This practicum was designed to change parents' attitudes toward their children's learning, so that parents would understand the importance of student-centered and student-directed learning activities and have a better understanding of their children's actual learning activities. An initial telephone survey of four parents of students in a combined…

Americans want increased federal involvement in their local schools, but they are hesitant about federal control of the classroom. A special CBS News poll, conducted among a nationwide random sample of 1,107 adults (347 of which currently have children in school) by telephone between May 30 and June 2, 1990, indicated a significant division on…

This report presents an evaluation study of the Recorded Telephone Message Project which used teacher-recorded telephone messages as a means of encouraging parents to help their children learn basic skills. Each week for 31 weeks, three third grade and three fourth grade teachers from an elementary school recorded a 2- to 3-minute telephone…

In this large scale study, the extent of parent involvement in preschool day care and its impact on staff and on classroom environments in child-centered and adult-centered situations were assessed. Subjects were 15 directors, 30 teachers, 524 children in 30 classrooms. Interview schedules and a classroom observation scale were the two instruments…

This project was designed to bridge the gap between the home and school by sending family assistants into the homes of potential dropouts and youngsters whose school work and behavior are not satisfactory. One hundred and two family assistants acting with schools' attendance coordinators, deans, and guidance personnel, work with pupils whose…

Four school districts were identified and selected to participate in the incentive project. One school each in Duval County, Florida; San Antonio, Texas; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Oakland, California was selected as an implementation site for either the teacher model of the teacher/parent model. Contracts were drafted for each site for payment of…

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,…

In-depth interviews were conducted with early childhood teachers and parents in two counties with similar characteristics in Sweden and the United States. Inductive analyses revealed differences in responses between informants at the macro-, meso-, and micro-levels. At the macro-level were considerations of overall societal issues and general…

A case study of parental involvement in a seventh grade interdisciplinary activity, called "International Fair," at a Middle School is described and interpreted. The International Fair, the culmination of the work of student groups, involved students preparing booths representing the cultures of different countries and dressing up in…

This practicum was designed to strengthen preschool and elementary school teachers' abilities and commitment to working with parents and including them as active participants in the education of their children. It sought to help teachers identify beliefs about involving parents in the classroom and school, and to develop materials and activities…

Research has demonstrated that parent involvement has many beneficial effects for students. This action research project designed and implemented a program to raise the academic achievement of second-grade students by increasing parent involvement. The students attended two second-grade classrooms in a west-central Illinois school. The problem of…

This guide for teachers explores the dynamics of successful parent involvement with their children's education. The guide is centered on 10 keys to family involvement: (1) creating a new definition of parent that includes alternative caregivers; (2) moving toward "family involvement" rather than just parent involvement; (3) devising new…

A program was designed to address the problem of parents who are uninformed or misinformed about their child's reading or learning disability, resulting in frustration and the inability to interact effectively with their child in academic activities. The program was implemented at a private reading and learning center which serves about 125…

This book discusses several types of parent-teacher conferences and issues relevant to parent-teacher conferences in 10 chapters. Chapter 1 outlines a working model for successful parent-teacher conferences. Research on parent attitudes and relationships with teachers is summarized in chapter 2. Chapter 3 discusses communication topics, including…

This practicum proposal was directed at a targeted group of 10th grade students (n=40) failing after the first 3 weeks of school in either mathematics, science, or English. The Teacher-Parent Communication Program was designed to increase communication between teachers and parents to improve the academic performance of low-achieving high school…