Attending to children’s year-round learning

The annual back-to-school ritual is in full swing. Businesses are busy marketing clothes, school supplies, and easy-to-pack lunches. Media are increasing coverage about the topic. Websites are offering tips to families about the transition of preschoolers to school, what to ask teachers, and how to help children thrive in school. While all these mark a welcome return to formal education, learning does not begin and end with the school calendar.

Learning happens throughout the year, in many places and at many times. This reality forces us to reimagine how we approach family engagement. An NBC News Education Nation poll found that that 60% of Hispanic parents, 52 % of Black parents, and 40% of White parents wish they could be more involved in their children’s education. Although parents have many opportunities to interact with their children’s learning through routine home activities, after school and summer programs, playground and soccer games, and the like, they may not be aware of their powerful educational roles in these settings if engagement continues to be identified only with formal schooling.

As educators we need to do a better job about working together with families, especially Hispanic and black families, to enrich children’s learning beyond the classroom. Schools and communities should make anywhere, anytime learning opportunities accessible to all families. To promote continuous family engagement, especially among older youth, we also need to facilitate youth voice and leadership to strengthen family relationships and support for youth development. We at Harvard Family Research Project (www. hfrp.org), as part of our support for families, work to meet the growing demand for information on effective ways — including state and local partnerships — to support family involvement in children’s learning and development in and out of school. Here are some resources: