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.…

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 skill packet presents strategies for training parents to be involved in their children's education. Section 1 focuses on understanding the relationship between positive self-esteem and academic achievement. Section 2 discusses the purpose of parent-teacher conferences and how to enhance communication. Section 3 focuses on research supporting…

The parent-teacher conference offers an opportunity to improve communication between home and school. In addition, it is an ideal time for discussing how the home environment can compliment and reinforce the work accomplished at school. Thus, when parents ask what they can do at home to help, the teacher can respond with specific suggestions for…

This monograph for teachers outlines reasons for working with parents. It presents a sampling of practical strategies that teachers can use to foster parent competence and responsibility in the education of their children. It also contains answers to some of teachers' questions about getting parents to visit the school and encouraging them to…

Several strategies for improving communication between parents and teachers are explored in this handbook. Section I provides background information on parent-teacher communication. Recommendations to teachers for enhancing parent involvement in education are provided. Section II describes communication strategies for use in parent-teacher…

This issue addresses the relationship between teachers and parents of handicapped children. It explores how barriers to an effective parent-teacher relationship arise and how best to work toward a better relationship, one in which parents can positively influence the teacher's involvement with them and, in turn, one in which the teacher can…

Classroom discipline is one of the biggest difficulties in teaching. This book describes a system of classroom management that combines the characteristics of a good teacher with those of a successful disciplinarian. The main message is that responsibility for good behavior belongs with the students and that teachers should spend more time…

Suggestions are offered to special educators for improving communication at parent-teacher conferences, including relationship skills such as demonstrating genuine caring, building rapport, listening, showing empathy, reflecting affect, and using clarifying statements. A checklist for self-monitoring in these areas is included. (DB)

This booklet provides guidelines to help teachers better understand the importance of forming alliances with the primary caregivers (birth parents, adoptive parents, step parents, foster parents, or guardians) of the children whom they teach. Specific recommendations are offered concerning the following factors: conferences in the home, in school,…

Because family and school represent the primary environments in which young children grow and develop, it is important to build and maintain strong parent participation in preschool education. Teachers can plan parent participation strategies to give equal consideration to the needs of all families represented in a class. Teachers can plan for…

Presents results of a study of parental involvement in curriculum planning and enrichment in four London (England) primary schools. Reports that the program implementing parent teacher cooperation was successful in terms of student achievement, parental enjoyment, and teacher satisfaction. Discusses the importance of home, school, and the outside…

An overview of South Asian and Southeast Asian Americans is discussed to aid teachers in understanding behaviors exhibited by Asian students. Culture influences in the following areas are explored: family relationships, respect for age, social interaction, communication style, family expectations, humility, school situations, decision making, and…

Under Title V, Guidance, Counseling, and Testing of the "National Defense Education Act of 1958," the Congress of the United States has recognized the value of tests as a tool which may be used to help make an early determination of the aptitudes and abilities of the students in U.S. schools. This bulletin attempts to explain the use and…

This engaging, rich resource is designed for teachers, parents, and administrators in diverse schools or districts who know there is no quick fix for building lasting partnerships among families, schools, and communities. Going far beyond traditional "parent involvement programs," this essential volume offers ideas on how teachers and parents…