Are Men Getting More Involved?
March 3rd, 2009 by Tim SullivanYeah, I think so. I certainly feel a bit less unique these days as a dad in the PTO and PTA world. And this story from the Chicago Trib adds some more color to the dad involvement issue.
We’ve covered this in several ways over the years. I wrote a column of my thoughts about what works for bringing in dads. And our editorial folks covered it with a feature a year or so ago. There really are some basics that can make a big difference.
Are you seeing any progress in the dad area? In a silver lining I’d rather not face, I imagine the current economic climate may result in more dads with time to get involved with school. This is likely a good time to add some effort around attracting and welcoming dads.
March 13th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
We have a dad on our board; he’s our treasurer.
He’s a breath of fresh air and great member of our group. He brings a male/Dad’s perspective that we might not otherwise consider. The rest of the board is comprised of 6 females/moms.
March 17th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
We have over 30 active Dads Clubs at a variety of elementary schools in our district. The effort was begun several years ago. I work in Family Engagement for the school district and I partnered with a Dad that wanted to help start Dads Clubs in the schools in our poorest neighborhoods. He secured some grant funding and we began. They are now going strong. Dads Clubs welcome all family men, not just dads. Their work includes planning community clean-ups, father daughter dances, Art and Crafts with Dads, Books with Dads, Science with Dads, Games with Dads, Math with Dads, Breakfast for Moms, Financial Literacy Workshops sponsored by the Dads Clubs, and many more. There is significant amount research that shows father participation in a child’s education at home and at school boosts student development and behavior–this is an important strategy to initiate and support. It welcomes the men in the community to have a presence, a voice and to make powerful contributions to the well-being of children.