Chapter 9: Involving Parents and Communities

I really like the statistics in the beginning of the chapter. Students are more likely to achieve in school if the student's family is able to create a home environment that encourages learning, express high (but realistic) expectations of children's achievements, and become involved in children's education at school and in the community. Doing these things benefits students by increasing their grades and test scores, better attendance, and higher graduation rates. Some key aspects for effective parent-school relations are establishing continuity between home and school, monitoring students' work (both the parent and the teacher), directing children toward constructive learning outside the school, and assisting directly in school's effort to improve.