Bibliobriefs
Books
Books for Parents
Books for Child Care Professionals
Videos
Associations and Organizations

BIBLIOBRIEFS

Journal articles and reports in this section were selected from the ERIC, PsychInfo and other collections of the commercial database companies DIALOG Corporation and EBSCO Publishing. Due to the volume of information available on Parent Involvement, and for currency of information, citations were restricted to 1999 to 2003.

Al-Hassan, Suha and Ralph Gardner III. "Involving Immigrant Parents of Students with Disabilities in the Educational Process." Teaching Exceptional Children vol. 34, issue 5 (May/June 2002): 52 - 59.
     The authors discuss the views of special education teachers working with immigrant families, the barriers to participation in the educational process by these families, and key factors in building a positive relationship between the families and the school system.

Bailey, Donald B., Jr. "Evaluating Parent Involvement and Family Support in Early Intervention and Preschool Programs." Journal of Early Intervention vol. 24, no.1 (Winter 2001): 1 - 14.
     This article describes three potential levels of accountability for providing certain types of support for families in early intervention and preschool programs for children with disabilities: providing the legally required services for families, providing services that are considered recommended, and achieving certain outcomes as a result of working with families.

Baker, Amy J., et al. "Understanding Barriers to Parent Involvement in Head Start: A Research-Community Partnership." Early Childhood Research Quarterly vol. 16, no.1 (2001): 35 - 51.
     This collaborative study examined barriers to parent involvement in the Head Start program among 68 mothers in New York City. Results revealed the presence of many difficult life experiences for mothers, but few were reported as barriers by many of the mothers.

Boers, David. "What Teachers Need of Parents." Education Digest vol. 67, issue 8 (Apr 2002): 37-41.
     The author presents the results of a survey of 86 teachers to determine what they expect of parents. The findings showed the teachers’ suggestions for the parents, including: initiating communication with the teacher; monitoring homework; learning parenting and study skills; getting involved at school; spending quality time with their children; and responding positively to teachers.

Bruckman, Marilyn. "Welfare-to-Work Single Mothers’ Perspectives on Parent Involvement in Head Start: Implications for Parent-Teacher Collaboration." Early Childhood Education Journal vol. 30(3) (Spring 2003): 145 - 150.
     The author describes the perspectives of five single mothers regarding the process of selecting child care with the help of Head Start teachers. The mothers communicated that their self-development and learning were enhanced by interactions with Head Start staff. This collaboration was shown to have very positive effects for the mothers and their children.

Caputo, Richard K. "Head Start, Other Preschool Programs, & Life Success in a Youth Cohort." Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, vol. 30 issue 2 (June 2003): 105 - 127.
     This study assesses the effects of Head Start and other preschool programs on five life success measures in a U.S. cohort of youth. Head Starters fared no better or worse than other preschoolers or non-preschoolers in four of the measures. Regarding the fifth measure, average annual income-to-poverty ratios, Head Starters had lower averages ratios, corroborating previous research indicating that Head Starters are economically and behaviorally disadvantaged compared to both other preschool and non-preschool children.

Daniel-White, Kimberly. "Reassessing Parent Involvement: Involving Language Minority Parents in School Work at Home." Working Papers in Educational Linguistics vol. 18, no.1, (Spring 2002).
     Parental involvement programs have been funded and structured in ways valued by middle class parents to the exclusion of language minority families, their language, and their culture. These programs do not provide Latino and other immigrant families with the tools they need to help their children. This paper details a specific parental involvement effort initiated in a Latino home.

Farwell, Margo Merriam and U. Alfred. "Effects of Community on Parent Involvement." Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences & Engineering vol. 62(9-B) (April 2002): pp. 4273.
     The author asserts there has been limited research on the variable of "community" when examining variables that affect parent involvement. Results from surveys conducted by the author indicate that the community a parent resides in does not affect how the parent is actually involved or how they desire to be involved in school or at home. The author suggests that to increase the level of parent involvement within schools, there should be less focus on the community a parent is from and more on overcoming the barriers faced by all parents involved in their child's education.

Harrington, Diane Benson. "What Teachers Wish Parents Knew." Parenting vol. 16 issue 1 (Feb 2002): 81-84.
     The author discusses several skills parents can teach the kindergarten-bound child to improve their chances for success, including: social skills; basic academics; the importance of learning; vocabulary building; eagerness to learn; and horizon-broadening activities.

Hausken, Elvira Germino and Amy H. Rathbun. "How are Transition-to-Kindergarten Activities Associated with Parent Involvement during Kindergarten?" Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (Seattle, WA, April 10-14, 2001). ERIC Report Number ED452951.
     This study identified the types of transition activities practiced by kindergarten teachers/schools around the country. The most frequently used transition activities were sending information home about the program, inviting families to visit the classroom prior to beginning school, and inviting parents to a pre-enrollment orientation. Teachers in schools with low proportions of at-risk children, minority children, or English language learners reported more transition activities than teachers in schools with higher proportions of these groups.

Honig, Alice Sterling. "Parent Involvement in the Early Years." Paper presented at the Parent Involvement Preconference Luncheon for the Children’s Forum (St. Petersburg, FL, October 19, 1999). ERIC Report Number ED436248.
     Asserting that parents are young children’s most precious resource, this paper offers research-based advice for raising children with self-esteem and the ability to become independent, productive members of society.

Jeynes, William H. "A Meta-Analysis: The Effects of Parental Involvement on Minority Children’s Academic Achievement." Education and Urban Society vol. 35, issue 2 (Feb 2003): 202 - 219.
     The article examines the impact of parental involvement on the school success of minority children in the U.S. Data on effect sizes and confidence intervals for general parental involvement are given.

Justice, Laura M. and Helen K. Ezell. "Written Language Awareness In Preschool Children From Low-Income Households: A Descriptive Analysis." Communication Disorders Quarterly vol. 22(3), (Spring 2001): 123 - 134.
     Children from households at or below federal poverty guidelines and currently enrolled in a Head Start program were examined for their skill levels in print, word, graphic, and meta-linguistic awareness. Analysis of the children's performance revealed significant gaps in knowledge across all four skills of written language awareness.

Keyes, Carol R. "A Way of Thinking about Parent/Teacher Partnerships for Teachers." International Journal of Early Years Education vol. 10, issue 3 (Oct 2002): 177-192.
     The author presents a review of the literature on parent/teacher partnerships. She also proposes a theoretical, systemic approach to working with parents that may enable teachers to work more effectively with diverse families. The article describes the relationship between a parent and teacher as complex, dynamic, and complicated by differing values, concerns, and societal forces.

Lawson, Michael A. "School-family Relations in Context: Parent and Teacher Perceptions of Parent Involvement." Urban Education vol. 38(1), (Jan 2003): 77 - 133.
     A study of teachers and parents associated with a low-income, ethnically diverse urban elementary school showed a difference in how the two groups perceived parent involvement. Both groups did agree that the parent/teacher partnership is essential to the academic success and healthy development of children.

Marcon, Rebecca A. "Impact of Parent Involvement on Children’s Development and Academic Performance: A Three-Cohort Study." Paper presented at the Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association (Savannah, GA, March 1999). ERIC Report Number ED427880.
     This study examined the possibility of a "threshold" of parent involvement with their children’s preschools that can lead to positive child outcomes in a sample of hard-to-engage families. Increased parent involvement was found to have a positive impact on preschoolers’ early development and mastery of basic skills.

Mattingly, Doreen J. "Evaluating Evaluations: The Case of Parent Involvement Programs."
Review of Educational Research, vol. 72(4), (Winter 2002): 549 - 576.
     The authors analyzed 41 studies that evaluated parent involvement programs to determine if the programs improved student learning. The results showed little empirical evidence that these programs improve student achievement or change the behavior of parents, teachers, or students. The authors conclude not that the programs are ineffective but that flaws in the methodology of these types of studies should be investigated before the quality of the programs can be definitely assessed.

Miedel, Wendy T. and Arthur J. Reynolds. "Parent Involvement in Early Intervention for Disadvantaged Children: Does it Matter?" Journal of School Psychology vol. 37, no.4, (Winter 1999): 379 - 402.
     This is a study of the association between parent involvement in early intervention and children’s later school competence. Results indicated that the number of activities in which parents participated in preschool and kindergarten was significantly associated with higher reading achievement, with lower rates of grade retention at age 14, and with fewer years in special education.

O'Leary, Catherine Carlisle. "The Early Childhood Family Check-Up: A Brief Intervention For At-Risk Families With Preschool-Aged Children." Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences & Engineering, vol. 62(6-B), (Jan 2001): pp. 2992.
     Research suggests that coercive parenting strategies are associated with the development of preschool child behavior problems and that these problems can be stable and persistent. The author describes an intervention designed to motivate parents to decrease the risk for severe behavior problems by changing their parenting techniques. Analysis revealed that parents who changed parenting strategies after receiving the intervention used more structure with their children in parent-child tasks than parents in the control condition.

Trotman, Michelle Frazier. "Involving the African American Parent: Recommendations to Increase the Level of Parent Involvement within African American Families." Journal of Negro Education vol. 70, (Fall 2001): 275 - 285.
     This discussion of the importance of parental involvement focuses on African American families. Factors contributing to the lack of parental participation are examined. Recommendations to increase parental involvement as a tactic to improve the school performance of African American children are given.

BOOKS

Titles in this section are divided into two categories: books for parents, and books for professional child care providers.

Books for Parents

Anderson, B. and Kathy Cruz. Bright Futures Family Pocket Guide: Raising Healthy Infants, Children, and Adolescents. Family Voices, 2000.
     This pocket guide, based on Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents (2nd ed.), is a reference for families that highlights important child health topics, such as identification of milestones in the development of a child’s communication and cognitive skills.

Berger, Eugenia Hepworth. Parents as Partners in Education: Families and Schools Working Together, 5/E. Prentice Hall, 2000.
     This popular and comprehensive book contains material on research, cultural diversity, child abuse, advocacy, and special education. Strategies are presented that enhance the collaboration between school and parents involved in the education of children ages 0-8.

Bickart, Toni and Diane Trister Dodge. Reading Right From the Start: What Parents Can Do in the First Five Years. Teaching Strategies, Inc., 2000.
     Using everyday activities that parents share with their preschool children, the authors illustrate vocabulary, conversation, and literacy-building techniques. They stress the importance of talking, singing, and reading to children daily. The book includes reading lists for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. A Spanish version is available.

Bradford-Vernon, Jennifer R. How to Be Your Child’s First Teacher: Insights for Parent Involvement. McGraw-Hill Children’s Publishing, 2000.
     Parents know their child’s special interests, strengths, and talents. The author suggests using this knowledge to enhance a child’s earliest learning opportunities and increase their readiness for success in the primary-age classroom. The chapters cover language arts, math, science, social studies, creative arts, and physical/health education, and offer many activity ideas.

Brazelton, T. Berry and Stanley I. Greenspan. The Irreducible Needs of Children: What Every Child Must Have to Grow, Learn, and Flourish. Perseus Publishing, 2000.
     The authors define what every child needs in the first years of life. The seven irreducible needs of children are: ongoing nurturing relationships; physical protection, safety, and regulation; experiences tailored to individual differences; developmentally appropriate experiences; limit setting, structure, and expectations; stable, supportive communities and cultural continuity; and global thinking to address the irreducible needs of children throughout the world.

Building Successful Partnerships. National PTA, 2000.
     This book is a comprehensive, practical resource to bring parents, educators, communities, and schools together. For a copy, call the National Educational Service at (800) 733-6786 or visit the website at www.nesonline.com.

Cohen, Lawrence J. Playful Parenting: A Bold New Way to Nurture Close Connections, Solve Behavior Problems, and Encourage Children’s Confidence. Ballantine, 2001.
     The author, a psychologist and play therapist, uses examples from his practice and personal experience to guide harried parents to playful interaction with their children.

Dodge, Diane Trister and Joanna Phinney. A Parent's Guide to Preschool. Teaching Strategies, Inc., 2002.
     This is the new version of the popular A Parent's Guide to Early Childhood Programs. It is sold in sets of 10 so educators can distribute them to the parents in their programs. This illustrated booklet helps parents learn how to partner with teachers to help their children acquire the skills, attitudes, and habits to do well in school and throughout life.

Doherty, William J. Take Back Your Kids: Confident Parenting in Turbulent Times. Sorin Books, 2000.
     The author presents strategies for closing the confidence gap without returning to authoritarian parenting. He notes that while parents are more sensitive to children’s needs, they have greater difficulty in setting limits for them. He challenges the culture of therapeutic parenting, that is, parental behavior is rooted in the supposed fragility of children’s psyches.

Edwards, Patricia. A Path to Follow: Learning to Listen to Parents. Heinemann, 1999.
     Guidelines for using parent and family stories to encourage parent involvement in children’s education are provided. Parent stories are narratives resulting from open-ended conversations or interviews with parents about children’s early literary activities and experiences in the home. Use of such stories to explain the characteristics of the home environment allows parents to share with teachers the social, emotional, and educational issues that shape early literacy.

Family Involvement in Head Start. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 1999.
     Head Start Bulletin No. 65 focuses on the numerous ways parents participate in the Head Start program, including Parent Committees and Policy Councils, training, supporting children’s learning, and father/male involvement. Articles discuss family wellness, parents as paraprofessionals, strengthening families, and the Head Start experiences of staff, parents, and graduates. It is available on the HSIPC web site at: http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/bullet.cfm.

For Parents, By Parents: A Resource Guide. Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders, 2001.
     This guide to resources for children with special needs covers many topics, including: therapeutic approaches; biomedical interventions; sensory processing; educational interventions; and law and advocacy. Sections include listings of related organizations, publications, websites, audiovisual resources, and specific procedures and therapies.

Fun and Learning for Parents and Children: An Activities Handbook. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 1995.
     This handbook contains entertaining educational activities for parents and children. It is a collection of everyday things to do that can easily be done in a family's home, backyard or even away from home. The book also includes a list of questions to inspire parents to create additional activities. This publication is also appropriate for other families, child-care providers and classroom teams. Available on the HSIPC Web site at: http://www.bmcc.edu/Headstart/Fun_and_Learning/index.html

Helping Your Child Be a Better Learner. Family Communications, Inc., 2000.
     Designed for parents, this illustrated brochure discusses ways to help children learn. The topics include building self-esteem; developing an appreciation for books and reading; encouraging perseverance; importance of play; and ways parents can prepare children for school. A Spanish version is available.

Holtje, Katarina. Start Them Off Right! A Parent's Guide to Getting the Most Out of Preschool. Alpha Books. 2002.
     The author arms parents with information and advice on picking out the right preschool for their child. She introduces readers to the various preschool programs available and gives an insider’s look at how preschools work. The book includes information on curriculum, teachers, visiting, special needs, and whether or not a child is ready for the preschool environment. A good resource for those beginning the preschool search, it also includes checklists and numerous reading lists.

Infant and Toddler Transitions. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 1999.
     This technical training guide is designed to aid Early Head Start and Head Start families, managers, and staff in developing skills and practices that support the healthy development and transitions of infants and toddlers and their families. Staff and families will learn to examine infant and toddler transitions from a developmental perspective and individualize routines and practices to support each child’s needs. The material is available on the HSIPC Web site at: http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/infant-toddler_transitions/index.htm.

Lerner, Claire. Learning & Growing Together: Understanding and Supporting Your Child's Development. Zero to Three, 2000.
     Parents and caregivers are encouraged to become their own best resource and think in new ways. Personal vignettes, reflective questions, and discussion points engage parents and caregivers at a new level and help them think through situations they may encounter with their child. By presenting the child’s point of view as well as the parent’s and caregiver’s, this easy-to-read guide provides a new lens through which to view and understand a child’s development.

No Child Left Behind: A Parents Guide. U.S. Department of Education, 2003.
     The guide summarizes the No Child Left Behind Act, which became law on January 8, 2002 to improve the educational opportunities for every American child. It answers common questions about the law, explains what the law does for parents, and tells where to find additional resources. The document can be downloaded from the website http://www.nclb.gov/.

Parents Ask About Title I. RMC Corporation, 1996.
     This set of five booklets describe Title I requirements. It covers standards, parent involvement policies, compacts, and school profiles. Available in English and Spanish.
To order copies, call the ERIC Document Reproduction Service at 800-443-3742.

Parents' Guide After Head Start: Success in Public School. National Head Start Association, n.d.
     This guide helps parents make the transition from Head Start to public schools. Checklists enable parents to navigate through the numerous steps of transition, from meeting the new teacher to getting involved with the parent-teacher association. Available in English (116E) and Spanish (116S). To order call toll free (800) 687-5044.

Patten, Peggy and Anne S. Robertsen. Violence Prevention Resource Guide for Parents. National Parents Information Network, 2002.
     This resource for parent groups, violence prevention trainers, and parents is a guide for supporting the healthy development of children and teens. It can be accessed from the ERIC database at http://www.eric.ed.gov/.

Pruett, Kyle. Me, Myself and I: How Children Build Their Sense of Self (18-36 months). Goddard Press, 1999.
     This is a guide to the growth of competence, personality, and self-image in early childhood, and the critical role of emotional development in shaping outcomes. Illustrated with vignettes describing strategies to help parents guide children on a path to confidence, joy and accomplishment.

Questions Parents Ask About Schools. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs, Educational Partnerships and Family Involvement Unit, 2003.
     This publication presents questions that are commonly asked by parents according to surveys conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago and the National Center for Education Statistics. It provides some answers about starting school, schoolwork, homework, career preparation, safety, and family expectations. It is available in English or Spanish. Go to: http://www.ed.gov/Family/agbts/Questions/

Ramey, Sharon L. and Craig T. Ramey. Going to School: How to Help Your Child Succeed—A Handbook for Parents of Children Ages 3-8. Goddard Press, 1999.
     This resource for parents is filled with strategies to prepare children to start school and to help them succeed in the critical early years. An award-winning book, Going to School is based on the latest research, including information gained from the five-year National Transition to School Project, a federal study of 10,000 children's progress. Parents, it turns out, have as much influence on their children's success in school as teachers, and a successful transition to school begins long before kindergarten.

Rogers, Margot. Planning for Title I Programs: Guidelines for Parents, Advocates and Educators. Center for Law and Education, 1996.
     This book explains Title I requirements and how parents and advocates can ensure that schools adhere to them. It also describes ways that advocates can reach, assist and train parents. To order a copy, call 202-986-3000.

Savage, Teresa. Ready-to-Read, Ready-to-Count Handbook: How to Best Prepare Your Child For School--A Parent's Guide. Newmarket Press, 2001.
     Parents are taught how to develop their preschoolers' learning ability and instill confidence in young learners.

Smith, Dawn. A Parent's Guide to Special Education: A Practical Handbook. iUniverse Press, 2001.
     Navigating the education system is hard, especially for the parent of a disabled child. This book can help parents learn how to do it more effectively.

Step Ahead at Age 3. State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, 2002.
     This booklet was originally produced by the Bridging Early Services Taskforce of Kansas in 1995 and was revised in 2002 by the Alaska Transition Training Initiative Planning Team. The booklet is a guide for any parent whose three-year-old child with disabilities is undergoing the transition process. To order a copy, call 907-269-3460 or download at:
http://health.hss.state.ak.us/ocs/InfantLearning/afterage3/ilp_StepAhead.pdf

Wright, Kay and Delores Stegelin. Building School and Community Partnerships Through Parent Involvement. Prentice Hall, 2002.
     This book is for parents who want to become more actively involved in the education of their children. It profiles today's American families and examines the relationships among them, their children's schools, and their communities. The authors explore the family as a child's "first teacher." and address the increasing diversity of the American family in regard to structure, culture, and lifestyle.

Books for Child Care Professionals

A Creative Adventure: Supporting Development and Learning Through Art, Music, Movement, and Dialogue: A Guide for Parents and Professionals - Multimedia Kit. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 2000.
     This multimedia kit contains videotape, media guide, and poster, and is intended to encourage and assist adults to support children's creative expression. Using art, music, drama and more, the guide discusses the importance of creative opportunities in a child’s development and suggests activities to stimulate creativity at home or in the classroom. Information about this item is available on the HSIPC web site title index page at: http://www.headstartinfo.org/cgi-bin/pubstore_titlelist.cfm.

Alexander, Nancy P. and Katheryn Davis. Early Childhood Workshops That Work!: The Essential Guide to Successful Training and Workshops. Gryphon House, 2000.
     This comprehensive guide illustrates how to design, organize, conduct, and evaluate early childhood workshop and training seminars. It also includes sections on troubleshooting problem situations and designing learning materials. The author offers tips, guidance, and inside information from her years of experience as a successful workshop leader.

Allen, Sharon, et al. Successful Methods for Increasing and Improving Parent and Child Interaction. Paper presented at the National Head Start Association Training Conference, Boston, MA. May 25-31, 1997.
     Recognizing that parenting style can influence educational experience, an ethnographic approach was used to evaluate the impact on parent-child interaction of the parent education component of the South Dakota Head Start/Public School Transition Project. Results indicated that family service coordinators have been instrumental in increasing parent and child interactions. Implications of increased parent involvement and improved communication include higher self-esteem and increased educational success for children. Contain over 60 references. ERIC Report Number ED408096.

Berk, Laura E. Awakening Children's Minds: How Parents and Teachers Can Make a Difference. Oxford University Press, 2001.
     The author feels parents and teachers can help children enormously in reaching their potential. The book is somewhat clinical and academic and will be more useful for educators than the average parent.

Berns, Roberta. Child, Family, School, Community: Socialization and Support. Wadsworth Publishing, 2000.
     This book describes and analyzes how a child's interaction with family, school, peer groups, media and community influences his or her developmental outcome. Professionals working with children and students studying child sociology need to understand the effects of contexts in which children develop and how multi-factors interact to affect child development.

Better Education is Everybody’s Business! How Business Can Support Family Involvement in Education. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Partnership in Family Involvement in Education, 2000.
     This pamphlet is based on the view that a strong and vigorous economy depends upon an educated, skilled, and competent citizenry. It provides a rationale for joining the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education. It describes government materials on getting families involved in education and ways employers can support family involvement in education. ERIC Report Number ED462161. For a copy, call (800) 872-5327.

Blasco, Patricia Mulhearn. Early Intervention Services for Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families. Allyn & Bacon, 2000.
     This book provides child development theory as well as practical ideas for teaching and working with families. Readers are guided to an understanding of the key principles of early development in infants and toddlers with disabilities. The book would be helpful for anyone with an interest in early intervention, special education or early childhood education.

Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne, Allison Sidle Fuligni, and Lisa J. Berlin, Editors. Early Child Development in the 21st Century: Profiles of Current Research Initiatives. Teachers College Press, 2003.
     The editors present all of the major research conducted in early childhood development in recent years. Scholars, policymakers, professionals, and students can read on such issues as interventions for children in poverty, school transition, maternal employment, residence patterns and neighborhood characteristics, and welfare reform.

Building Supportive Communities. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 1995.
     This Head Start foundation training guide concentrates on the significance of building strong relationships both within Head Start and in the broader community. It illustrates how positive relationships among staff, families and community organizations provide critical support for Head Start children and families. To order a copy, call 1-866-763-6481 (toll-free). Non-Head Start organizations may order this publication through GPO.

Campbell, Deborah and Glen F. Palm. Group Parent Education: Promoting Parent Learning and Support. Sage Publications, 2003.
     Directed at professionals and group parent education programs, this book combines different conceptual frameworks for understanding the group process with practical strategies for leading parent groups. Education and support, analysis of parent group dynamics, and difficult situations are all discussed. There is also an examination of the stages of professional development for parent education.

Canavan, John and John Pinkerton, Editors. Family Support: Direction From Diversity. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2000.
     The contributors to this volume show how family support promotes the welfare of children and their families. Written for educators, academics, and other professionals, they show how children can be supported to overcome adversity and achieve their potential.

Carvalho, Maria Eulina P. de. Rethinking Family-School Relations: A Critique of Parental Involvement in Schooling. Erlbaum Associates, 2001.
     The author undertakes a critical examination of current educational policies and practices about school-family partnerships. She challenges the assumption that nearly all parents want to actively participate in their children’s education. Differences in social classes, values, and language practices among the participants of the school-family dynamic complicate what some view as a simple relationship.

Charting Parenthood: A Statistical Portrait of Fathers and Mothers in America. Child Trends, 2002.
     While most parenting statistics have focused only on mothers, this report looks at what we know about both parents, offering a more complete picture of family life in the United States. More than 40 indicators in three areas include: parenting practices, activities with children, child care, parents and schools, custody arrangements and nonresident parents, marriage, divorce and cohabitation, and sexual activity and contraception. The document is available free at this website: http://www.childtrends.org/

Communicating with Parents. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 2000.
     The technical training guide for Head Start programs focuses on the value of effective communications in building partnerships with parents, including effective speaking and listening skills, and clear and concise writing for a variety of readers. To order a copy, call 1-866-763-6481 (toll-free). Non-Head Start organizations may order this guide from GPO.

Crozier, Gill. Parents and Schools: Partners or Protagonists? Trentham Books, 2000.
     The author explores the changing roles of parents, teachers, and school administrators. Parents are increasingly challenging authority, negotiating, and making choices as their children move through the school system.

Design for Family Support. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 2000.
     This technical training guide reinforces Head Start’s role as a family support program and defines the framework for supporting families. The concepts and principles of supporting families are presented along with the skills necessary to develop those relationships. To order a copy, call 1-866-763-6481 (toll-free). Non-Head Start organizations may order this guide from GPO.

Dickinson, David K. and Patton O. Tabors, Editors. Beginning Literacy with Language: Young Children Learning at Home and at School. Brookes Publishing Company, 2001.
     Beginning Literacy with Language presents research on the language and literacy development of Head Start children from preschool through seventh grade. It conveys the message that everyday interactions at home and school help children achieve literacy. This book is geared primarily to social scientists and early childhood educators, and secondarily to parents.

Discovering Family Literacy: A Resource Guide for the Head Start Community. National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL), 2000.
     This on-line guide to family literacy services addresses adult education, early childhood education, parent participation, and parent education. The guide is located on NCFL’s Head Start Family Literacy Project web page (click on the "Resource Guide for Family Literacy" at: http://www.famlit.org/ProgramsandInitiatives/headstart/index.cfm.

Driscoll, Amy and Nancy G. Nagel. Early Childhood Education, Birth-8: The World of Children, Families, and Educators. Allyn & Bacon, 2001.
     The book focuses on practices and programs for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners, and primary school children. The authors include information on the diversity of children and families' ethnic and cultural heritages, varied family configurations, and the differences in early childhood programs and settings. Those interested will likely be early childhood educators, child care workers, parents, and caregivers.

Duncan, Greg J. and P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale, Editors. For Better and For Worse: Welfare Reform and the Well-Being of Children and Families. Russell Sage Foundation Publications, 2001.
     The main goal of this book is to determine if welfare reform has improved the well being of the nation’s poor children. Part I reviews state welfare programs; Part II examines how families and children are being served under the new system; and Part III presents future options.

Edwards, Patricia. Children’s Literacy Development: Making it Happen through School, Family, and Community Involvement. Allyn & Bacon, 2003.
     The author has selected skills, strategies, and examples of family involvement that will empower educators to successfully implement family involvement initiatives. She helps them understand how to work with a wide-range of families and how to become partners with the families. The book includes action steps for improving the family-school partnership, a brief historical account of how family involvement was viewed in American culture, a minority family needs discussion, and parenting stories of early literacy that help prepare teachers for real-life work with families.

Engaging Parents. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 1995.
     This foundation training guide provides information on the basics of parent involvement for Head Start Programs. It outlines the process of adapting activities for individual parents, identifying staff support of parent involvement, and analyzing current parent involvement practices. The guide focuses on creating a common vision for parent involvement. To order a copy, call 1-866-763-6481 (toll-free). Non-Head Start organizations may order this publication through the GPO.

Enhancing Parent Involvement: Staff Development Training For Building Family Partnerships. National Head Start Association, n.d.
     This training manual includes methods and role-playing exercises to help you teach staff how to empower parents. Discover creative approaches to introduce new parents to the Head Start family. To order a copy, call 703-739-0875.

Epstein, Joyce L. School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools. Westview Press, 2001.
     This comprehensive book explains the theory, practice, and benefits of school and family partnerships. It incorporates ideas and lesson plans that school professionals may use to involve parents in the education of their children. It is at once a research tool, college text, and professional handbook.

Epstein, Joyce L. et al. School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action. Corwin Press, 2002.
     This is the latest edition of a long-time best seller. It offers a framework of six types of involvement to guide state and district leaders, school principals, teachers, parents, and community partners to form Action Teams for Partnerships. It stresses the importance of continually improving family and community involvement for student success.

Erickson, Martha Farrell and Karen Kurz-Riemer. Infants, Toddlers, and Families: A Framework for Support and Intervention. Guilford Press, 1999.
     Written for mental health and social service professionals, Infants, Toddlers, and Families provides suggestions for building family relationships, educating parents on child development, and enhancing family support systems.

Goldberg, Mark F. Lessons From Exceptional School Leaders. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2001.
     Written with the teacher or administrator in mind, this book is a guide to discovering and fostering leadership skills within a school setting. It offers detailed examples and suggestions about how to define leadership and establish goals through a cooperative approach that includes staff, administration, and parents in the school community.

Head Start Handbook of the Parent Involvement Vision and Strategies. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 1996.
     A handbook based on the premise that Head Start programs must establish and sustain a relationship with every family in the program. The first part discusses elements of the vision statement, incorporating relevant program performance standards. The second part presents strategies that programs can use. To order a copy, call 1-866-763-6481 (toll-free).

Head Start Path to Positive Child Outcomes. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 2000.
     This publication contains the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework, which is intended to guide Head Start programs in their ongoing assessment of the progress and accomplishments of children. The eight domains of the framework are: Language Development, Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Creative Arts, Social and Emotional Development, Approaches to Learning, and Physical Health and Development. To order, call 1-866-763-6481 (toll-free).

Henderson, Anne T. and Karen L. Mapp. A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family and Community Connections on Student Achievement. Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 2002.
     This study summarizes 51 research studies between 1995 and 2002 on how families and communities affect student learning. You can order it from the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory web site or get it as a free 241-page PDF File at http://www.sedl.org/connections/resources/evidence.pdf.

Hiatt-Michael, Diana, Editor. Promising Practices in Family Involvement in Schools (Family, School, Community, Partnership Issues, V. 1). Information Age Publishing Inc., 2001.
     This monograph, edited by Hiatt-Michael of Pepperdine University, presents views on different issues in family, school, and community partnerships. These include: family involvement in federal education programs; family participation in decision making; and educating professionals for school, family, and community partnerships.

Horm-Wingerd, Diane and Marilou Hyson, Editors. New Teachers for a New Century: The Future of Early Childhood Professional Preparation. U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Early Childhood Development and Education, 2000.
     This publication examines the nature and content of current early childhood professional preparation (ECPP) programs at the pre-service level, and provides a comprehensive description of what constitutes high quality ECPP. It is a critique of contemporary practice, and offers challenges for the field in preparing the next generation of early childhood educators. It is available through the Government Printing Office.

Hornby, Garry. Improving Parental Involvement. Continuum International Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
     The author presents many facets of parental involvement for professionals: improving communication with parents; helping parents work with difficult children; the rationale for improving parental involvement; and strategies for improving involvement.

Lawrence-Lightfoot, Sara. The Essential Conversation: What Parents and Teachers Can Learn from Each Other. Random House, 2003.
     The author writes that below the surface of a seemingly simple and polite exchange between a parent and a teacher lurks a turbulent mix of fears, anxieties, drives, and biases that both parties bring to the table. When the vectors of race, class, gender, culture, and language are added, complex dynamics develop that often have as much to do with the adults' desires and needs as with those of the children. Parents and teachers have much to learn from each other, and these essential conversations are, the author believes, a crucial if neglected aspect of children's educational success.

Lombardi, Joan. Time to Care: Redesigning Child Care to Promote Education, Support Families, and Build Communities. Temple University Press, 2003.
     The author believes the current child-care system is not meeting the needs of families. She discusses the problems and outlines possible solutions based on innovative programs from across the country.

Mayberry, Sally Cox and Brenda Belson Lazarus. Teaching Students with Special Needs in the 21st Century Classroom. Scarecrow Press, 2002.
     The inclusive schools movement has been around for almost twenty years, yet many teachers find the transition difficult. The authors describe ways of implementing curriculum change, grading procedures, partnering with parents, and other key strategies to assist the teacher in setting up a successful inclusive classroom.

McCurdy, Karen and Elizabeth D. Jones. Supporting Families: Lessons From the Field. Sage Publications, 2000.
     This volume documents the efforts of the William Penn Foundation and its Child Abuse Prevention Initiative. It chronicles the efforts and research of this initiative and provides lessons for practitioners, funders, policymakers and researchers. Child abuse prevention efforts seek to move beyond isolated demonstration efforts and toward a universal system of support for all parents.

National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs. National PTA, 1997.
     These six standards are voluntary guidelines to strengthen parent and family involvement on behalf of children in schools and other programs. Developed in 1997, the standards were designed to direct education leaders as they move from discussion to action in developing dynamic parent involvement programs that are meaningful, well planned, and long lasting. To order a copy, contact the National Educational Service at (800) 733-6786 or visit the website: http://www.nesonline.com.

Olsen, Glenn W. and Mary Lou Fuller, Editors. Home-School Relations: Working Successfully With Parents and Families. Allyn & Bacon, 2002.
     Home-School Relations examines the nature of the relationship between the contemporary family and the school. Teachers are urged to understand the families from which their students come. The editors and their contributors address poverty, advocacy, fathering, domestic violence, and diversity in culture, race, religion, and sexual orientation.

Parker, Faith Lamb et al. Parent Involvement in Head Start: Executive Summary of the Final Report. National Council of Jewish Women, 1997.
     This summary details the major findings of the Head Start Parent Involvement Project. The findings include the various ways Head Start parent involvement improves the lives of families, the types of people who get involved with Head Start, and who utilizes Head Start social services. Get a free copy at: http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/sph/popfam/pubs/docs/headstrt.pdf.

Partners in Decision Making. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 2000.
     This technical guide provides training for Head Start staff and parents on how to work together as a team, respecting each other’s unique contribution to the group process and to the Head Start program. Specifically, this guide focuses on creating a climate for decision-making partnerships, building trusting relationships among team members; and decision-making strategies. To order a copy, call 1-866-763-6481 (toll-free). Non-Head Start organizations may order this publication through the GPO.

Pawl, Jeree and Amy Dombro. Learning & Growing Together With Families: Partnering With Parents to Support Young Children's Development. Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families, 2001.
     The purpose of this book is to emphasize to the professional the importance of building strong relationships within families. The focus is less on child development and more on helping the professional understand their impact on the family and vice versa.

Petr, Christopher G. Building Family-School Partnerships to Improve Student Outcomes: A Primer for Educators. Scarecrow Press, 2003.
     This manual, mainly for educators, shows how to form more effective working partnerships with the families of the students they serve. It includes a workbook to assess current family-school partnering efforts by schools, and an action plan outline to set goals and strategies for family-school partnering.

Price, Sharon J. and Patrick C. McKenry. Families & Change: Coping with Stress. Sage, Inc., 2000.
     Researchers examine problems and issues that contemporary families confront including abuse, divorce and violence and the impact these phenomena have on the family. Therapeutic and preventive ideas that may be helpful to therapists, social workers and others who assist families are presented.

Reading and Writing Now! Promoting Language and Literacy in Head Start. National Head Start Association, 1999.
     The Head Start community and its partners are challenged to raise their expectations for the children they serve. Ten steps for promoting literacy in Head Start are provided. A Spanish version is available. For a copy, call (800) 687-5044.

Rockwell, Bob. Partnering With Parents : 29 Easy Programs to Involve Parents in the Early Learning Process. Gryphon House, 2003.
     Partnering With Parents has meeting plans for all curriculum areas, helpful tips and strategies, and easy ways to make the connection between home and school. Each meeting allows families to mix and mingle, and then to participate in activities that give them the opportunity to experience first-hand what their child is learning.

Ryan, Mark. Ask the Teacher: A Practitioner’s Guide to Teaching and Learning in the Diverse Classroom. Allyn & Bacon, 2002.
     Using a question-and-answer format, this book presents the teacher candidate with the opportunity to confront issues dealing with foundations, educational psychology, curriculum, methodology, or family involvement in the teaching process. Teacher candidates learn to reflect on classroom problems when they are confronted with curiosity, confusion, or uncertainty. This book is not for the passive reader, but for one who desires a contextual intellectual discourse-a dialogue that promotes a genuinely reflective understanding of the diverse classroom in the 21st Century.

Saifer, Steffen. Practical Solutions to Practically Every Problem, Revised Edition: The Early Childhood Teacher's Manual. Redleaf Press, 2003.
     The author offers suggestions about the classroom environment, getting along with co-workers and parents, and challenging and unusual behaviors. Each section offers preventative advice and what to do when problems do occur.

Shonkoff, Jack P. and Deborah A. Phillips. From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. National Academy Press, 2000.
     Early childhood experts evaluate the current science of early childhood development. Conclusions and recommendations are focused on four themes: All children are born wired for feelings and ready to learn; Early environments matter and nurturing relationships are essential; Society is changing and the needs of young children are not being addressed; Interactions among early childhood science, policy, and practice are problematic and demand dramatic rethinking.

Sims, Margaret. Designing Family Support Programs: Building Children, Family and Community Resilience. Common Ground Publishing Pty Ltd., 2002.
     There is a growing awareness of the importance of the early childhood years and the values of targeting resources towards children, families, and their communities. The author of this book argues that family support must work from family strengths and focus on empowerment. The book is targeted to practitioners in family support and policy makers responsible for designing and funding programs.

Stein, Melanie R. Scott and Ron J. Thorkildsen. Parent Involvement in Education: Insights and Applications from the Research. Phi Delta Kappa, 1999.
     In this comprehensive review of parent involvement, the authors examine more than 200 studies to uncover what the research says about prevailing attitudes toward parent involvement, how people practice parent involvement, and how parent involvement affects student achievement. They identify research-based applications educators can use to implement effective parent involvement practices, discuss how schools can involve special populations of parents, and describe common barriers to involving parents and what schools can do.

Sullivan, Debra Ren-etta. Learning to Lead: Effective Leadership Skills for Teachers of Young Children. Redleaf Press, 2003.
     Everyone who works with children is a teacher and a leader. Written for early childhood teachers at all levels, Learning to Lead combines accessible leadership theory and practice with important topics and issues such as human development, diversity, anti-bias, work with families, and social change. Each chapter is built around a combination of theories, examples, and reflection questions, all designed to prompt self-evaluation and personal leadership development.

Supporting Families in Crisis. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 2000.
     This technical training guide provides staff with a framework for understanding, identifying and responding to family crises. The guide also provides staff with the opportunity to explore safety issues posed by crisis situations; to learn strategies for reducing personal risk; and to learn strategies aimed at preventing crises in vulnerable families. To order a copy, call 1-866-763-6481 (toll-free) or access at: http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/supportingfam_crisis/index.htm.

Taylor, George R. Parental Involvement: A Practical Guide for Collaboration and Teamwork for Students with Disabilities. Charles C. Thomas Publisher, Limited, 2000.
     This text serves as a complete blueprint on how parents, teachers, and community agencies can work together to provide appropriate services and strategies to children with disabilities. Considerable attention has been given to parental involvement in education in the last decade, and the movement has empowered parents to be involved as partners with the schools and community agencies in the education of their children. This text provides a collaborative model which parents, teachers, and community agencies may employ to meet the needs of children with disabilities.

Trumbull, Elise, Carrie Rothstein-Fisch, Patricia M. Greenfield, and Blanca Quiroz. Bridging Cultures Between Home and School: A Guide for Teachers. (With a Special Focus on Immigrant Latino Families.) L. Erlbaum Associates and WestEd, 2001.
     Teaching students from a range of cultural backgrounds is made easier when teachers understand the cultural norms of both the mainstream culture of schools and the cultures of their students, particularly those from immigrant Latino backgrounds. Contents of the guide include chapters that describe the Bridging Cultures framework of individualism/collectivism for understanding cultures, why parent involvement is not always successful, learning what works cross-culturally through teacher research with ethnography as a research tool, and a reflection on the Bridging Cultures project.

Walker, Horatio and Nancy Barra. Together!: Parental Involvement Program to Engage and Involve Hispanic Parents in School - a Training Guide for School Staff. Intercultural Center for Research in Education, n.d.
     INCRE has developed a training kit for teachers and parent liaisons to engage and involve Hispanic parents in schools. The kit consists of 15 case studies and a Facilitator’s Guide. The case studies present common experiences of minority parents related to key factors that influence their involvement in their children’s education, both at school and at home. The materials can be used to sensitize teachers and school administrators to the experiences and perspectives of parents. For the kit, contact INCRE at http://www.incre.org/ or call 781-643-2142.

Walton, Elaine, Patricia Sanau-Beckler, and Marc Mannes, Editors. Balancing Family-Centered Services and Child Well-Being: Exploring Issues in Policy, Practice, Theory, and Research. Columbia University Press, 2001.
     Balancing Family-Centered Services has contributions from a wide range of professionals, including academic theorists, policy developers, and social workers. It explores the field of family-centered services from its development to its future.

Wittreich, Yvonne M., Evelyn F. Jacobi, and Iris E. Hogue. Parent Involvement: A Handbook of Ideas for Teachers, Schools and Communities. Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc., 2003.
     This comprehensive resource for all educators addresses the issues and concerns of parents. There is information on why parent involvement is needed, how it is accomplished, how to involve parents at every level, community partnerships, and family resource centers.

VIDEOS

Being a Single Parent. Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 2000.
     This videotape focuses on three different single parents: a divorced woman, an unmarried woman, and a man who raised two sons. Illustrates how parents cope with their roles as both parents and wage earners, and discusses the psychological impact of divorce on children. Available at: http://www.films.com/.

Design for Family Support. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 2000.
     This videotape supports the national training guide, A Design for Family Support. Available to Head Start Programs only. Viewers guide included. To order a copy, call 1-866-763-6481 (toll-free).

Discipline: Teaching Limits with Love. I Am Your Child, 2001.
     This videotape and companion booklet demonstrate to parents that discipline is not punishment, but a loving method of teaching behavioral self-control. Discusses why children desire limits and methods for setting them; management of parental emotions to avoid physical punishment; the importance of limits learned in childhood as a foundation for life. Available in English and Spanish at: http://www.iamyourchild.org.

Family Violence: Breaking the Chain. Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 2001.
     The effects of family violence on the abused and the abuser are examined. Date violence and the physical and emotional abuse of women are also discussed. The videotape stresses the need for safety from abuse, such as shelters, hotlines, and community assistance. For a copy go to: http://www.films.com/.

Heart of Learning: Unlocking the Key to Every Child’s Potential. Child Development Media, Inc., 1999.
     The Heart of Learning program illustrates the influence the first three years of life have on the way children think and feel and how they learn, handle stress, thrive, and function. Five stages of development from birth to age three are illustrated by following five families, representing a range of parenting models, ethnic backgrounds, and perspectives, through the pleasures and challenges of raising children. To order, call 800-405-8942 or go to: http://www.childdevmedia.com. Product number 61617.

How to Effectively Involve Parents in the Classroom. ASCD, 2002.
     The video shows how to support teacher efforts to effectively use parent volunteers in elementary classrooms. It offers strategies on enlisting and training parent volunteers to assist teachers by preparing materials, working with students, editing newsletters, and organizing events. Order through the web site: http://shop.ascd.org/ecomdefault.cfm.

Kids and Stress. Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 2000.
     This videotape examines the affects of stress on kids. Topics include recognition of symptoms; eating and sleeping disturbances; drug and alcohol use; and mental illness, depression, and suicide. Also offers suggestions on stress reduction, to assist adults in helping kids and enable kids to help themselves. For a copy go to: http://www.films.com/.

Linking Our Voices Facilitators Manual: A Training Program for Head Start Policy Councils. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 1996.
     This videotape-based program is designed to prepare current and prospective parents and community representatives to be effective Policy Council members. The training package includes a videotape, a facilitator’s manual, a set of participant workshop materials, and a set of overheads to make transparencies. The videotape is close-captioned. To order a copy, call 1-866-763-6481 (toll-free). English and Spanish versions.

Our Stories Keep Us Connected. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Head Start Bureau, 1990.
     This set, available separately, includes a videotape, parent guide and brochure. The videotape features six Head Start families across the country, and describes the creative ways the families support their children’s growth and learning. The Parent Guide contains sections on how young people grow and learn. Each component is available in English and Spanish. To order a copy, call 1-866-763-6481 (toll-free).