While home visits benefit primary and secondary school students, they can also be beneficial for college students. Whether you go away to college or commute from home, you gain a lot more independence when you enter college. University professors certainly provide encouragement and support, but no one is going to be looking over your shoulder and monitoring your attendance. It’s up to you to decide to go to class, keep active in your coursework, and get involved on campus. You don’t show up for class? You flunk. It’s as simple as that.
For students who need an extra push to stay on top of their academics, home visits can prove advantageous. While there are many educators advocating home visits for primary and secondary school students, they can still benefit students in college, especially considering the vast amount of freedom they have. Read on to discover some key advantages of home visits for students.
Increased Parental Involvement
While parents want their children to succeed academically and attain a college education, many lack an accurate perception of their child’s academic performance. According to a recent poll, 90% of parents believe their child performs at or above grade level in reading and math. However, the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress shows that just over one-third of students successfully met that benchmark. This gap between parents’ perspective and realty shows schools should step in to help parents become better engaged in their child’s education.
Numerous studies show that parent involvement improves student attendance and academic success. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Education found elementary school students who received a home visit had fewer absences and were more likely to read at or above grade level than similar students who were not visited. With parents and teachers more involved, home visits can also increase graduation rates.
Though these studies don’t analyze college students specifically, their results explain the amazing advantages of home visits. Home visits help build trust with families and keep parents updated on their child’s performance and progress. They help parents become more involved in their child’s education and more aware of their wellbeing, both academically and emotionally.
A Mutual Understanding
With growing class sizes and a learning approach that has to cater to the masses, it can be easy for students to slip through the cracks. Home visits enable teachers to better understand a student. While a student can decide to visit a teacher after class or during office hours, home visits enable them to interact with their teacher on their own turf, allowing them to feel more comfortable and really open up.
The relationship between a student and teacher is integral to a student’s success, and establishing personal connections with students both in and out of the classroom can have a positive effect. Teachers who familiarize themselves with their students’ interests and routines are able to connect with them in a more meaningful way. For students and teachers who don’t feel comfortable meeting at home, they can meet at a mutual space, such as the campus coffee shop, to gain similar benefits.
Home visits provide students with the support and encouragement they need, while allowing parents and teachers to better understand students and fulfill their unique needs. To maintain parent teacher involvement, schools can use online tutoring software to manage home visits and keep parents in the loop with their child’s academic performance.
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