A FATHERS PROGRAM(Free Anytime To Help Education Run Successfully)

Created ByRob Thompson

FATHERSFree Anytime To Help Education Run Successfully

Fathers come in many shapes, sizes, colors and personalities. One thing they all have in common is love for their children and a wish that their children will have whatever they need to make their dreams come true. One of the key elements in making their dreams come true is a good education. Your involvement in “FATHERS” is a critical step for ensuring your child is receiving the education they deserve.

Problem

The problem is the majority of fathers that have children in attendance at Fallbrook Union high school are not participants of on- campus volunteer opportunities.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine if a new program called FATHERS, introduced to the Fallbrook high school campus last year, can improve the participation of these fathers as on campus volunteers.

Worthwhile?“There's a mountain of research that shows

a direct connection between parents' involvement in their children's education and their children’s performance in school. In short, the more the parents are involved, the better the kids do. But in many schools (and in many families), the word "parents" really means "mom." That's a big mistake. There are a number of benefits that are specifically related to father involvement” (Brott, 2007, p.1).

Father’s Are Necessary

There needs to be a great deal of interest initiated into the role a father needs to play in their child’s life on the Fallbrook Union high school campus and on other school campuses throughout the nation. They are needed to be positive mentors and gate keepers.

What Fathers Tell UsFathers do not join parent groups or get involved at school because, "they

weren't asked and/or they didn't have time."

Fathers joined because the wife signed them up, or the child brought home information.

Fathers told us that we needed to publicize events better to them.

Fathers told us they wanted events that appealed to men.

Fathers told us they were less likely to volunteer again if they were the only dad present and they were more likely to get involved if another man asked them.

Fathers said they liked events that included the entire family.

Fathers said they were more likely to volunteer versus chair a committee.

Fathers will come to meetings, but they want to handle business and not socialize for an hour.

Fathers Feel Uncomfortable

“I got the idea that she didn’t expect us to be patient with the children or enjoy being a part of the classroom activities,” (Hennick, 2008).

“Many men do not feel welcome in schools,” (Pruett, 2006).

“There are no posters on the wall or magazines in the front office that make me feel like this is my place” (Hennick, 2008).

A father’s duties at work do not allow him to attend school activities during working hours

(Fathers Website, 2008).

These are clear examples of the matriarchal attitude that fathers face when contemplating volunteerism.

Description of Work Setting

This research project will take place on the campus of the Fallbrook Union high school from September 1, 2009 through April 1, 2010. Today the town’s only mainstream high school has an average student population annually of 2850 students and an annual teacher population of 125.

A Broken System?

40% of dads never read to their children.

58% never volunteer at their child’s school.

77% never have lunch with their children at school.

37% never visit their child’s classroom. (All Pro Dads, September 24, 2004).

Research #1The proportion of families with highly

involved fathers is about half of the proportion with highly involved mothers – 27% to 56% respectively (Herrold & O’Donnell, 2008)

In households that are considered two parent families nearly half of those households had fathers that participated in only one or no school activities in any given year ( Herrold & O’Donnell, 2008)..

Research #2

When fathers are involved in their child’s education they are much less likely to have ever been suspended (10% vs. 18% for children of less involved dads). They are more likely to participate in extracurricular activities. And children who are involved in extracurricular activities have fewer behavior problems and are less likely to get involved with drugs or alcohol or become teen parents (Brott, 2007, p. 1)

Research #3"If you want to reduce gang

membership, teen pregnancy, dropping out of school, abuse and neglect of children, and substance abuse, you can do it by engaging fathers early and often in the lives of their children. We know this from the science, we know it makes sense — it’s not easy, but it absolutely works. It works on these problems like aspirin on a headache”

( All Pro Dad, July, 10 , 2008).

Research #4“If you ignore their education until there is a problem,

they may learn that poor academic performance is the only way to get your attention” (Houston Chronicle, 2004).

“About half of kids with involved dads get mostly A's, compared to only about a third when dads are not involved” ( Brott, 2007, p. 1).

“Students are half as likely to have ever repeated a grade, 7 % vs. 15 % for children of less-involved dads” (Brett, 2007, p. 1).

“Children who spend time with their dad before age 11 are less likely to have a criminal record at 21” (Fatherhood Institute, June 30, 2009).

More Sobering Statistics96% of fathers surveyed agreed that fathers need

to be more involved in their children's education.

54% agreed that fathers spend less time with their children than their fathers did with them.

42% agree that most fathers know what is going on in their children's lives. Why are fathers not more involved in their children's education?

82% of marital breakups today means fathers do not have custody of their children (US Department of Education, 2000).

Huh?

Another cause of father absenteeism is that” fathers and mothers may be operating under the mistaken assumption that father’s do not matter as much as mothers when it comes to involvement in their children’s school” (Nord, 1998).

Are Fathers the “Hidden Parent?”Their job is to make money for the family and

they sometimes have a limited sense of importance to anything beyond the basics.

Many social welfare agencies cater almost exclusively to women.

Fathers need to be welcomed into the nonfinancial developmental aspects of their child’s lives. Their presence can no longer be seen as questionable or bothersome.

(Macleod, 2007, p. 19).

We Can Fix This Problem

When father’s make their presence and interest known, the students get a clear message that education is something to value. Presently, a concern about student apathy in the classroom is a major point for discussion amongst the teachers of Fallbrook Union high school. Fallbrook fathers can help to instill a new sense of pride into the academic lives of the Fallbrook Union high school student.

Fallbrook Union high school Needs Fathers

“One way that fathers can remain close to their children is through the school. School provides fathers with a host of wonderful opportunities to spend more time with their children” (Knippenberg & Schmidt, 2008).

FATHERS DUTIESWalking the campus Encouraging faculty and staff Mentoring Traffic controlHelping in the classroom TutorFund raisingDance chaperone Grounds beautification Technology supportRecycling Coordinator Scholarship committee advisor

Expected Outcomes1. FATHERS volunteers will follow all

steps directed by the administration staff so they can become members of the FATHERS program.

2. Increase FATHERS members from 19 to 50 by the end of the 2009-2010 school year and to increase father involvement at Fallbrook high school from 12% to 25% by the end of the 2009-2010 school year.

Measurement of Outcomes BlueprintVolunteer sign in sheets will be copied and tallied. Volunteers with the

program will write FATHERS by their name.

A new survey will be randomly distributed to students, parents, teachers and administrators at the end of March, 2010 in order to verify the success of the program.

Photographic records will be kept in order to discern the effectiveness of the FATHERS program on such issues as: classroom volunteers, the cleanliness of the campus, traffic control and extracurricular activities.

Records will be kept in order to verify the number of on-campus volunteers as they relate to club advisory positions, fund raisers, classroom volunteers and campus monitors.

Fathers are given yellow Polo shirts to wear whenever they are on campus.  The shirts have an insignia that says FATHERS volunteer, so staff members know who they are and why they are on campus.  A survey in regard to this procedure will be given to faculty and staff members at the end of April, 2010 in order to verify the validity of this requirement.

3 Questions1. Where is the program going? 2. Where is it now? 3. How can the program improve itself?

The input of all involved parties will be an imperative piece of the FATHERS program outcome measurement.

“That which can be counted can be verified, and that which cannot be verified does not exist.”

Fathers Are Welcome At Fallbrook Union high school

Volunteers are always welcome at Fallbrook high school. If a father can contribute some of his time either on campus or off, this time is deeply appreciated. When a father, or a parent volunteers, the students, teachers, and the community take notice and appreciate the father’s involvement in their child’s education. When Fallbrook Union high school creates resources that are devoted to parents needs, it sends a signal to parents that they are welcome on campus. Several avenues have been developed to do just that.

SolutionsTarget fatherly involvement at Fallbrook high school by

spreading the word of its existence to the communities in which the Fallbrook Union high school serves.

A program called FATHERS that seeks out father volunteers for on campus activities such as: lunch supervision, club advisor, booster clubs, classroom helper, morning and afternoon traffic duty, fund raising, mentoring, and faculty encouragement.

A FATHERS program website.

Encourage faculty and staff to support the program by recruiting and making FATHERS volunteers feel welcome.

Future Researchers Should…

Research that produces positive numbers can prove the validity of school campus intervention programs such as the FATHERS program. Researchers should focus in on all such current programs and record their successes.

Any Questions?

Feel free to ask any questions you might have at this time.

Thanks for your support!

ReferencesBrott, Armin (3  April). Ask Mr. Dad: Fathers aren't too cool for school. Knight Ridder Tribune News Service,1. 

Retrieved August 17, 2008, from ProQuest Newsstand database. (Document ID: 1249223751).

Fatherhood Institute website. (June 30, 2006). Retrieved September 1, 2008, from www.fatherhoodinstitute.org

Hennick, Calvin (2008, August). Is Your Classroom Father Friendly? It Should Be! Scholastic Instructor. Retrieved August 17, 2008 from www.scholastics.com.

Herrold, K., and O’Donnell, K. (2008). Parent and Family Involvement in Education, 2006–07 School Year, From the National Household Education Surveys Program of Fathers Program 2007 (NCES

2008-050). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC.

Macleod, Fiona EDUCATION CORRESPONDENT (2007, October 16). Schools projects break taboos as dads' involvement proves best for children :[FINAL Edition]. The Scotsman, p. 19.  Retrieved August 17, 2008, from ProQuest Newsstand database. (Document ID: 1365783441).

Nord, Christine (1998, March). Dads’ Involvement in Their Kids’ Schools. Education Digest, Volume 63 Issue 7, p. 29. Retrieved August 10, 2008, from EBSCOhost database. (Document ID: 341847).

"ON TWO; Education; TIPS FOR DADS." The Houston Chronicle (Houston, TX) (Oct 6, 2004): 2. General OneFile. Gale. Apollo Library. 23 Aug. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS>. Gale Document Number:CJ122883763

Opportunities and Guidelines for Post-Divorce Fathering. Tim Knippenberg, Craig Schmidt, Independent School; Summer2008, Vol. 67 Issue 4, p124-124, 1p

U.S. Department of Education. Department of Health and Human Services. A Call to Commitment: Fathers’ Involvement in children’s Learning, Washington DC: 2000. Retrieved August 17, 2008.

U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. Parent Involvement in Children’s Education: Efforts by Public Elementary Schools, NCES 98-032, by Nancy Carey, Laurie Lewis, and Elizabeth Farris. Project Officer, Shelley Burns. Washington, DC: 1998.