The Plight of Youth and Single Women

Written by

Michael A. Robinson

Recent studies reveal some startling facts regarding the plight of youth and single women as heads of households in America: a) an estimated 5.4 million youths, ages 16-24, are not in school or the workforce, b) in 2002, the national graduation rate was 68 percent, c) about one-third of high school students fail to graduate or to meet the basic requirements for entry-level jobs, d) almost half of the children living in female- headed households live below the poverty line, e) more than one-fourth of families headed by women with less than a high school diploma live in poverty, f) there are 34,380 single-female-headed households in Baltimore with young children, and approximately one-third of them earn less than $10,000, which is below the poverty line.

More recent data has shown that women with a high school diploma, but no college earned $459 per week in 2002, compared with $809 for those with a college degree. Over a life time high school graduates earn an average of $1.2 million; associate's degree holders earn about $1.6 million; and bachelor's degree holders earn about $2.1 million. The facts are simple, more education leads to a better standard of living for the women and their children. Below are some additional facts associated to level of education of female, particularly African American females.

An Exclusive Interview with Dr. Debbie Pushor on Parental Engagement

Dr. Debbie Pushor discusses the importance of parental engagement in the success of students during an interview with Michael Robinson host of Educational Gateway, which is heard on The Journey Begins, radio for the engaged parent and dedicated educator.

Debbie’s career began with Edmonton Public Schools in Alberta, Canada where she worked as a teacher, a consultant, a principal and a central services administrator.

Her experiences as a parent of school-aged children caused her to attend to the positioning of parents in relation to schools and prompted the focus of her doctoral work, A Storied Photo Album of Parents’ Positioning and the Landscape of Schools.

Debbie graduated from the University of Alberta in 2001 with a PhD in elementary education. She assumed an academic position at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Canada from 2001 to 2004, teaching in the BEd program and the MEd program in educational leadership. Debbie joined the University of Saskatchewan in 2004.

She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum Studies in the College of Education, where she continues to teach both undergraduate and graduate courses. Debbie completed a major research project funded by the Dr. Stirling McDowell Foundation for Research into Teaching, which explored, with a team of co-researchers at Princess Alexandra Community School in Saskatoon, how schools can move from practices of parent involvement to practices of parent engagement and leadership.

Debbie was also engaged in research funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, in which she explored what parent knowledge is and how it is held and used. She is currently writing a book arising from this research. Debbie is a qualitative researcher who uses narrative inquiry as her research methodology.

Debbie is the mother of three sons. Cohen is 19 years old and attending his first year of university. Teague and Quinn are 15 years old (yes, twins!) and they are in grade 10.

Please feel invited to visit Debbie’s website to learn more about her research or to read her publications.

Parental Engagement: A Five Part Discussion With Five School Based Professionals

Written by

Michael A. Robinson

Education: The Natural Bridge (ETNB) has long understood the important role parents play in the academic success of their children. Research has shown engaged parents impact the way children think about education. Thus suggesting when parents put emphasis on education the children follow.

In a ground breaking discussion over the next several weeks ETNB will closely examine the aspects of parental engagement, by discussing the pros and cons associated with increase parental engagement in public schools. During this time we will interview a panel of fathers/significant male role models, teachers, and counselors to obtain their views and opinions regarding parental engagement.

In part four of our five part discussion with five professionals from one of Maryland’s largest school districts we focused on ways parents can become more engaged with their child’s school.

ETNB: What do you believe the school system has to do in order to increase parental engagement?

Leydin: Be able to understand the cultural behavior of so many ethnic groups in our society, especially our County which is so interesting for the beauty of its diversity.

Luz: Schools have to create a plan identifying the mission, vision, values and goals including parents’ opinions. In PG County the ESOL population is growing every day. We need to educate parents. We need to teach them how the American system works. Those parents should be included in the PTA, programs, meeting, etc. It is important to have a bilingual Parent Liaison in each school to provide services to International parents. Parental involvement does not happen by accident. Schools need to have a plan to increase parental involvement. See the needs, set goals, activities and evaluate the progress of the plan.

Vanessa: The school system currently has exceptional programs to promote and increase parental engagement. The Parent Assisting Teacher program, Parent Visitation Program, Parent Volunteer Program, formal parent-teacher organizations, parental involvement with the School Improvement Plan, and the assignment of school-based parent liaison personnel with duties and responsibilities tailored to meet the needs of parents all have impacting results on the lives of children and the overall progress of schools. Data collected within the past 2 ½ years is demonstrative of this fact. The school system needs only to be patient in the process of a naturally occurring culture shift for caregivers.

Jose: Maintain “Open Schools” and the lines of communications open. Keep the school open year around providing extended school hours after the regular school day, offering programs during those extra hours for parents to increase their knowledge and well being. For example literacy classes, adult education courses in computers, arithmetic, household finances, general history to include knowledge of the country and practical courses in parenting and health. Offer tutoring programs year round in the school for those students in need of academic support and for those who want to enhance their knowledge. Through the parent liaison program a) keep the parents informed about the school and community happenings b) use all the lines of communication available (Data bases, internet, SCS, Internet, School Newsletter, Letters, Flyers) in English and Spanish language as we are a culturally diverse schools c) provide assistance as requested and as much as possible using the information available in the school and the school system d) coordinate with other agencies to offer parents information and workshops about the community and available resources and e) foster the parents/school and community relationships. The goal is to make the school a place where parents feel “the school is theirs and is there for their families.”

Jason: In order to increase parental engagement the school system needs to continue to build upon powerful programs like Parent Liaisons. The data has overwhelmingly shown the impact in the increase of parental involvement in schools when parents have an advocate who is in the building to serve them. The many programs and workshops that Parent Liaisons have implemented in their respective schools have worked to increase not only the number of parents involved in the educational process, but the number of fathers! Data bears witness that children who have parental support throughout the educational process are far more successful than those children who don’t!