This book maps globally shifting relations between families, schools and the state across a range of nations (Australia, Germany, India, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, USA) in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Featuring contributions from leading international experts, the book’s eight chapters reflect upon the apparently vital responsibility of parents for choosing the rights sort of educational pathways for their children, offering comparative insights into several different kinds of state, with different contexts for the practices of ‘educational’ parenting. The contributors consider the proposition that a significant focus of the material, emotional and occupational investment of contemporary parents is the formal education of their children, re-shaping not only the relationship between parents and schools but also the nature of parenthood itself. Parents are analysed both as local actors in schools and as subjects of national and international policy regimes, particularly recent and contemporary imperatives of marketisation.. With a focus on social change, the chapters examine the operation of global educational programmes and ideas in national and local settings. The collected national and local studies attend to different confluences of local, regional and transnational, considering a variety of social and cultural patterns as well as national and local educational structures and policy regimes. Parents, Schools and The State: Global Perspectives will be a useful resource for academics, researchers, and advanced students of comparative education, educational policy and leadership, educational research, history of education, sociology, research methods and politics. This book was originally published as a special issue of Comparative Education.

This book is based on the premise that schools and parents need to work together for the social, emotional, cognitive and academic development of children. While the school provides a leadership model, parents act as reinforcers of learning and prime movers in their children's education. The authors emphasize throughout the book that parents and educators need to celebrate the pleasure of teaching. In clear and accessible language, this work presents theories on learning and human relations. It then charts and reviews the important components of a successful school-parent partnership, giving specific recommendations on the best way to involve diverse groups of parents. Chapters are: US Families in the Context of Change; The African American Experience in Family Context; The Hispanic American Experience in Famiy Context; The Asian American Experience in Family Context; Communities of Education: Concepts Defined; Empowerment for all Parents; Required: A Positive Self-Concept; Successful Schools: A Parents' and Educators' Partnership; Successful Students: Ability, Effort and Parental Involvement; Parents: First and Most Important Teachers; Recommendations for the Improvement of Parental School Involvement; Advocacy for School and Home Partnership; author and subject indexes.

This book examines the resources available to parents and the actions parents can take to further their childrens education. It is the first study of the subject based on major survey data, drawing from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988a national survey of 26,000 eighth graders, their parents, teachers, and school administrators. The authors explore several important debates, including the extent to which parental involvement can mitigate the constraints of poverty for minorities and disadvantaged students, school choice and equality of educational opportunity, and the effects that school-sponsored activities involving parents have on educational performance. }Parental involvement with children at home, in school, and in the community is one of the most important factors in educational success. Yet we know very little about the most effective approaches to parental intervention. Moreover, not all parents have the same resources or opportunities to act on the educational expectations they have for their children.This book examines the resources available to parents and the actions parents can take to further their childrens education. It is the first study of the subject based on major survey data, drawing from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988a national survey of 26,000 eighth graders, their parents, teachers, and school administrators. The authors explore several important debates, including the extent to which parental involvement can mitigate the constraints of poverty for minorities and disadvantaged students, school choice and equality of educational opportunity, and the effects that school-sponsored activities involving parents have on educational performance.Certain to change the thinking of educators and policymakers, this book is essential reading for scholars and parents as well. }

Who holds ultimate authority for the education of America's children—teachers or parents? Although the relationship between home and school has changed dramatically over the decades, William Cutler's fascinating history argues that it has always been a political one, and his book uncovers for the first time how and why the balance of power has shifted over time. Starting with parental dominance in the mid-nineteenth century, Cutler chronicles how schools' growing bureaucratization and professionalization allowed educators to gain increasing control over the schooling and lives of the children they taught. Central to his story is the role of parent-teacher associations, which helped transform an adversarial relationship into a collaborative one. Yet parents have also been controlled by educators through PTAs, leading to the perception that they are "company unions." Cutler shows how in the 1920s and 1930s schools expanded their responsibility for children's well-being outside the classroom. These efforts sowed the seeds for later conflict as schools came to be held accountable for solving society's problems. Finally, he brings the reader into recent decades, in which a breakdown of trust, racial tension, and "parents' rights" have taken the story full circle, with parents and schools once again at odds. Cutler's book is an invaluable guide to understanding how parent-teacher cooperation, which is essential for our children's educational success, might be achieved.

Gay Parents/Straight Schools openly addresses the specific educational realities and needs of lesbian- and gay-headed families. It explores why gayness is perceived as such a threat, especially to the education of young children, when it has such potential to enrich the worldviews of both children and adults. Based on research that includes perspectives from all those involved, this pioneering book delves into such issues as: communication between lesbian and gay parents and school staff; homophobia at school and at home; gender and gender role and the different understandings about role models; curriculum planning that invites lesbian and gay parents into the school environment; connecting children’s family experiences with school experiences. Featuring many direct quotes from children, teachers, administrators, and parents, this timely volume provides solid information, wise insights, and useful strategies to ensure the best education for all our children.

These hearings transcripts present testimony regarding parents' and schools' roles in teaching values to school age children, the federal funds involved in values education, and the remedies available to parents who may object to or be offended by some of the topics taught and the vehicles used to teach these topics. Witnesses included: (1) representatives from Delaware, California, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio; (2) William Bennett, former Secretary of Education; and (3) several parents, teachers, and school administrators. Testimony presented noted that parental involvement is the most important factor in helping children succeed in school. Parents want their children to be taught the basics, but trust in schools is broken when parents are shut out of the process. Schools need to reflect the values of the community. School choice improves schools and reinvolves parents. How people in school treat one another is more important than values programs. Children are moral agents who recognize right from wrong as defined by moral influences, whether from parents, teachers, friends, or television. Additional testimony conveyed parents' disagreement with the content of information conveyed in school programs for sex education and AIDS education, parents' concerns about treatment of homosexual students, and possible misuse of government funds for AIDS education. (KDFB)

Parents and Schools Together shows administrators, teachers, and parents how to work together to produce high achieving students in urban school districts. We all know that in this fast-paced world of standards and commitments, it’s easy to forget what schools and parents are all about. There are things that schools can do to show parents the way to raise successful students. Parents have to help in order for schools to be high performing. Schools, especially schools of poverty and low achievement, have to have parent help if they are going to make it. Parents can’t use the excuse that they don’t know what to do or I’m not going to do that anymore. When schools enlist the help of parents, schools can begin to harness the full effect of all adults tag teaming together to raise students up to the levels they are capable of. Parents and School Together shows that it’s not just the school’s job to raise kids and it’s not just the parent’s job to raise kids. It takes both working together to raise successful students and kids.

Addresses the importance of parental information and resource centers in engaging parents as partners in the implementation and sucess of the No hild Left Behind Act.

A Little Guide for Teachers: Engaging Parents and Carers with Schools builds on author experience, and findings from the spotlight thrown on home-school relationships during Covid-19, to provide teachers with effective strategies to enhance these relationships and instill confidence in teachers working with parents. The Little Guide for Teachers series is little in size but BIG on all the support and inspiration you need to navigate your day to day life as a teacher. · Authored by experts in the field · Easy to dip in-and-out of · Interactive activities encourage you to write into the book and make it your own · Fun engaging illustrations throughout · Read in an afternoon or take as long as you like with it! "This may be pitched as a "little guide", but goodness me it’s packed with wisdom and practical advice that any professional working in our school system will find absolute gold dust when it comes to the sometimes-tricky challenge of parental engagement. Building not only the authors’ many years of personal experience, the guide draws on their own research and that of many other leaders in this field to create a superbly grounded yet optimistic set of ideas, tips and reflection points. I love how the authors challenge so many orthodoxies, such as flipping the concept of the "hard-to-reach family" into the "hard-to-reach school". Throughout the book is an implicit thread that will be familiar to those versed in the principles and power of effective coaching, exploring important topics such as building relationships, listening and getting the right tone and balance in all communication. This is a refreshing, accessible and eminently practical guide in an often-neglected area that will be invaluable for teachers and leaders at all levels within schools. Highly recommend!" - Andy Buck, best-selling author, speaker, trainer and coach.