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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

Preparing Educators to Involve Families: From Theory to Practice

This book of research-based teaching cases and theoretical perspectives focuses on dilemmas in family-school-community relationships.

Heather B. Weiss , Holly Kreider, M. Elena Lopez, & Celina M. Chatman (2005) Research Report

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

Understanding Family Involvement in the Preparation of Graduate Students: Measuring Family-Centered Beliefs, Skills, Systems, and Practices

Family-centered practices by professionals serving families and their young children with disabilities have become a cornerstone of personnel preparation programs in early childhood intervention (ECI) and early childhood education. Our research project sought to develop a measure to examine the family-centered beliefs, skills, work systems, and work practices of ECI and ECE graduate students.

Angie Giallourakis , Kristie Pretti-Frontczak, Bryan Cook (September 2005) Research Report

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

“Syneducation” (Synekpaidefsis): Reinforcing Communication and Strengthening Cooperation Among Students, Parents, and Schools

Educators need to develop an effective synergy between parents and schools to promote student success. We use the term syneducation (synekpaidefsis;3 synergy + education) as the acquisition of a common educational experience (simultaneously and in cooperation) by individuals of different ages and educational backgrounds (Mylonakou, 2004). Our approach focuses mainly on how schools can give clear messages to parents about the necessity of their collaboration with schools.

Iro Mylonakou , Ioannis Kekes (March 2005) Research Report

Accomplished Teachers and Their Interactions With Parents: A Comparative Analysis of Strategies and Techniques

This study found that teachers with National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification have more positive attitudes, are more tenacious in their approaches, and have more strategies for engaging families than noncertified teachers.

Rick Ginsberg , Lauri Hermann-Ginsberg (March 2005) Research Report

Family, School, and Community Connections Symposium: New Directions for Research, Practice, and Evaluation

We teamed up with the National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools at the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) to present this 1-day Family, School, and Community Connections Symposium: New Directions for Research, Practice, and Evaluation.

Cathy Jordan , Mary Grassa O'Neill, Heather Weiss (December 2, 2004) Conferences and Presentations

“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

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

Adolescence: Are Parents Relevant to Students' High School Achievement and Post-Secondary Attainment?

Analysis of National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS) data shows that parents' high educational expectations positively affect students' academic achievement in high school.

Evanthia Patrikakou (September 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

School-Family Relationship: Some Lessons From a Teacher Professional Development Program

Three studies explore how university–school research partnerships can provide teacher professional development to strengthen parent–teacher relations.

Aline Reali , Regina Tancredi (January 2004) Research Report

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

Social Contexts of Education

This class has an experimental design. It has been planned in collaboration with the leaders from the Boston Public Schools (BPS) in general and Brighton High School faculty and Garfield Elementary School faculty in particular. In this class we will endeavor not only to understand specific social contexts of education, but also to play a proactive role in improving communication between two schools and the communities they serve.

Dennis Shirley (Fall 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

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

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

Family-School Partnerships

The goal of the module is to prepare educators to engage parents and family members in children's school success. Students enrolled in the module will learn about the major theoretical approaches to family involvement (e.g., developmental, sociocultural, psychological, and political). They will understand the range of ways families and schools can work together as well as the dilemmas of practice. The module will give students an opportunity to problem solve and reflect on the issues regarding family-school partnerships and to assess the benefits of family involvement for students, families, and schools.

Heather Weiss , M. Elena Lopez, Holly Kreider (Spring 2003) Syllabus

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

“I'm Poor, I'm Single, I'm a Mom, and I Deserve Respect”: Advocating in Schools as/With Mothers in Poverty

Using role-play with school staff, poor single mothers reveal school prejudices toward parents and catalyze changes in the conduct of parent meetings.

Leslie R. Bloom (November 2002) Research Report

Working With Families in the Rural South: Findings From the REA-Funded Promising Readers Program

In an elementary school in the rural south, parents, preservice teachers, and others come together to strengthen children's literacy and learn from their experiences with children and one another.

Devon Brenner , Teresa Jayroe, Angela Boutwell (November 2002) Research Report

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

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