Are students coming to your class lacking focus, having difficulty connecting with you and their peers, falling behind, or acting out when you instinctively feel they could do better? Do you sometimes feel like you don't have the capacity as a teacher or school leader to give students the support they need to learn and thrive? This book makes the…

Since 2012, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has supported educational enrichment in rural areas by awarding over $3.3 million in grants to six outstanding organizations operating in Iowa, Indiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. In this report, the authors combine the experiences of these organizations with findings from the…

The purpose of the National AEM Center's Quality Indicators with Critical Components for Higher Education is to assist institutes of higher education, both at the system and campus level, with planning, implementing, and evaluating dynamic, coordinated systems for providing accessible materials and technologies for all students who need them. The…

Step-by-step, schools from the elementary through high school levels are making the transition to 21st-century learning. Some have crossed the threshold almost entirely. In today's progressive classrooms, yesterday's rows of quiet listeners have given way to small groups of active learners, thoroughly engaged in discussions and explorations. And…

This article discusses cooperation between parents, family members, and professionals in advocacy efforts on behalf of students with emotional, mental, and behavioral disorders. Tips for parent-advocates and experiences of statewide parent networks are offered, as well as lessons and potential pitfalls experienced by professionals. (PB)

Presents tips to help parents prepare for effective parent- teacher conferences, including: starting off on the right foot by establishing rapport with the teacher, including the student in the meeting, addressing problems, and following up. A sidebar discusses questions parents should ask in the meeting to determine how their students are doing…

Guidelines are offered to help promote partnership between professionals and parents of handicapped children. The author notes the importance of common courtesy, compromise, and communication. (CL)

This conference sought to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas on how parents, teachers, and other concerned individuals can contribute to strengthening the educational support system, and sought to generate practical information on strategies to improve achievement levels of youth. A conference program prospectus by Louise M. Tomlinson…

The booklet is intended to help parents understand and acquire more assertive communication styles in matters of special education. Assertive behavior is introduced, distinguished from less productive behavior styles, and considered in terms of barriers to effectiveness. The booklet proceeds with a discussion of basic legal and human rights that…

This article discusses ideal roles for both parents and teachers in parent-teacher conferences. Parents should use a team approach, prepare questions for the teacher, and listen to what the teacher has to say. Teachers should prepare students for the conference, create a welcoming environment for parents, and plan a general outline for the…

Offers guidance for parents, teachers, and other advocates for gifted education on the use of public relations to increase local, state, and national support. Topics covered include the importance of using the media, state-level strategies, targeting the audience, planning a public-relations campaign, and some possible print and non-print media…

The paper describes ways in which parents can help their learning disabled children at home. Suggestions touch upon establishing a set time for evening homework, a consistent place for study, involving fathers in homework, using graph paper to ease arithmetic assignments, considering options for reading assignments, using a duplicate set of books…

Intended primarily for parents of and professionals working with handicapped children, the paper examines the parent-professional relationship and suggests ways to enhance communication. The parent's principal responsibility for monitoring the child's physical, psychological, and educational well-being is stressed. Suggestions for improving…

The school dropout problem is discussed, with suggestions for parents on ensuring that their children do not become part of the dropout population, including; monitoring children's school attendance patterns; making sure children understand how important school and attendance is; maintaining close contact with teachers; and helping children…

Offers 10 suggestions for parents to support their children's teachers, including: create a smooth takeoff each day; fill the child's lunchbox with healthy snacks and lunches; include calm, peaceful times in the child's afternoons and evenings; fill the child's life with a love for learning by showing off one's own curiosity and respecting the…