parents of first year students: friends or foes?
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Parents of First Year Students: Friends or Foes?. Colleen Blaney, MA, MSc Student Adviser College of Engineering, Mathematical & Physical Sciences University College Dublin Ireland. Why the interest in parents?. Experience of dealing with parents of 1 st years - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Parents of First Year Parents of First Year Students: Friends or Foes?Students: Friends or Foes?
Colleen Blaney, MA, MScStudent AdviserCollege of Engineering, Mathematical & Physical Sciences
University College DublinIreland
Why the interest in Why the interest in parents?parents?Experience of dealing with parents of
1st years Initiatives in managing parents
expectations University College Dublin (UCD)
Literature about helicopter parents in US – is this what is happening in Ireland?
In the Irish media over the past yearIncreasingly parents are contacting me!
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Helicopter parentsHelicopter parentsWhat do we mean by helicopter
parents?On the increase in IrelandWhy?
◦Smaller families – children more precious◦Middle class syndrome ◦Customer service mentality◦Parents are used to having relationship
with their child’s school and habits are hard to break
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How important are How important are parents?parents?Ishler and Upcraft (2005) highlight
several studies that show the link between first-year student retention and parental support.
Parental support, both pre-entry and upon entry to university, is a protective factor against student early withdrawal.
Tinto’s (1993) theory of external communities highlights the importance of the off-campus contacts students have.
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But they’re adults now…..But they’re adults now…..Do parents know this?Parents highly involved up to 1st
year in university, why would they stop now?
Do students suddenly change as soon as they step onto campus?
Parents unsure who to communicate these worries with.
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Do you know how important parents are to your 1st year students?
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Sources of DataSources of DataStudent demographicsSurveys on student expectations
and pre-entry decision makingFirst Year Experience
survey/interview dataExit interviews – who did students
discuss withdrawing with?Staff experience with parentsSurvey of parents of new students
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11stst Year students at UCD Year students at UCDParents and friends
most influential for pre-entry decisions
Parents and friends are consulted with 1st when students think of withdrawing
If at home, students quicker to withdraw in 1st year.
60% of 1st years live at home
Students at home more likely to work part-time
In Ireland, parents strongly encouraged to be involved at school level.
Are parents giving out the messages about the university that you would?
Can parents be ambassadors for higher education?
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Two ideas for bringing Two ideas for bringing parents on board to support parents on board to support 11stst years yearsParents Orientation
CrècheRecognising that
parents, particularly those from outside Dublin, are really involved in the move to university
Refreshment stopMessages about
universityParent survey – how
was Orientation from your perspective?
Welcome Night for Parents and Families of First Year Students
Parents and families of new students invited to campus
Meet the staff teaching your student
Talk by Dean, Chaplain and Student Adviser
Chance to ask questions
Another point to give our critical messages
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Sample slide from Orientation Sample slide from Orientation Crèche:Crèche:How can you best support your student How can you best support your student through the transition to higher through the transition to higher education?education?Starting university is exciting, scary,
challenging and rewarding, all at the same time!
Ask your student about their studies, the social scene and how they are settling in.
If your son or daughter is having difficulties, encourage them to seek support – Student Advisers are a great place to start.
Keep in mind that UCD can not confirm attendance, exam grades or other information to parents.
Our goal is for students to succeed academically and socially and to grow during their time as students in UCD.
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Sample Slide from Parents Sample Slide from Parents NightNight
Support services available, but students must seek support and guidance themselves
Encourage students to look after themselves, but also each other
Technological age – support via internet and text message
October is key month for many new students – encourage your student to discuss issues with university staff
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Crafting critical messages for Crafting critical messages for parentsparentsIf you could, what would you really say to
parents of 1st year students?Encourage parents to refer students to
university staff rather than call themselvesExplain how university functions –
particularly how technology is used for communications
When, if ever, would university contact home?
Does everyone in university know these messages?
What happens during 1st year? Learning opportunity for parents.
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What’s good for 1What’s good for 1stst years…..years…..Messages give to parents (directly or
indirectly) need to be clear.Clear guidelines in university about
parental communication?Does this work with university
philosophy?‘decide for yourself; are parents to
be “dealt with” or “worked with”. You can't straddle that fence.’ (Savage, 2007)
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Resources on this topicResources on this topicSTAR literature (
www.ulster.ac.uk/star)
Websites of note:◦ U. of St. Andrews◦ Durham University◦ US universities
generally
Davies, Cook & Ruston (2007)
National Resource Center for 1st Year Experience (U of SC) updated booklet
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Make parents friendsMake parents friendsParents are an important
influence in the lives of many students
Leverage parent support – make them your ‘student adviser at home’
Manage parent expectation and educate them on modern student life
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