Being a parent is a tiring and sometimes seemingly unrewarding endeavor but society (and school leaders) may benefit from encouraging parents to focus on the importance of their role as the primary and best educators of their children.
That’s a take-away from a presentation by Nobel Prize laureate James Heckman, a University of Chicago Professor who gave a speech at Beloit College recently.
“Family interaction and the structure of family is more likely to help children develop skills they will need in life than any government or school program,” the Beloit News reported about the speech.
“Families are the main producers of skills,” said Heckman, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2000.
“Inequality and social immobility causes can be found early in an individual’s life. It is up to society to have a frank discussion about the causes before solutions can be found,” Heckman said, according to the News.
“The family structure plays a far more important role in developing cognitive skills, as well as social and emotional skills, Heckman said. He said schools often are looked to as the institution that should solve the achievement gap, and often are blamed for the gap in society, and he believes that is just wrong,” the News reported.
Heckman said, if you want to eliminate poverty, you should build skills.
“Skills are the major determinant of flourishing lives,” he said, noting the role parents play in teaching children patience, focus, motivation, self-regulation, and accountability, the News reported.
Schools play a role and other programs can help, he said, but it starts with the family, according to the News.
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