Brofenbrenner’s Ecological Systems

Brofenbrenner’s ecological systems model views children as developing within a complex system. This system is divided into the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem and most recently added, the chronosystem. A mesosystem comprises the interrelations among two or more settings in which the developing person actively participates (such as, for a child, the relations among home, school, and neighborhood peer group; for an adult, among family, work, and social life). 

    Today we will be focusing on the mesosystem, particularly in the relationships between a child’s home and school life. During the pandemic, we are seeing how these relationships are shifting, adapting and being challenged. The distinction between home and school is not as clear, if it is there at all. This poses a challenge for parents in more ways than one. Many parents may be wondering...

• How do we make school work at home?

• How can I keep my child connected with their teachers, classmates and other staff members they may be used to interacting with at school?

• What can I do to help my child succeed in this new environment?

    Looking through the lens of ecological systems theory, today’s post offers up some advice for parents who may be struggling with these questions. A meta-analysis conducted by Seigner (2006), applies this theory to parental involvement research. A multitude of studies involving both home and school based parental involvement in relation to developmental outcomes were examined. Some examples of home-based involvement include: reading to the child at home, homework help, helping the child to learn school readiness skills, helping the child plan courses, and discussing school with the child in general. Examples of school-based involvement include: parent volunteering in the classroom, attending after-school PTA meetings, and making contact with the teacher.

    Home-based school involvement remains contained primarily in the microsystem, whereas school-based involvement brings in the school environment, and thus falls in the mesosystem of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems. If you are sheltered in place with your child, home-based parental involvement is likely easier than it was before. Use the time you can to ask your children if they need help, or to read to them. These steps don’t have to be drastic, sometimes all it takes is ten to fifteen minutes of helping your child work through a difficult math problem, or explaining to them a new vocabulary word. The most important thing here is finding what works best for your family, and this may take some trial-and-error. Some kids may prefer to work independently, while others may want more of your support than you can give. Try to find a balance for both of these situations, and remember that this is a difficult time for everyone. 

    School-based involvement obviously looks different in our current context, but that does not mean that it is impossible. Reach out to your child’s teachers, and still make an effort when you can to establish a connection with them. This will not only help you understand what your child is learning, but also get an idea of how to help them transition what they used to do at school to a home environment. Forming this bridge between school and home may be more difficult now, but it is still doable with a little structure. The positive effect of school based involvement is attributed primarily to parent-teacher interaction, which elicits three effects seen in research:

1. This acquaints parents with childrens’ workload, homework assignments, and gives them a general understanding of what they are learning in the classroom.

2. School-based involvement has been shown to reduce school absenteeism and discipline problems.

3. Fosters parent-teacher respect, cooperation and greater parental support of school goals and staff

    These findings support the importance of forming a connection between school and home, particularly one between a parent and teacher. In conclusion, this research found a positive relation between parental involvement practices and educational outcomes is maintained amongst different age groups, parenting styles, and environmental specificity (in this case, home based versus school based parental involvement). This is significant because it supports the benefits of being involved in your child’s education both on the microsystem and mesosystem levels.

Source: Seginer, R. (2006). Parents’ educational involvement: A developmental ecology perspective. Parenting: Science & Practice, 6(1), 1–48.