This digest highlights one tool that teachers use--standardized tests--from the parent's viewpoint. The discussion covers basic features of testing and suggests questions that a parent might ask his or her child's teacher concerning such tests. Standardized tests are usually objective tests sold by commercial publishers and designed to provide a…

An associate director of an independent preschool and elementary school developed and implemented a practicum intervention designed to improve five inexperienced teachers' ability to conduct parent-teacher conferences. Through self-evaluation, teachers identified skills they needed to improve. Intervention focused on preconference planning…

Several strategies for improving communication between parents and teachers are explored in this handbook. Section I provides background information on parent-teacher communication. Recommendations to teachers for enhancing parent involvement in education are provided. Section II describes communication strategies for use in parent-teacher…

This issue addresses the relationship between teachers and parents of handicapped children. It explores how barriers to an effective parent-teacher relationship arise and how best to work toward a better relationship, one in which parents can positively influence the teacher's involvement with them and, in turn, one in which the teacher can…

Classroom discipline is one of the biggest difficulties in teaching. This book describes a system of classroom management that combines the characteristics of a good teacher with those of a successful disciplinarian. The main message is that responsibility for good behavior belongs with the students and that teachers should spend more time…

The Portland (Oregon) Public Schools Research and Evaluation Department is investigating the use of evaluative data in instructional planning and decision making in schools. The three-year research effort involves training and technical support in effective evaluation use. The first year of the evaluation use research focused on collecting and…

Effective parent-teacher conferences have the potential to be the single most educationally valuable event for the student during the school year. With increased parental involvement in the day-to-day operation of the schools and greater parental awareness of the educational process, it becomes apparent that educators need to be prepared to…

A brief overview of the societal context for current grading practices forms the background for a discussion of alternatives to the assignment of letter or numerical grades to represent student performance. According to the author, in order to meet the criteria for effective feedback, schools and colleges must undergo several fundamental attitude…

THE PUBLICATION INCLUDES THE SPEECHES OF THE TWO KEYNOTE SPEAKERS, A PROGRESS REPORT OF THE OHIO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PILOT PROJECTS, AND THE SUMMARIES OF NINE WORK-GROUP SESSIONS. THE TOPICS PRESENTED ARE--IMPLEMENTING DEMOCRACY IN THE CLASSROOM, WORKING WITH GROUPS IN THE CLASSROOM, TESTING IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, PLAY THERAPY IN THE ELEMENTARY…

Explicit instructions are given in the described learning module on how to prepare for and conduct a successful parent-teacher conference. This report describes the contents of the module as well as the activities and resources involved in its use. Ordering information and a critique of the module are included. (JD)

Based on a workshop developed and tested in the Spokane, Washington, School District under Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Parents Enrich Program (PEP) approach is designed to improve parent teacher attitudes in urban schools by involving parents (primarily the disadvantaged) in direct support of the educational program…

The sixth of seven modules on team teaching, this document deals with evaluation. The major objectives are to cause teachers to understand the importance of emphasizing individual progress in evaluating and reporting children's continuous progress, the value of a system which accurately reflects a child's progress in relation to other children and…

The purpose of the study was to explore the effect of parent and teacher consultation used in conjunction with group counseling on the classroom behavior of first, second, third, and fourth grade children. The instruments selected were in conjunction with the primary purpose of the study; the effect of various counseling approaches on children's…

Results of two surveys concerning preparation of special educators to work with parents found that, although most special education departments offer a course on working with parents, few inservice teachers have taken such a course. Such training was correlated with teachers' level of confidence in their ability to communicate with parents. (DB)