Ready for school? The influence of parental contributions on school readiness

This thesis explores the impact of parental involvement on grade primary students’ school readiness in Nova Scotia from the perspectives of grade primary teachers. Using theories that examine parenting styles, children’s socialization and socioeconomic status through cultural capital and habitus, this study revealed that parental involvement has a significant impact on students’ readiness skills upon entering the education system. Four semi-structured interviews were conducted with grade primary teachers in Nova Scotia. These interviews, in addition to the literature, determined that school readiness is broadly defined and is not restricted to only academic skills. Several factors were discovered that either positively or negatively impacted students’ level of readiness, many of which were not in the control of the parents themselves such as social class, access to resources and employment. This thesis explores a general misconception that school readiness is strictly academic-based and is developed by teachers when children arrive in the classroom. I argue that school readiness is largely the opposite, and instead is a variation of factors both academic and non-academic such as self-regulation, social-emotional, personal hygiene as well as basic academic knowledge. I conclude that teachers can acknowledge the gap between ways school readiness is interpreted and what it actually consists of when assessed in the classroom. Interviews with these teachers, in addition to the explored literature, determine that all levels of parental involvement impact students’ ability to be ready for school. The conclusion is also accompanied with suggestions for parental figures to better assist their child in preparing for them and sustaining them in their early academic career.