Establishing and maintaining effective partnerships with families and members of the community are among the most challenging tasks facing educators today. This book explores why these partnerships are difficult to create and how they can be established. The book attempts to help educators understand that they have little control over changing the…

This document, one of four volumes comprising the 1995 Goals Report, is the fifth in a series of annual reports. This document provides in-depth information on the progress toward the National Education Goals that each state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marianas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands has made against…

An effort was made to expand parents' comprehension of developmentally appropriate programs through increased understanding of teacher observation in the early childhood classroom and teacher anecdotal reporting in family conferences. Corollary aims were to increase knowledge of children's learning styles to enable better school choices, and to…

A study surveyed adults with literacy problems and evaluated the Parents-as-Partners-as-Learners project. Eighty English-speaking adults in the eastern townships of Quebec, Canada, were interviewed concerning their literacy problems. Results indicated that health and social problems were identified by the adults as the major impediment to…

Children in America are in crisis. As citizens, child care professionals can write letters to and apply political pressure on elected officials, galvanizing them to improve the lives of young children and their families. In the field of education, action is needed to: (1) provide human development curricula in elementary schools; (2) link…

A case study was done of the community-based education reform group, Parents United for the D.C. Public Schools in Washington, D.C. Data for the study came from written records; from interviews with Parents United staff and officers, members of the Board of Education, and others familiar with public education in Washington, D.C.; and from public…

This Spanish-language publication reflects the philosophy and support of the Bernard van Leer Foundation for early childhood care and development. It highlights different approaches to early childhood care and development and explains why the foundation believes that investing in early childhood is one of the best ways of building a brighter,…

Theory and research on the development and maintenance of depression have emphasized both cognitive and interpersonal processes. One potential integration of interpersonal and cognitive models of depression is offered by symbolic interactionism, which argues that the self-concept is derived from our perception of how significant others view us.…

In February 1993, a regional workshop on alternative ways of working with parents, brought together 50 senior officers from both government and nongovernmental organizations from 16 Asian countries. Following the welcoming remarks of Khoo Kim Choo, this report presents the following addresses, presentations, and discussions: (1) "Parent…

This report summarizes the preliminary results from surveys of teachers, parents, and students in six Maryland high schools about their attitudes toward and needs for school, family, and community partnerships. Data from 420 families indicate that they feel welcome at their teens' high schools, but a large majority want to be more involved and to…

In 1991 the School District of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) invited elementary and middle schools to participate in a pilot project to develop and implement portfolio and performance-based assessments. Twenty-five schools began work in winter 1992. Research for Better Schools, Inc. analyzed the progress reports submitted by the schools. The…

This book presents the results of a study of the factors contributing to a lack of academic success for Hispanic-American students. About 500 professionals and parents from 19 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, and Ecuador answered a 400-item questionnaire that explored cultural and contextual traits and suggestions of how…

The third year of the contract, 1993-94, was one of culminating activities for the Region F Technical Assistance Center (TAC), as well as a year for preparation for reauthorization. The TAC continued to provide assistance that focused on improving curriculum and instruction across all aspects of Chapter 1. A significant change was the increase in…

This booklet, available in English and Spanish, describes what California parents can do at home and in the school to support and encourage their children's success in school and college. Discussion emphasizes the extent to which parents influence their children's attitudes about learning and school, and points out that parent involvement is…

This book illustrates how educators in four U.S. communities committed themselves to preparing students for the democratic way of life. In four narratives, educators directly involved in four different school-reform efforts describe how they initiated demographic practices in their educational settings. The four schools serve as reminders that…