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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.
November 30, 2011
What do you think about Friedman’s call for “better parenting” and our call for more support for family engagement? Join the conversation on our Facebook page.
Thomas Friedman, in an op-ed in The New York Times, declared that parent engagement is a powerful way to increase student achievement. In his article "How About Better Parents?" Friedman alluded to many op-ed articles calling for better teachers in public schools and encouraged his readers to consider the important role families can play in their children's academic success. Friedman writes:
There’s no question that a great teacher can make a huge difference in a student’s achievement, and we need to recruit, train and reward more such teachers. But here’s what some new studies are also showing: We need better parents. Parents more focused on their children’s education can also make a huge difference in a student’s achievement.
Harvard Family Research Project's founder and director Heather Weiss responded to Friedman's op-ed in a letter to the editor, which you can read below. The letter was published on NYTimes.com on November 24.
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What do you think about Friedman’s call for “better parenting” and our call for more support for family engagement? Join the conversation on our Facebook page.