Social Support

Social Support

EDU 617: School Family & Community Partnership

In today’s society, children need social, emotional and physical support for them to grow and be successful. Lacking support may cause lack of motivation and encouragement when trying to reach their goals. It is imperative for not only the parents but also the community to understand their presence in a child’s life and they can be the one to determine who they become. If a child lacks the proper support they need in education, it can become stressful for them; causing them to either drop out or fail.

Social support is many types of support that one receives from others. It comes with assistance and care that you will receive when you are in need or during an emergency. Anderson-Butcher states, “a study has shown that social support in education indicates that strategies utilized by both parents and friends and imperative for a child’s education.” Social support improves academic achievement and raises expectations. Based on this study, social support should be available at all times. For many students, social support is what helps them manage stress.

A positive relationship between children and adults; gives a child a sense of security or comfort which results in their academic success (Ferlazzo & Hammond, 2009). Based on resources, parents, teachers and those adults that children are around are caring and genuinely concerned for a child, it develops their academic growth. This happens because a child will see the social support they have and become motivated to work harder and please those that are closest to them. Both parents and educators should work together in providing the best education for a child. Teachers should encourage the parents to get involved by allowing them to do so.

Social support systems are different. Through my own personal experience, these systems are significant in the lives of each and every child. I can recall when I was young and the attention that I received from my parents, teacher and community motivated me to desire more for myself in not only education but every part of my life. I received this support by ways of encouragement, consistency, love and guidance when I was in a crisis or “just because.” I can remember some of my peers who displayed behavioral problems or feeling anxiety because of their parent’s lack of concern for them. Some students require encouragement and had different needs that some of their parents were not too involved in. Through the support of the teachers, community and parents those students can be able to handle stress. As a teacher, the social support system that I give is to be concerned, consistent, listen and respond to their problems. At my current job all of the students come to me with their problems. I encourage them on a daily basis and encourage them to share their anxieties and not to give up.

Social support in school is very necessary. One importance of social support in school to improve academic achievement. When students a provided with an outlet in how to deal with their stress and anxiety; this helps them in learning how to handle them. Handling their stressors aid students in improving their learning performance. Social support also increase the number of student who stay in school. When the students see that they have the support of their parents, teachers, friends and community, they become less involved in the negative and more involved in their own educational goals (Epstein, 2011). Again, this will motivate those students who had planned on dropping out of school to continue with their education; which will intensify the number of students attending school.

References

Anderson-Butcher, D., Lawson, H.A., Iachini, A., Flaspohler, P.,Bean, J., & Wade-Mdivanian, R. (2010). Emergent evidence in Support of a Community Collaboration Model for School Improvement. Children & Schools. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.com

Epstein, J.L. (2011). School, Family and Community Partnership: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Ferlazzo L., & Hammond, L. A. (2009). Building Parent Engagement in Schools, Columbus, Ohio: Linworth Books/Libraries Unlimited.