This pamphlet answers the question "How can we best involve parents in the classroom?" at the level of the school council, school staff, and classroom teacher. Issues to be negotiated by school councils include the changing nature of Australian family structures, parents with small children at home, parents helping after school hours,…

Forty different forms which can be used for written communication with upper elementary and secondary students are presented in a reproducible format. The forms were created to fill a need for providing students at these levels with motivational notes. Drawings and messages based on a variety of themes are used to make the notes interesting.…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: The kindergarten staff at H. A. Snow School has devised a series of homework idea sheets, to accompany the readiness program that is taught weekly in the kindergarten classrooms. Beginning in early October, we introduce an alphabet letter each Monday. During the week, all subject areas are focused…

Guidelines for conducting home visits with parents of Title I students are presented. The guidelines include the following: (1) a list of purposes for home visits; (2) suggestions for what to do and what not to do when visiting; (3) types of information that parents can provide; and (4) ways to deal with difficult situations. Additional materials…

This document presents one module in a set of training resources for trainers to use with parents and/or professionals serving children with disabilities; focus is on parental involvement. The modules stress content and activities that build skills and offer resources to promote parent-professional collaboration. Each module takes about 2 hours to…

A behavior modification program was implemented to improve attendance and punctuality patterns of kindergarten students attending a small, rural elementary school. Also incorporated into the intervention were self-esteem and parent involvement components. Motivational strategies used were: a token economy; group-oriented behavior management…

Intended for teachers to share with parents of school children, this paper presents techniques to encourage children to read during their summer vacations. The 21 suggestions for parents include the following: (1) model reading behaviors, (2) brainstorm with children to determine possible areas of interest, (3) read aloud to children, (4) allow…

Teachers, principals, and other educational leaders in the United States were asked what is being done, what works, and what can be used to build a successful parent-teacher team. Here are the results--hundreds of workable ideas organized into a four-part process that combines the best from schools across America. (Author/RK)

Data are synthesized from four qualitative studies of teacher work stress. One factor, student discipline, is used to illustrate the problem of teacher stress. The data suggests the importance of understanding stress as a powerful process affecting individual and organizational behavior. (MD)

One of the key goals of the Laboratory for Student Success (LSS) is to encourage school, family, and community partnerships to improve the academic performance and socioemotional development of children and youth. Teachers face the challenge of educating an increasingly diverse student population which is growing up in varied home environments.…

This pamphlet discusses new curriculum guidelines, as approved under Ruling number 5220/97, for preschool education in Portugal. The law defines preschool as a first step in basic education that complements the education provided by the family, and recommends that schools work in collaboration with parents to foster the training and balanced…

Noting that the beginning of the school year is a key time to communicate with parents, this booklet presents accumulated knowledge and fresh ideas on school outreach strategies for this important time period. The suggestions for action within each strategy are based on broad experience, which can help even seasoned teachers, principals, and…

This book is designed to help teachers deal with hostile adults, drawing from the experiences of over 250 practicing teachers. The book begins with data from a 2-year study that includes surveys and in-depth interviews with practicing teachers and certified school support professionals from diverse schools. Each chapter contains 10 sections: the…

This article first examines what experts and research say about parent involvement and then discusses the attitudes, knowledge, and skills critical for professionals to work effectively with parents of the handicapped. The last section offers practical suggestions for launching a parent program. (Part of a theme issue on mainstreaming.)…

In describing the process for developing Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for handicapped children, the author focuses on the need for teamwork and effective communication between Child Study Team members, teachers, and parents. (SJL)