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The Harvard Family Research Project separated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education to become the Global Family Research Project as of January 1, 2017. It is no longer affiliated with Harvard University.

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WORKING WITH TEACHERS AND FAMILIES DEVELOPMENT PERIODS
COMPLEMENTARY LEARNING CONNECTIONS

Kindergarten Home Visit Project

The need for home–-school collaboration begins even before a child’s the first day of school. Researcher Amy Schulting shares data from a recent evaluation study to describe how one home visiting project eases children's transition to kindergarten.

Amy Schulting (January 2009) Research Report

The Parent Teacher Home Visit Project

When community organizations, schools, and local government work together with families, they can help children learn. Carrie Rose writes about the Parent Teacher Home Visit Project, which draws on a community organizing model to sustain parent–teacher communication across students' school years.

Carrie Rose (January 2009) Research Report

Family Involvement News: January 2009

We at Harvard Family Research Project are committed to keeping you up-to-date on what's new in family involvement.  View our list of links to current reports, articles, events, and opportunities in the family involvement field.

Harvard Family Research Project (January 2009) Research Report

Tapping Into Technology: The Role of the Internet in Family–School Communication

The first large-scale study to examine the usage and benefits of Internet-based family–school communication finds implications for family involvement during adolescence and raises concerns about educational equity.

Suzanne Bouffard (July 2008) Research Report

Tomasito's Mother Comes to School/La mamá de Tomasito visita la escuela

Spanish Translation Available in Storybook Corner. This online bilingual storybook about family involvement at school is designed to engage children and their families. For educators, the printable online storybook is an easy-to-use family involvement tool that supports literacy. The story was developed from research and is based on the real experiences of one Latino boy and his family who are acculturating to the U.S.

Ellen Mayer , Joe Cepeda (2007) Research Report

Lessons From Family-Strengthening Interventions: Learning From Evidence-Based Practice

Examine how effective family-strengthening interventions can positively impact families and children in this practitioner-friendly brief from Harvard Family Research Project. Lessons From Family-Strengthening Interventions: Learning From Evidence-Based Practice is based on our review of interventions that have been rigorously evaluated through experimental and quasi-experimental studies. We offer educators, service providers, and evaluators recommendations for creating successful programs and evaluations.

Margaret Caspe , M. Elena Lopez (October 2006) Research Report

Family Involvement Storybook Corner

A unique source for information on using children's storybooks with family involvement themes to engage families in their children's education and encourage family–school–community partnerships, all while supporting literacy.

Harvard Family Research Project (January 2006) Tool for Practice

After School for Cindy: Family, School, and Community Roles in Out-of-School Time Teaching Case

Second grade teacher Nikki believes that participation in a formal after school program would help her student Cindy academically at school. However, Cindy's single working mother Marla prefers to keep Cindy with her in the afternoons after her numerous struggles with securing quality affordable care in the community. What are the roles of family, school, and community in promoting children's learning and development in out-of-school time?

Ellen Mayer (2005) Teaching Case

Learning by Listening: A Longitudinal Study of Family Literacy

This study explores the reading concepts held by urban families and how home reading practices intersect with school literacy practices.

Catherine Compton-Lilly (June 2005) Research Report

The Welfare-to-Work Transition and Parent Involvement in Education: A Southern Case Study

This exploratory case study examines whether the transition from welfare to work influences parental involvement in elementary school education.

Catherine D. Shiffman (February 2005) Research Report

Improving Parental Involvement: Evaluating Treatment Effects in the Fast Track Program

Robert Nix, research associate at Pennsylvania State University, describes how a rigorous evaluation of a complex behavior problems preventive intervention analyzes its school-home component.

Robert L. Nix, Ph.D. (Winter 2004/2005) Evaluation Exchange Article

“Daddy Says This New Math Is Crazy”

Beth Martin, a fourth grade teacher, finds her students respond well to the new mathematics curriculum she is using in her class, but at home parents struggle to understand the new math and help their children with homework. How should Beth and her colleagues respond to parents' skepticism about the new curriculum and support their involvement at home?

Becky Smith McCarthy (2004) Teaching Case

Preparing Teachers to Engage Parents

This research report reviews parent involvement modules created for preservice teachers focusing on parent-teacher communication and collaborating with community. The online, problem-based modules were designed by the North Texas Partnership for Parent Engagement.

Mary M. Harris , Arminta Jacobson, Rebecca Hemmer (November 2004) Research Report

Parental Involvement in Homework: A Review of Current Research and Its Implications for Teachers, After School Program Staff, and Parent Leaders

Parents often become involved in their children's education through homework. In 2001 research on parental involvement in children's homework was conducted (Hoover-Dempsey et al., 2001). The review focused on understanding why parents become involved in their children's homework, what strategies they employ, and how involvement contributes to student learning. In this paper, findings from the 2001 review suggest several ways in which schools can invite parents' involvement in homework.

Joan M. T. Walker , Kathleen V. Hoover-Dempsey, Darlene R. Whetsel, Christa L. Green (October 2004) Research Report

Math Teachers' Use of Class Websites to Support Parent Involvement

Interviews with 84 math teachers about the use of their class websites suggest that sites could be used more effectively to share information with parents and to support parent involvement.

Ellen Lunts (October 2004) Research Report

Social Capital

This issue of the FINE Forum features some examples families, schools, and communities coming together to enrich children's learning and social development opportunities.

Harvard Family Research Project (Spring 2004) Research Report

Making Family and Community Connections

This workshop is part of the Concept to Classroom series of multimedia workshops for teacher professional development. In this workshop, Heather Weiss and Joyce Epstein provide expert insights on creating partnerships among schools, parents, and members of the local community.

Heather Weiss , Joyce Epstein (2004) Tool for Practice

Taking a Closer Look: A Guide to Online Resources on Family Involvement

This comprehensive resource guide compiles a wealth of information about family involvement from over 100 national organizations. It contains Web links to recent (published in and after 2000) research, information, and tools.

Heather Weiss , Kelly Faughnan, Margaret Caspe, Cassandra Wolos, M. Elena Lopez, Holly Kreider (2004) Research Report

Renewing Teacher–Parent Relations

This issue of the FINE Forum points to the possibilities of enriching parent-teacher and broader school-community relationships. We hope that you take away ideas for your own practice.

Harvard Family Research Project (Fall 2003) Research Report

Schools, Families, and Community

Students who are currently working or preparing to work in the fields of education and human services will be engaged through interactive learning experiences to understand the development of partnerships with schools to reach, engage, and support families. The model for community success includes building partnerships and providing supports and opportunities that promote active and positive working relationships. The discussions, assignments, and in-class activities will provide students with a vision and practical knowledge of what effective partnerships look like and how to strategize ways of tapping into community resources.

Joel Nitzberg (2003) Syllabus

How Teachers Come to Understand Families

Two key processes whereby teachers working in a low-income rural New England town come to understand families include gathering information and meaning making.

Margaret Caspe (May 2003) Research Report

Can We Talk About Family?

Latoya Roberts, a new first grade teacher, worries about Keon, a student being raised by his grandmother, when he begins to share information about his family in school. Will encouraging such sharing strengthen Latoya's bond with Keon and help him succeed? Latoya wants his grandmother's permission to encourage his openness, but she wonders if pushing the issue might strain her relationship with Keon's grandmother.

Peggy Vaughan (2003) Teaching Case

Family Involvement in Mathematics

This issue of the FINE Forum focuses on promising practices to engage families and communities in supporting students' mathematical proficiency.

Harvard Family Research Project (Spring 2003) Research Report

Supporting Parents of Learning Disabled Children: Creating a New Norm

The purpose of this module is to explore an understanding of how parents of learning disabled (LD) children make sense of their parenting experiences and the ways in which they might be better supported within school communities. Students will also become familiar with the principles of dialogue, a form of communication that values the multiple truths that parents and educators bring to discussions about a child's learning.

Katherine Scott (Fall 2002) Syllabus

Parent-Teacher Communication

Class sessions introduce the student to communication techniques that are essential to parent-teacher collaboration. After essential skills are defined, the course reviews important options for parent-teacher involvement available within schools. The strategies for involvement are considered within the context of selected issues affecting public education. Finally, the content considers legal/ethical and professional issues surrounding involvement with parents.

Stewart Ehly (Fall 2002) Syllabus

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Published by Harvard Family Research Project