Social Relationships Key to Improving Learning in Schools

New York: Strong relationships between teachers, parents and students in schools are more likely to improve student learning capacity than financial support, suggests a new study. The study found that social capital had a three- to five-times larger effect than financial capital on reading and math scores of primary school children.

Social capital is the name given to the network of relationships between school officials, teachers, parents and the community that builds trust and norms promoting academic achievement. “We found that money is certainly important. But this study also shows that social capital deserves a larger role in our thinking about cost-effective ways to support students, especially the most vulnerable,” said Roger Goddard, professor at the Ohio State University in the US.

The study involved 5,003 students and their teachers in 78 public elementary schools in Michigan. Teachers completed a questionnaire that measured levels of social capital in their schools and rated how much they agreed with statements like “Parent involvement supports learning here”, “Teachers in this school trust their students” and “Community involvement facilitates learning here”. (IANS)