Examining Family Engagement Curricula in Hawai‘i Elementary Educator Preparation Programs: Case Study of Three Institutions

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 11:40 am Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Informing and Improving Preservice and In-Service Teachers' Engagement With Families (Table 8)

Abstract

This study examined how family engagement content was taught in three Hawai‘i educator preparation programs. While 50 years of research shows numerous benefits of effective family engagement for school, educators, families, students, and communities, it is often taught sporadically and superficially in educator preparation programs. New teachers consistently report challenges with understanding how to build relationships with their students’ families, especially those from backgrounds different than their own. This is especially concerning in Hawai‘i, which is home to people from all over the world. Utilizing interview and document analysis data, I employed the Dual Capacity-Building Framework to explore how and to what extent programs integrated FE content into their curriculum and what aspects of family engagement were emphasized.

Author

• Victoria Timmerman, Hawaii Statewide Family Engagement Center