The following two major questions are addressed in this paper: How can the mounting research on the relationship of the home to children's school success be translated into practical action in communities across the nation? And, how can all families become meaningfully involved in children's education? Part of the answer to both those questions is…

Eight discussions of parent participation cover the following areas: dimensions of family involvement in early childhood education; the relationship of the parent, child, and professional staff; parent reactions to the identification of handicaps and their involvement in early education; parent participation in a program of behavior modification…

This booklet showcases findings from a new analysis of data from "Family Involvement in Education: A National Portrait," and provides a checklist for parents to assess their own school on issues of family involvement. The study was conducted in May and June of 1997 by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. Key…

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which selected course experiences influenced preservice teachers' perceptions of their comfort and competence levels in planning and implementing family involvement programs in schools. The subjects were early childhood and elementary teacher education students (N=105) enrolled in a…

This paper focuses on the role that action research can serve in preparing future school administrators to involve families in their children's education. For purposes of the paper, action research is defined as structured field-based investigations conducted in field environments that engage teachers preparing to become school administrators in…

Early Head Start (EHS) is a comprehensive, two-generation program that includes intensive services that begin before the child is born and concentrate on enhancing the child's development and supporting the family during the critical first 3 years of a child's life. This paper discusses approaches to measuring father involvement in their…

For child care to become more supportive of families, programs and providers need to learn about the guiding principles of working with families and the concrete steps they can take in that direction. This resource guide offers ideas and resources for implementing family support principles in child care. The guide offers practitioners ideas and…

Discusses the role of pupil personnel workers and educators in providing services for handicapped children of low-income families. Parents need to be aware of their children's rights and the services available in the community and the school. Parent involvement should be encouraged. (JAC)

This cross-curricular primary unit helps teachers and students get to know one another. Students collect information about their families, then create bulletin boards, class albums, graphs, and art projects. One activity is for students to invite their families into the classroom to share their projects and feast on traditional family foods. (SM)

Discusses the need for early childhood programs to develop strong partnerships with families in order to support each parent's role as his or her child's primary educator and to provide a foundation for ongoing family involvement. Outlines the steps for establishing high-quality parent involvement programs and offers examples of how parents can…

Argues that a family-centered approach is as important and applicable to early care and education programs as it is to family-friendly work environments. Encourages child care settings to incorporate ideas and participation by families, providers, public sector, and private sector in order to provide high-quality services. (SD)

Examined the reasons parents read to their children using interviews from 25 Brisbane parents. Reasons given for reading aloud to their children were categorized under the following five main headings: pleasure for the child, functionality, good start at school, closeness, and quiet time. Concludes with a discussion of the practical implications…

Analysis of data from 11 interviews with parents of children with disabilities, 3 focus groups, and parent action research logs yielded 5 themes: parents felt ill-prepared to help children with homework; parents wanted more information about teachers' expectations; parents wanted individualized homework assignments; parents valued family…

Describes Finland's 15-minute method for improving reading skills. Parents are asked to read aloud to their kindergarteners 15 minutes daily, and children are also encouraged to read. Notes are sent between teachers and parents so teachers can provide support. Older students are encouraged to read and listen to younger ones. (SM)

Offers a friendly critique of the efforts of the Parent-Teacher Action Research Project conducted by eight member schools of the League of Parents Reaching Out. Concludes that parent-teacher action research can empower parents, and suggests ways to improve the action research parent involvement process. (SLD)