This article is a reflective piece. It asks questions to support discussions in staffrooms and team meetings about what a 'new normal' could look like in schools. The author advocates a better partnership between teachers, students and parents in which they adopt a more equitable relationship built on mutual respect and trust - a partnership where…

In a collaborative partnership between a public school district in the northeast United States and university faculty, social-emotional/behavioral (SEB) screening was implemented across the district at three elementary schools serving students in kindergarten through second grade. Although both parents and teachers served as informants in SEB…

This Reflection on Practice is based upon a change in the undergraduate course "Family and Community Relations." Historically, this course has been taught on campus in a lecture format, as well as small and large group activities. However, during a spring semester at a midsized Midwestern University, it was altered to provide more direct…

An African American mother and teacher educator uses examples from her own childhood to describe how she hopes her child will be treated by teachers, and what she fears. In her letter to her son, the African American mom expresses how she want teachers to know her son's journey to school--metaphorically and physically. She wants them to know that…

The reform of a system that is interconnected with other systems and factors demands that its stability be assessed constantly, both as a whole and in its components. This was the purpose of a survey designed to discover, in connection with education, the perceptions, expectations, and attitudes of parents of upper-grade students in four regions…

Excerpt from "The Reconstruction of Patriotism: Education for Civic Consciousness" discusses civics education from Revolutionary days to present. An allegiance between schools and the military is proposed to create a national service system supplementing classroom teaching, which is currently incapable of conveying the meaning of…

A mother of a highly gifted son gives her observations of life with a gifted child, the educational needs of the gifted, and suggestions to teachers of the gifted. Stressed throughout is the fact that gifted children are first and foremost children with all the needs and characteristics of children. Stereotypes of the gifted child are exposed…

Arguments in favor of increased parental involvement, particularly in nursery education, are presented. Opposition to participation from parents and teachers is discussed and specific areas in which cooperation might be possible are suggested along with different levels of participation. (JMF)

Asserting that the biggest mistake educators can make is to set themselves up as experts vis-a-vis parents as amateurs, Barbara and William Christopher emphasize the importance of continued education for the autistic individual and relate their experiences with the educational community as they sought help for their autistic son. (JC)

Relates some of the concerns parents express in regard to school reports of their children and stresses the need for reports to take account of such concerns. (HOD)

Cites changes in classrooms and in parent and teacher attitudes needed to develop the parent/teacher cooperation and the affective climate necessary for optimal reading instruction. (SJL)

Examines parents through the lens of cartoons printed in educational journals. Suggests that journal editors share many ideas with educators, their readers, and that the ideas expressed in cartoons may be construed as anti-parent by preservice and inservice teachers. (Contains 3 cartoons and 20 references.) (WFA)

Describes parents' perspective of the transitional period for children with special needs and provides suggestions for working cooperatively with parents. (JOW)

To improve the relationship between educators and parents of handicapped children, educators should try to understand the feelings and attitudes of the parents of a child with a disability. Listed are seven suggestions for teachers to help them work effectively with parents and encourage parent participation in the education of handicapped…

In this article, parents of gifted children describe the issues that matter most to them. Parents want professional co-advocates to help them be heard; regular, clear, and open communication to promote understanding; and administrative help navigating the school system so that expressed need will be translated into identifiable improvements.…