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.
Teaching the Teachers: Preparing Educators to Engage Families for Student Achievement
May 23, 2011
Many studies confirm that strong parent–teacher relationships relate to positive outcomes for students, such as healthy social development, high student achievement, and high rates of college enrollment. Thus, by giving teachers the support they need to work with families, teacher education programs can increase the repertoire of teacher skills to have an even greater impact on student achievement.
The third in our series of Issue Briefs co-authored with the National PTA, Teaching the Teachers examines how teacher education programs can create the foundation for meaningful family engagement. The brief describes five core elements necessary for a system of teacher training and professional development in support of family engagement, distilled from case studies of five innovative teacher preparation programs across the country. The core elements discussed are:
- Standards for family engagement
- Curriculum that advances the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that teachers need to engage families
- Collaborations among various stakeholders
- Continuing professional development around family engagement
- Evaluation for learning and continuous improvement
The five case studies are followed by a set of policy recommendations based on a synthesis of current knowledge about educating teachers.
Continue to Teaching the Teachers.
Click here to view the other briefs in the PTA/HFRP Issue Brief Series: Family Engagement Policy and Practice.