Chapter 2: It's not Another Thing to do, it's Another Way to be

The goal of this chapter is to lay the foundation for the history and research behind the family and community engagement field. My hope is that readers will use this information to reflect upon the field's history and come to understand that family and community engagement is not just another thing teachers need to do, it's a way to be. If you don't know your students' families, you don't know your students. If you don't know your students, how are you going to reach them, motivate them, and be that important other adult in their life? I begin with the history of the field from my perspective starting in the 1960s and then highlight the evidence base that has emerged across this time.