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www.HFRP.org

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

Home School Community Partnerships

This course is designed to acquaint and apprentice teachers in early childhood education to the theories, practices, skills, and knowledge(s) of home and school relationship building in home and school partnership literatures. There is a focus in this course to develop understandings of diverse contexts and ethics when working with families and children. In this course you will study yourself, the school, communities, families, and children you work for as well as the contexts of future teaching situations.

Janice Kroeger (Spring 2007) Syllabus

Home-School Communication—What's All the Commotion?

This workshop, developed by Margaret Caspe for Harvard Family Research Project, helps teachers understand different approaches to home-school communication and how these shape relationships with families. Concepts are taken from a research study of first and second grade teachers in three sites.

Margaret Caspe () Tool for Practice

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

How to Develop a Logic Model for Districtwide Family Engagement Strategies

How to Develop a Logic Model for Districtwide Family Engagement Strategies, a tool from Harvard Family Research Project, guides school districts to create a logic model that can aid in planning, implementing, assessing, and communicating about their systemic family engagement efforts.

Helen Westmoreland , M. Elena Lopez, Heidi Rosenberg (November 2009) Tool for Evaluation

Identifying Assumptions About and Barriers to the Transition to School

Through a case discussion, the Bridging Worlds case became a catalyst for robust dialogue discussion about the assumptions teachers make during the transition to kindergarten and their potential consequences for children and families.

Anita Ede (August 25, 2015) Research Report

Incorporating Latino Parents' Perspectives Into Teacher Preparation

Latino parents share their perspectives on what teachers should know in order to teach children more effectively and emphasize that Latino parents care about their children's education.

Toni G. Jones (November 2002) Research Report

Lessons From Blended Professional Learning: The Case of Family Engagement

Simulations, virtual learning communities, web conferences, text-based chats, and interactive cases are all ways that blended professional learning methods are supporting educators’ ability to engage families. Learn more in this commentary that explores new opportunities for blended professional learning in family engagement.

Margaret Caspe (August 18, 2015) Research Report

Making a Decision About College Interactive Case: Meet Claudia, Marisela’s Mother

Claudia Castillo is Marisela’s mother. Claudia has big hopes for her daughter, but as a single mother she is concerned about not having Marisela around to help with the younger siblings.

() Research Report

Making a Decision About College Interactive Case: Meet Jonathan Stewart, Guidance Counselor

At Palmdale High School, Jonathan Stewart is the only guidance counselor for 550 students. Based on the little he knows about Marisela, he wonders if she should stay local to help her mother with her siblings.

() Research Report

Making a Decision About College Interactive Case: Meet Linda Ruiz, Biology Teacher

Marisela’s biology teacher, Linda Ruiz, can really relate to Marisela. From her own story of deciding whether to go away to college or stay home, Linda has advice she’d like to offer Marisela.

() Research Report

Making a Decision About College Interactive Case: Meet Marisela, High School Senior

Marisela is at the center of the Making a Decision About College Interactive Case. A senior in high school who dreams of becoming a doctor, Marisela is conflicted about whether to go away to college or stay close to home for her education.

() Research Report

Making a Decision About College Interactive Case: Piecing It All Together

In the final section of the Making a Decision About College Interactive Case, we piece it all together. We think about the principles guiding the decision to go away to college, assumptions people in the case make, and how difficult issues might be resolved.

() Research Report

Making a Decision About College Interactive Case: Supporting Data 

In this section, we examine data and policies surrounding immigrant and ethnically diverse high-school graduates’ decisions to go to college.

() Research Report

Making a Decision About College: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Marisela Castillo, a high school senior, looks forward to going to a good college to prepare her for medical studies, but she knows that she will have to leave her family in order for that to happen. Should Marisela forgo her dreams for the sake of a family who depends on her household contributions? Should she leave her family to pursue those dreams? An interactive version is also available.

Lad Dell (2003) Teaching Case

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

Math Is Everywhere, When We Know What to Look For

Learning mathematics starts in infancy and happens anywhere, anytime. In this commentary, Taniesha Woods explores what young children need to know about math, what environments rich in mathematics learning look like, and how families can support children’s math development.

Taniesha A. Woods (May 24, 2016) 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

New Skills for New Schools: Preparing Teachers in Family Involvement

This report reviews teacher certification requirements for all 50 states and the District of Columbia and examines 60 teacher education programs that mention family involvement. The report also identifies nine teacher education programs that focus on family involvement as an important concept, engage students in hands-on activities, and promote a broad concept of family involvement that recognizes the value of home-school collaboration.

Angela Shartrand , Heather Weiss, Holly Kreider, and M. Elena Lopez (1997) Research Report

Parent-Teacher Conference Tip Sheets for Principals, Teachers, and Parents

Parent–teacher conferences are an important component of ongoing home–school communication and family involvement in children's education. This set of tip sheets—for principals, teachers, and parents—can help ensure that conferences achieve their maximum potential.

Harvard Family Research Project (January 2009) Tool for Practice

Parents and Their Developing Children

This is a course about parent involvement and the relationship between homes, schools, and communities. Content is organized around how the home, family, and school influences the growth, development, and education of younger children. Students will learn how schools relate to parents and will acquire knowledge and skills to implement excellent parent involvement programs.

Jerold P. Bauch () Syllabus

Parents Come to Kindergarten: A Unique Junior Kindergarten Program for Four Year Olds and Their Families

A preschool parenting and readiness program in Canada results in higher school readiness among program children and families, as well as family readiness among teachers.

Janette Pelletier (November 2002) Research Report

Parents, Families, and Communities in Schools

This course examines effective methods for including parents, families, and communities in schools. Emphasizes a systems perspective that includes consultation and collaboration in addressing academic, career, and personal/social success for all students. Family dynamics and influences on school success will be addressed. Application of school counseling consultation, collaboration, and family support for all students will result in a school-based project integrated into a school's comprehensive counseling program. Essential professional practices addressed in this course.

Rolla E. Lewis (Spring 2003) Syllabus

Partnering With Parents and Communities: Are Preservice Teachers Adequately Prepared?

This study examines how the topic of school, parent, and school partnerships are incorporated into preservice teacher education. Preservice teacher comfort levels with parent involvement is documented.

Carolyn B. Flanigan (May 2005) Research Report

Philanthropy for Innovation: Promoting Family Engagement through Strategic Funding and Program Development

Helen Westmoreland, Director of Program Quality for the Flamboyan Foundation—a private family foundation focused on improving educational outcomes for children in Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico—discusses how foundations and funders can support the development of effective family engagement practices in all schools.

Helen Westmoreland (May 2011) Research Report

© 2016 Presidents and Fellows of Harvard College
Published by Harvard Family Research Project