Every Teacher′s Guide to Working With Parents

About the Book

Transform teacher-parent relationships into a strategy for children's success!

While most parents strive to support their children with the best parenting practices, both teachers and parents often find themselves struggling to reconcile conflicts that can result in hostility, defensiveness, and communication breakdowns. In addition, negative public constructions of parents perpetuate this dilemma, particularly for those parents who are already marginalized through poverty or language barriers.

Working from research in three key areas-parent development and skills, social and historical family influences, and parent-school relationships-educator (and parent) Gwen L. Rudney offers teachers:

• Useful interpretations of parent beliefs and actions
• Compelling insight into what parents expect from teachers
• Key ideas that characterize the struggles that parents face while raising children
• Practical strategies designed to lead to community, trust-building, collaboration, gratitude, and friendship with parents

Straightforward chapters offer teachers everything from theory to commonsense strategies for working with parents to improve life and learning for all children.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments About the Author 1. Understanding the Lives of Parents: Why Do They Do Those Things They Do? Scenario: "If the Parents Would Just..." Demands and Decisions What Experts Have to Say Quick Tips on Important Issues Popular Literature A Theoretical Look at Parenting Styles So, What′s the Problem? What′s a Parent to Do? Avoid Extremes Focus on the Target Goals of Parenting Try Hard...and Keep Trying The Kids Have a Role Children Grow and Change Parents Change and Develop Too Helping Parents Who Have Special Struggles Troubled Parents Parents With Troubled Kids Parents Love Their Kids Additional Resources Books Web Sites 2. Collaborating With Parents: How Can Teachers Build Relationships That Work? Scenario: "Is It Going to Matter?" Understanding Complementary Spheres of Knowledge and Influence What Do Teachers Mean When They Say They Want Support? What Do Parents Want From Teachers? What Qualities in a Teacher Are Most Important to Parents? What Positive and Negative Experiences With Teachers Do Parents Remember? What Do Parents Do When a Child Dislikes the Teacher? What Do Parents Do When They Disagree With the Teacher? Professionalism...in a Personal Way Working With Parents: Key Strategies for Teachers Greet Parents With Respect and Interest in Their Children Solicit and Utilize Parent Questions, Advice, and Comments Think About Homework Develop "We-ness" Be Prepared With Interesting, Meaningful Information Be Honest...and Patient Be Professional...in a Personal Way Ask Not What the Parents Can Do for You but What You Can Do for the Parents Coping With Difficult Parents...or Parents With Difficulties Sometimes It′s a Difficult Situation Sometimes It′s the Parent Sometimes It′s the Student And Sometimes It′s the Teacher Conclusion Additional Resources Books Web Sites 3. Advocating for Parents: What Are Powerful Messages We Can Share? Scenario: "I Didn′t Know How to Say It" Message One: All of Us Have Parents...and Most of Us Become Them The Problem With Ethnocentrism: Like Me/Not Like Me Thinking The Problem With Assumptions A Gentle Reminder Message Two: Many Powerful Factors Create Misconceptions About Parenting Remembering the Past Media Influences Habits of Mind The Real Deal Message Three: Most Parents Are Good Enough Children′s Health and Happiness Time and Attention Encouraging Learning When There Are Problems Message Four: Successful Families Come in Different Shapes and Sizes Moms and Dads Single Parents Stepparents What the Children Want Message Five: It Really Does Take a Village to Raise a Child Members of the Village What the Village Can Do Message Six: Schools That Advocate for Families Reap Multiple Rewards Attitude and Atmosphere Buildings and Bridges Communication, Collaboration, and Competence Parting Words Additional Resources Books Web Sites References Index

About the Author :
Gwen L. Rudney, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Education at the University of Minnesota, Morris. A teacher of language arts and social studies at the middle school level for more than a decade, her teaching and research interests include classroom processes, teacher development, multicultural education, and working with parents. She has worked with student teachers and cooperating teachers in regional, national, and international settings. She is coauthor of Maximum Mentoring: An Action Guide for Teacher Trainers and Cooperating Teachers. She enjoys serving as the chair of the Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program. In 2004, she received the University of Minnesota, Morris, Alumni Teaching Award.

Review :
“Gives educators strategies to help involve, influence, and become partners with parents.  This book will be an asset to all teachers, especially beginning teachers in training, new teachers, and teachers who mentor other teachers. All teachers can be reminded of the important role we play in a family’s life.”   “Teachers can easily use the strategies to be more effective communicators.  Most importantly, the entire book is discussing a problem that all teachers have. .. We all have unique circumstances, but we all want the best for the students.  How we do this is creating an effective plan that works for each individual child.  This book’s strategies make it seem possible.”   “As I was reading it, I found things I could use in my next parent conference…The tone and style of the book really appealed to me.  It was a fast read because it was so practical and useful.  I wanted to keep reading to see what good information would come next."    “A practical and valuable tool to teachers and parents." “I will be recommending this book to my principal for staff in-service training…. I think all teachers should read this as a great refresher on working with parents.  I highlighted pieces of information on almost every page." “Parent user–friendly...not overloaded with professional jargon.”