In this article, the author presents a discussion regarding the sharing of decision making regarding curriculum in preschool. The preschool where she teaches is housed in a diverse, faith-based elementary school in the heart of Grand Rapids, Michigan, a midsize, midwestern city. It offers full-day, half-day, and two-and-a-half-hour preschool…

This article discusses the challenges to engaging families in secondary schools, along with practical tips for improving family engagement at the secondary level. Some of these challenges include lack of connection, poor communication, poor attendance, and complex curriculum. The tips and practices that are presented here are just a few of the…

Although report cards may seem to be a clear-cut means of communication between teachers and parents, on closer examination they reveal a more complicated interaction. Parents of fourth-graders are interviewed about their children's report cards to learn their understandings of the language and discuss expectations for their children in school. A…

This article discusses how U.S. teachers can pick up on cultural cues from parents with roots in other countries and help smooth their children's transition to U.S. classrooms. In this article, the author presents a scenario where a U.S. teacher welcomed parents with roots form other countries into her classroom. Here, she discusses the importance…

The federal Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, project strives to equalize low-income students' access to higher education by increasing their participation in rigorous coursework, providing expanded opportunities for low-income students and parents to learn about postsecondary educational opportunities…

This article considers the challenges and issues facing school leaders in the implementation of Every Child Matters. It outlines the factors that contribute to the effective delivery of Every Child Matters and outlines some of the barriers that make the delivery of this agenda more difficult. The article concludes that school leaders play a…

When Stephanie Smith became the principal of Seaford (Delaware) Middle School four years ago, she was told to accept the fact that the school would never be able to change its status as a school that needed to improve. She did not accept that. To improve performance levels, she set the expectations high. Her defiance paid off: the school is now…

This document notes that many states have passed, or are considering, laws that would mandate parental consent for, or notification of, a young woman's decision to obtain an abortion. Constructed in a question-and-answer format, the document then examines a number of issues concerned with such mandated parental involvement. It examines who is…

Rather than focusing attention on external assessment by constituency groups, the functions of these groups in the total process of teacher education must be examined. (HMD)

Describes an early childhood education course project in which students participated in developing, organizing, and conducting a play group, one day a week, for two- to five-year-old children and their parents. (Author/SDH)

In Perry Middle School eigth grade, coeducational health classes in sexuality education are interwoven throughout the total curriculum. (Author/JA)

Intended for administrators of preschool special education programs, the manual provides guidelines concerning the administrative processes accompanying transition to the elementary program. These include: (1) procedures for establishing communication and information exchange between the preschool program and the local education agency; (2)…

The paper reviews 16 studies on the effectiveness of active early intervention for Down's Syndrome children. An introductory chapter explains the nature and etiology of Down's Syndrome and reviews terms such as development and intervention. Chapter 2 analyzes studies in terms of influence of various types of intervention on developmental outcome…

The involvement of parents in the education of their children is briefly discussed. Discussion focuses on ways to involve parents, ways to reach parents, and difficulties in involving parents. It is asserted that the suggestions offered in this ERIC Digest can help teachers involve parents who might not otherwise be involved. While an individual…

Although many recommendations have been made that parents become more involved in drug education, little to date has been published about how this can be done. This article explores one model that has been adopted in a high drug-incidence area in southern California and could have relevance for applicability elsewhere. (Author)