Building Culturally Responsive Family-School Relationships

Summary: Praise from reviewers for Ellen S. Amatea s timely first edition: I thought that this was an excellent text that provided a great deal of useful information. Amy J. Malkus, East Tennessee State University [This book] is written in a reader-friendly format; pertinent issues are addressed I really liked this book! Deborah A. Farrar, California University of Pennsylvania Beginning with a complete look at the shifting de...mographic context of schooling in the United States, this text examines how families, schools, and communities interact to influence children s school success. Taking into account economic and cultural diversity as well as exceptionality, Building Culturally Responsive Family-School Relationships presents a collaborative approach for working with all students families to promote learning and resolve problems throughout the early childhood and elementary school years. The underlying premise is that teachers who embrace and adapt to shifting realities can work toward true partnerships between culturally diverse communities and the schools that serve them. Grounded in research, this book links conceptual issues to practical methods in-service and pre-service educators can use advising them how to take on the often intimidating, yet vital, process of forging connections with families by describing specific culturally responsive instructional and non-instructional practices to build relationships characterized by trust, cooperation, and motivation. Further, the text offers effective ways to personalize teaching and facilitate student learning through productive home-school cooperation, making it an essential resource for all school-based practitioners, including administrators, counselors, and special education consultants. Features: Reflective exercises in every chapter encourage future educators to examine their personal beliefs and assumptions about involvement with families and gain increased awareness of changes necessary to promote collaboration with families. First-person stories in every chapter present families and their influence on childhood learning through a strength-based framework. Case Studies, appearing in Parts 3 and 4, provide insights into common scenarios in which educators interact with families, along with effective responses to these situations. End of chapter discussion questions and suggested readings provide the pedagogical tools to support the course and reinforce student learning. [read more]