Solutions to the problems of urban pupils require nonacademic and humanistic strategies. Hobbs' concept of the ecosystem of the child and community education suggests interesting ways of combining the efforts of school, family, and community. (Author/GC)

Provides information enabling teachers to support children and families during divorce. Research and theory concerning the effects of divorce on children, parenting through divorce, and the role of the school are summarized. Practical suggestions for the teacher are presented, and relevant books for children, teachers, and parents are identified.…

A comprehensive school management system plan that includes parent participation and staff development is described. The staff development program is influenced by parents' input through surveys and through their direct involvement on site councils. (JMF)

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.…

This article first reviews the literature on parent professional collaboration under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and then applies Mikhail Bakhtin's notions of discourse and dialogism to accounts of parent-professional interactions as reflected in the literature. The differing perspectives of the professional educator and a…

A rationale is offered for parent involvement in seeking solutions to the problems faced by middle school students; and for inclusion, in the middle school courses of preservice teachers, of instruction on parent/teacher conferences. Specific suggestions for conducting positive parent-teacher conferences, are offered, with emphasis on proper…

Parents' involvement in their children's education is imperative to the students' success. This article outlines a variety of ways in which school administrators can enhance the role of parents: good home-school communication, parents as teachers, parents as supporters of activities, parents as learners, and parents as advocates. (Author/TE)

Describes how Rosemary Wells's new books about "Edward Unready" explain children and readiness; explores the problems with her message, and suggests new endings that are more supportive of all children. Asserts that variability in development should not be mistaken for deficit, and recommends changing the focus from judging children to…

A mother discusses her family's experience in transitioning her daughter from early intervention services to an early childhood program. Helpful strategies that the early childhood staff used are identified and include introducing families to teachers during the transition process and allowing parents to visit the program before sending their…

Reports on a study of parent-teacher interaction, in which discussions and conferences between parents and teacher centered around literacy artifacts that children produced in school and at home. Suggests that the creation of home portfolios may provide a starting point for teachers and parents to discuss children's developing literacy. (TB)

Discusses the validity and reliability of teacher observation in gifted child research. The benefits of teacher observation include an increase in professional authority and self-consciousness of teachers, an enrichment of the quality of relationships between teachers and parents of gifted students, and a revelation of the educational needs of…

This article discusses how special education teachers can serve as mentors to parents of children with physical and health disabilities. The benefits of mentoring to both the parent and the mentor are described. The stages that the relationship may go through and potential barriers are also addressed. (Author/CR)

In this article, the author responds to a teacher's request for advice on how to handle one 5-year-old child in her class who has a habit of aggressively taking other children's things without asking. The author provides some suggestions on how to work with a child who does not respect other children's space and belongings. She emphasizes posing…

A parent of a kindergarten child in Texas began observing her child's classroom when she noticed that the whole language instructional approach described to parents before the beginning of school was apparently not being implemented as stated. The parent was surprised when her child's teacher suggested, after only six weeks of instruction, that…

One of the most important elements in arranging an optimal learning environment for young children is helping parents become partners in their children's learning. To promote this partnership teachers must keep parents informed about the program and their children's progress within it. Such exchanges can be accomplished in a variety of ways,…