Home Visits: Teacher Reflections about Parental Involvement, Student Achievement, and Behavior

Abstract

Few would argue that it is the responsibility of classroom teachers to establish and build good relationships with students and their parents, especially when dealing with difficult students. Sixty experienced elementary teachers conducted a home visit with the parents of their most challenging student in order to get better acquainted, commit to regular communication, and develop common goals that targeted improvement in the child’s behavior and academic performance. As reluctant as these teachers were to initiate a home visit, their willingness to do so brought improvement in their relationships with students and their parents and resulted in significant positive results in student attitudes, behavior, work habits, and academic achievement.