Based on information from the School Transition Study, sponsored by the MacArthur Network on Successful Pathways through Middle Childhood, this Early Childhood Digest focuses on enhancing communication between parents and the school. The digest discusses the importance of parents' level of comfort at school and in talking to teachers, and provides…

This article explains how teachers can use tact and diplomacy to minimize potential problems with parent-teacher conferences. A checklist of tips to help teachers prepare for conferences and conduct them positively is given, along with ideas for keeping in touch with parents the rest of the year. (PP)

Provides lists of parent and teacher concerns and concludes that the common feature is the child. Recommends exercises for bringing parents and teachers closer. (FL)

Considers some specific ways in which educators may become involved in primary prevention of child abuse and neglect. Short-term activities such as awareness and referral, parent education, and prevention programs are suggested, as well as long-term activities such as family life education and curriculum specifically aimed at the problem. (CT)

Discusses the objectives, practices, and values associated with home-based early childhood programs. (MP)

Special educators (n=576) were surveyed regarding homework-related communication problems. Problems reported as most problematic included unfavorable parental attitudes toward homework, poor communication between general and special educators, the roles of general and special educators in the homework process, and the lack of time for…

Focuses on how music teachers can improve their interaction with parents and involve them in their child's music education. States that teachers should meet with parents early in the year and inform parents about their child's accomplishments. Offers ideas about discipline issues and how parents can become involved in the music program. (CMK)

Reports on research which looked at how parents' and early childhood teachers' attitudes toward work and child care influenced their relationships with each other. (PCB)

Discusses how educators can provide parents of gifted students with the skills, knowledge, and assistance necessary to nurture their children's social, emotional, and intellectual development. Strategies include developing parent workshops, encouraging parent participation, and providing preservice teachers with coursework that focuses on…

Considers the family-centered approach to education used in the Head Start program as a model for developing effective early childhood music education programs and encouraging family involvement in music education. Discusses how music educators can contribute to the changing nature of early childhood music programs. (CMK)

Examines the limits of the teacher's responsibility to help at-risk children in the classroom. Offers three examples of teachers' efforts to try different strategies, modify classroom experience, and establish working relationships with parents to overcome children's learning difficulties. Problems illustrated include parents' refusal to…

This article examines how prospective teachers just beginning a professional education program think about working with parents. Through interviews with students in an elementary teacher education program, I explore how biography shapes dispositions toward families by setting expectations for the roles and the activities of participants. Merging…

This book helps parents develop good working relationships with their children's teachers and become involved with the school. Suggestions are provided for dealing with school bureaucracy and individual teachers. Emphasis is placed on parent empathy with the teacher's role. Topics discussed include: skills specific to effective communication with…

Giving teachers who are developing a literature-based program a place to start, this book provides a range of techniques, ideas, and strategies for the classroom. The book is intended for all teachers and parents interested in the role that literature can play in learning to read. The book addresses three main topics: the power of literature in…

Research provides insight into parent attributes that support partnerships with teachers. These attributes include warmth, sensitivity, nurturance, the ability to listen, consistency, positive self-image, personal competence, and effective interpersonal skills. Researchers have cited positive attitudes, continuous teacher training, involvement in…