The simple gesture of a home visit--where the focus will be on the child and not on academics or classroom behavior--pays huge dividends, say teachers. A teacher who has met a student's parents in their home is better equipped to reach that child and keep him or her on track through the year. Home visits are common, if not mandatory, in charter…

There's no doubt that children's home environments have a huge impact on the kind of people they become. But so do their educational environments. A number of schools are beginning to realize it's worth it to spend the time on "soft" skills such as empathy. Even forgetting the recent scary headlines about bullying, teachers know that a classroom…

The phenomenon of "school-hopping" (students transferring frequently to different schools) and its effects on students is discussed. Strategies for teachers to use with parents who practice school-hopping (often to deny that their child may be in need of special help) are described. (CJ)

Parents and teachers working together can take the hassle out of homework. This article offers sample letters and tips for teachers to adapt to communicate to parents the purposes and basic guidelines of homework. (MT)

A teacher describes her solution to discipline problems in her classroom, a method she calls positive discipline. Students attend "night school" with humorous course offerings entitled Janitorial Skills, Silence Is Golden, Get to Know Your Notebook, Artful Dodging, and Learning a New Language. (MT)

Tapping parents' willingness to be involved, planning productive exchanges, and reaching the hard-to-reach parent are addressed in this article. Ways to establish a partnership with parents are suggested. (MT)

In 1999, things were dismal at Lebanon, Pennsylvania's Harding Elementary School. Many kids in this former coal town started at a disadvantage and never seemed to catch up. They were bored with books about "frogs on logs," says then-new principal Cheryl Champion. Since they were not engaged, they acted out. Harding's classroom…

Handling upset parents, unexpected kid behavior, and touchy school politics are some of the toughest parts of a teacher's job. As such, it never hurts to have an emergency plan or two tucked away and a few tried-and-true strategies one can count on. In this article, the author presents several sticky situations and corresponding solutions for…

Ideas for organizing homework and ensuring parental involvement are discussed. Making students responsible for their own behavior is emphasized. (MT)

For a successful parent-teacher conference, three main steps need to be addressed: preconference homework, communication during the conference, and followup. Each of these steps is addressed in this article, and a sample form for conference record keeping is included. (IAH)

Presents suggestions to help teachers work with parents during conferences. Before the conference, they should document difficulties, communicate concerns, solicit support, and test out tactics. At the conference, they should welcome parents, take notes, weigh all words, allow for anger, seek parents' suggestions, have responses ready, and partner…

Recent research suggests parental involvement in education can be particularly helpful for children from families with low incomes. Parents who do not know how to help will almost always do what teachers ask them. Suggesting specific activities and letting parents know they can contribute to their child's progress are emphasized. (MT)

Discusses ways to promote an open, dynamic relationship between teachers and parents of exceptional children. (JMB)

Presents suggestions to help teachers meet the challenges of maintaining communication, empathy, and understanding in all transactions involving adults in the lives of students with special learning needs, focusing on: acknowledging parents as experts on their children; focusing on the positive; maintaining confidentiality; involving parents; and…

A study to find out how teachers involve parents in learning programs is described. Teachers are advised to send letters to the parents of students they will be teaching the following year asking for support in overcoming summer learning loss. Specific activities teachers could suggest are offered. (MT)