Building effective partnership with parents of young children with language delays has strong face value and is supported by multiple areas of research; however, building and maintaining partnerships to optimize child outcomes in practice can be difficult. This article provides a guide to teachers and speech-language pathologists who work with…

This article reports on findings from a year-long research project conducted during the 2012-2013 school year in a PK-12 school district, located in the Mountain West region of the United States, utilizing the Photovoice method. The findings in the project point to the important critical counter-narratives Spanish-speaking immigrant parents…

The article provides a rationale and description of a constructivist parent-teacher approach used to support preservice teachers' understandings of relationships between home and school. Using a critical theoretical framing of policy, social science, and enacted curriculum, the authors ask readers to consider moving away from proscribed models of…

Few studies have examined the link between children's early school achievement and parents' at-home practices exclusively among Latino groups. This study examined the relation between Latina mothers' reported at-home practices regarding school preparation and their children's literacy skills. Participants included 56 kindergarten children and…

This study examined and compared the educational perspectives of Korean parents of elementary school students and their teachers. 430 parents and 143 teachers in the New York metropolitan area participated in the survey and 16 teachers, administrators, and parents were interviewed. The findings indicated that the teachers not only misunderstood…

This article discusses the importance of including mothers' knowledge of their children's learning in school discourses, theories, and practices. It draws on the story of one mother who participated in the author's research. The experiences explicated in this story elucidate exclusionary practices that silence and marginalize mothers in our school…

The importance of parent-teacher communication has been widely recognized; however, there is only limited research on teaching effective listening skills to education professionals. In this study, a pretest-posttest control group design was used to examine the effect of instruction on the active listening skills of preservice education…

This qualitative study evaluated the belief systems and professional practice of program graduates of an early childhood special education teacher preparation program regarding collaboration with families of children with disabilities. Eleven graduates were interviewed over the course of a school year to identify perceived challenges to their…

This book fills a void in teacher education and training. It helps teachers understand and deal with the real-world challenges of effectively communicating with parents. With the utmost regard for limited teacher time and demanding workloads, the book presents a practical, no-nonsense approach any teacher can use to improve communication and…

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…

An important responsibility facing educational professionals is consultation with parents; few areas are as sensitive as consultation with parents of disabled children. Stages of adjustment experiences by these parents need to be taken into consideration. Professionals should become more cognizant of the emotional factors in the lives of parents…

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)

To answer the need for better communication between elementary school parents and teachers, this book begins with a theoretical and philosophical framework and reviews the research and current thinking about the need for and value of partnerships between home and school. The book also considers some special needs of parents in today's increasingly…

Presents advice on how teachers can successfully tap into the pool of parent volunteers as a powerful educational resource, offering 14 proven ways to get parents involved and providing words of caution about 6 pitfalls to avoid. Advice from both teachers and parents is included. (SM)

Offers practical tips to help primary teachers prevent or smooth out home and classroom values clashes and maintain friendly relationships with parents. The article recommends keeping the lines of communication open, asking parents about their expectations and concerns, becoming sensitive to cultural differences, and showing respect for parents.…