Families, Schools, and Communities: Building Partnerships for Educating Children

This book examines the connections between the homes, schools, and communities in which children live—and their influences on those lives. The authors' unique vision of school improvement suggests how to arrange teaching strategies and a situation-specific curriculum that is developmentally and culturally appropriate. It also emphasizes the necessity of including communities and families as equal partners with the schools. By weaving extensive demographic information with real life stories, this book helps readers develop a full perspective regarding child life. Chapter topics include historical perspectives; viewing family diversity; parenting the child; preschool experiences and out-of-home care; responsibility for educating children; curriculums of the home, school, and community; models for parent-school-community partnerships; and effective social settings for learning. For parents and teachers—and anyone who lives in a community and cares about its effects on the children who are growing up in it.