Preparing Educators to Engage Parents and Families

Although the relationship between parents and educators has often been characterized as oppositional and political (Cutler, 2000; Horvat, Weininger, & Lareau, 2003; Lareau, 2000; Lightfoot, 2004), significant evidence points to the importance of this relationship in creating strong school communities and improving learning outcomes for students. Although barriers to strong home–school relationships have always existed, recent developments—such as technology’s use in learning, the changing curriculum, and increased pressures for parents—have created new barriers to effective parent–educator relationships that support student learning. In addition, class, race, and language barriers present special challenges to creating and sustaining these relationships. It is increasingly important for educators to have the knowledge and skill to engage parents.