This updated second edition of "Parent-Friendly Early Learning" brings to life real scenarios that care providers face in today's world. We know parent engagement is important for a child's success, but how do you turn parent-provider relationships into partnerships? "Parent Engagement in Early Learning" will help you: (1)…

This PhD research project involved working with parents, teachers, and children in two nursery classes. I was interested in finding out how individuals perceived the idea of parental involvement in their children's nursery education, with a view to improving practice in this area. In carrying out the research, I had to think carefully about…

A significant and growing percentage of the children enrolled in early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs in Europe and the United States are children of recent im/migrants. For most young (3-5 years old) children of parents who have come from other countries, ECEC settings are the first context in which they come face to face with…

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…

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…

This book is designed for parents who have trouble understanding their school-aged children's grades, report cards, and test scores. It helps them make sense of school reports and offers resources to open communications between parents and teachers. The seven chapters focus on: (1) "Getting Started" (e.g., what grading and reporting mean, whether…

Based on a parent's journal maintained throughout the year, this book recounts the hopes, challenges, fears, and joys experienced by a parent during her son's year in kindergarten. Illustrating teacher-parent communication and one teacher's teaching philosophy are messages from the child's teacher, and excerpts from weekly newsletters. (KB)

Drawing on current research and one teacher's teaching experience, this book offers a discussion of ways to unite developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive literacy practices. The book presents detailed portraits of children learning to make sense of literacy during the early childhood years. Included are conversations with children,…

Acknowledging the growing trend to educate school-aged children at home, this book provides a detailed account of home schooling, providing a vision of home education that reflects its multidimensional nature. The book consists of seven chapters: (1) "Learning about Home Schools" describes the research study from which this book is drawn…

This document examines existing program models and methods aimed at promoting parental involvement in early child development and education. Included are discussions of issues, research evidence and evaluation techniques pertaining to parent involvement. Descriptions of specific programs show how involvement can be developed through such channels…

Through parents' accounts, this book provides information about the experience of having an autistic child in the family. It examines the nature of autism, the problems it presents, and the various ways that parents cope with the disorder. Chapter 1 discusses the experiences of families with autistic members and the sequence in which they were…

Issues of child protection, child abuse, and delinquency have generated public and academic concerns about the ability of adults to underwrite the physical, moral, and social welfare of children. At the same time, recent educational reform has provoked debate about the shifting balance of power between parents and teachers. This book combines…

This book examines how teachers and administrators can prepare themselves to create positive relationships and productive partnerships with families and communities. There are two main parts with seven chapters. The chapters include readings by outside authors. Part 1, "Understanding School, Family, and Community Partnerships," includes: (1)…

This monograph reports on Phase 2 of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement Preprimary Project, focusing on the quality of life experienced by four-year-olds in major early childhood settings. This monograph highlights results from a questionnaire completed by over 1,600 teachers and over 4,800 parents in 15…

Childcare centers in Canada's largest cities frequently have children with family languages other than English or French and who are of diverse racial and cultural backgrounds. This three-part study focused on cultural diversity in early childhood education (ECE) settings in Toronto (Ontario), Vancouver (British Columbia), and Montreal (Quebec).…