Supporting Future Teachers in Facilitating Home-School Partnerships: Examining and Assessing Knowledge and Dispositions

• In Event: Deepening Our Understanding of the Contexts of Teaching

Abstract

Researchers have identified a multitude of benefits of having parents involved in their children’s education. Despite these benefits, many families are not involved in their children’s education in ways that lead to these outcomes. One solution to this problem is to provide practicing teachers with more expertise in developing home-school partnerships. This study examines practices used in a teacher preparation program to prepare teacher candidates for parent involvement in culturally diverse communities and suggests ways to assess teacher candidates’ knowledge of parent involvement strategies and dispositions towards parent involvement. The experiences that influence candidates’ knowledge and dispositions about parent involvement are analyzed and discussed.

Authors

• Alisa Hindin, Seton Hall University

• Mary Frances Mueller, Seton Hall University