The Broken Compass

by Keith Robinson

Overview

It seems like common sense that children do better when parents are actively involved in their schooling. But how well does the evidence stack up? The Broken Compass puts this question to the test in the most thorough scientific investigation to date of how parents across socioeconomic and ethnic groups contribute to the academic performance of K-12 children. The surprising discovery is that no clear connection exists between parental involvement and student performance. Keith Robinson and Angel Harris assessed over sixty measures of parental participation, at home and in school. While some of the associations they found were consistent with past studies, others ran contrary to previous research and popular perceptions. It is not the case that Hispanic and African American parents are less concerned about education--or that "Tiger parenting" among Asian Americans gets the desired results. Many low-income parents want to be involved in their children's school lives but often receive little support from school systems. For immigrant families, language barriers only worsen the problem. In this provocative work, Robinson and Harris believe that the time has come to reconsider whether parental involvement can make much of a dent in the basic problems facing American schools today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780674727427
Publisher:	Harvard University Press
Publication date:	01/06/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	8 MB

About the Author

I write family fantasy fiction that incorporates adventure, mystery and humor. It is hoped that you will be left with a feel good factor. Currently, I am writing a series of stories set in Whitby, the most haunted resort in England. It is also where Bram Stoker found the inspiration to write Dracula. My characters are not so sinister, nevertheless, they do have some special magical quirks. Dracula does pop up in these series, and without giving anything away, I can say that he has changed dramatically. I do hope you try 'Genie and the Ghosts of Yorkshire.' If you enjoy it the second and third books are now available.

Table of Contents

Contents 1. The Role of Parental Involvement in Children’s Schooling 2. Parental Involvement and Social Class 3. Implications of Parental Involvement at Home by Social Class 4. Implications of Parental Involvement at School by Social Class 5. Academic Orientation among Parents at Home by Race 6. Effectiveness of Parental Involvement at Home by Race 7. Parental Involvement at School by Race 8. Implications of Parental Involvement at School by Race 9. Parenting and Poor Achievement 10. Setting the Stage for Academic Success 11. Conclusion Appendix A: Sources of Data Appendix B: Methodology Appendix C: Descriptive Tables Appendix D: Guide of “Effects” by Race Notes References Acknowledgments Index