Teachers Relearning Parents: New Ideas for Authentic Teacher-Parent Relationships

• In Event: Building Culturally Responsive Teacher Communities Through Collaborative Reflection

Abstract

Over the years, schools have developed universally accepted and uniformly-practiced ways of involving parents. While schools have become increasingly diverse, these practices, technical in nature, have not become adaptive to the changing cultural, linguistic, ethnic and racial differences of students. As schools explore new ways of engaging families, teachers will be central in this work. This study explores the experiences of five urban teachers and their experiences engaging families. Teachers in this study emphasize two primary elements in their evolving work with families: 1) they must first unlearn and shed the "universal truths" and uncontested ideas about parent involvement, 2) develop a radically new mindset and belief system about families, and 3) relearn the power and potential of teacher-parent collaboration.

Author

• Soo Hong, Wellesley College