engage parents. Also, they can challenge stereotypes that are obstacles to fathers? involvement, such as mothers having primary responsibility for children?s education and development and fathers not needing to be involved.
In Hartford, Connecticut, the Family Resource Center has partnered with a local university to provide workshops for parents on nutrition, child development, discipline and other topics. These workshops, which lay the groundwork for parents' participation, are combined with "bring your dad to school" days and other activities that get the fathers involved. In addition, the Center connects parents to programs and services that can help them, for example, get their GEDs, learn English and acquire job skills.
In addition to their comments on partnerships, members of the panel talked more generally about core principles or practices that have contributed to the success of their programs. These include respect for diversity, community awareness and building upon strengths.
Respect for Diversity
It is important that teachers and school administrators understand the background of students and parents at their schools, including cultural norms about the roles and responsibilities of fathers in their families. Certain strategies may be effective with some cultural groups, but not with others. Efforts by schools to engage fathers in their children?s learning must be aware of these differences and find ways to address them effectively.
Community Awareness
To recruit fathers and mothers, it is important to raise community awareness about the important roles that parents play in their children?s education and development.
In Las Vegas, Nevada, the county education association has formed a bureau of speakers who go out into the community to raise awareness about the positive outcomes for children when both parents are involved in their education. Because it is a grassroots effort, speakers can talk to parents—fathers and mothers—about the various ways they can become involved and waylay any concerns they may have.
Building on Strengths
There are many ways that schools can build on strengths and engage fathers. An elementary school in Washington, D.C., for example, has formed a fathers? group that provides a mechanism by which men may become involved, and demonstrates that there is strength in numbers. Periodic retreats provide the fathers with opportunities to bond with their sons and with one another. Also, the school lets fathers contribute in ways that are comfortable to them. One father, for example, painted a classroom. Another, a short-order cook, grills hamburgers and hot dogs at the PTA?s fair every spring. Once schools initiate efforts to invite fathers into children?s learning, they can further extend these programs by regarding fathers and father figures as full partners in their children?s academic success.
Promoting Family Involvement
Information and publications on promoting family involvement can be found on the Partnership for Family Involvement's Web site at http://pfie.ed.gov
After-School
Information on after-school programs can be found by visiting www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html
Or call 1-877-4ED-PUBS to order publications
Reading
Information on literacy can be found on the Department of Education's America Reads Challenge Web site at www.ed.gov/americareads/
All America Reads Challenge publications can be ordered at 1-877-4ED-PUBS and found at www.ed.gov/americareads/resources.html
Mathematics
Information and publications on math are available on the Department of Education's Web site at www.ed.gov/americacounts
Preparing for College
Information and publications on preparing for college early can be found on the Department of Education's Web site at www.ed.gov/thinkcollege/
Teacher Quality
Visit the Department of Education's Web site at www.ed.gov/inits/teachers/teach.html for information and publications on teacher quality
Technology
Information and publications on technology can be found on the Department of Education's Web site at www.ed.gov/technology/
The Arts
Information on the arts is available at the Department of Education's Web site at www.ed.gov/pubs/ArtsEd/ or the Arts Education Partnership Web site at www.aep-arts.org
Keeping Kids Safe and Drug-Free
Information and publication on keeping kids safe and drug-free can be found on the Department Education's Web site at www.ed.gov/offices/OSDFS
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