DEPARTMENT: Department of Teacher Education SEMESTER: Summer, 2000
COURSE DESIGNATOR & NUMBER: CICE 538 SEMESTER HOURS: 3
CATALOG DESCRIPTION
Emphasis on continuous family-school
teamwork efforts. Attention given to family background and social
context. Effective family involvement programs/models and current
research underscoring the dynamic interaction between families and schools
on the academic success of pre-k through grade 8 students.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
On completion of the course, students
will:
1. Analyze parental impact on children’s learning and academic success from pre-k through grade eight.
2. Critique the impact of culture, family structure, and socio-economic status (SES) on parents’ involvement in children’s education and children’s academic success trajectory.
3. Differentiate between forms of family involvement in schools and children’s education.
4. Compare and contrast various approaches to family involvement in children’s education.
5. Distinguish among different models of family support programs for school success.
6. Critique family involvement programs in terms of developmental appropriateness, cultural competence and awareness, sensitivity to family structure and demographics.
7. Demonstrate the necessary skills, understanding, and sensitivity to communicate effectively with parents from different backgrounds and social contexts.
TEXTS
Funkhouser, J. E. and Gonzales, M.
R. (1998). Family involvement in children’s education: Successful local
approaches. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational
Research and Improvement.
Gestwicki, C. (2000). Home, school, and community relations. Albany, NY: Delmar.
A parents’ guide: The educational rights of students with disabilities. (1998). Springfield, IL: Illinois State Board of Education.
ATTENDANCE AND GRADING
Students are allowed one absence--no
questions asked. After that, excused absences are only those accompanied
by a medical excuse signed by a doctor. Showing up more than 15 minutes
late without a signed excuse will be considered an unexcused absence.
100 total points calculated as
follows:
Grades calculated as follows:
Class Participation (includes attendance)
20
A 93 – 100
Class Discussion Leader
10
B 85 - 92
Reading Reflections
20
C 77 – 84
Final Project (Option 1 or 2)
50
D 69 - 76
F less than 68
ASSIGNMENTS
Class Participation (18 pts.)
Students are expected to complete
all reading assignments and to contribute actively and consistently in
class discussions. Attendance will be factored into your class participation
score.
Class Discussion Leader (8 pts.)
Students will take responsibility
for leading the class discussion of assigned readings for a particular
week. Students are encouraged to develop small-group activities and
other methods that encourage active participation, interaction, and reflection.
Reading Reflections (24 pts.)
At the start of each class meeting,
students will turn in page-length essays (double-spaced, 12-pt font, 1-inch
margins on all sides) addressing the following…
1. 1-2 important ideas from this
week’s readings are…
2. 1-2 things I learned about myself
or teaching and schools are…
3. 1-2 questions I have based on
this week’s readings are…
Final Project: Option 1—Profile of School-Parent
Partnership (50 pts.)
Students will interview teachers,
parents, and/or administrators from a particular school or a particular
district, and write an 8-10 page essay (double-spaced, 12-pt font, 1-inch
margins on all sides) using the format in Appendix A (Profiles of Successful
Partnerships) in Family Involvement in Children’s Education. Papers
will be presented during the last day of class.
Final Project: Option 2—Research Paper
(50 pts.)
Students will write an 8-10 page
paper (double-spaced, 12-pt font, 1-inch margins on all sides) exploring
a particular aspect of family involvement in children’s education, a particular
model of parent/school collaboration or parent involvement (e.g., Comer),
a synthesis of research and/or program models geared toward working effectively
with particular groups of parents (e.g., single parents, young parents,
parents who don’t speak English), and so on. Paper topics must be
approved by June 22. Research papers will be presented during the
last day of class.
CALENDAR
WEEK 1:
JUNE 13
Course description
and details
JUNE 15
Gestwicki, Ch.
1: Families Today
Gestwicki, Ch.
2: Parenting
Gestwicki, Ch.
3: A Day with Two Families—Diversity of Experience
WEEK 2:
JUNE 20
Gestwicki, Ch.
4: What is Parent Involvement?
Gestwicki, Ch.
5: Benefits of Teacher-Family Partnerships…
Gestwicki, Ch.
6: Potential Barriers to Teacher-Family Partnerships
Gestwicki, Ch.
7: Foundations of a Successful Partnership
JUNE 22
Funkhouser, Resources
for Involving Families in Education
Funkhouser, Successful
Local Approaches to Family Involvement…
WEEK 3:
JUNE 27
Funkhouser, Appendix
A: Profiles of Successful Partnerships
Gestwicki, Ch.
8: At the Beginning with Parents and Children
Gestwicki, Ch.
9: Informal Communication with Parents
JUNE 29
Gestwicki, Ch.
10: Parent-Teacher Conferences
Gestwicki, Ch.
11: Home Visits with Parents and Children
WEEK 4:
JULY 4 – NO CLASS
(Independence Day)
JULY 6
Gestwicki, Ch.
12: Parents in a Classroom
Gestwicki, Ch.
13: Parents in Meetings
Gestwicki, Ch.
14: Teachers and Parents in the Community
WEEK 5:
JULY 11
Gestwicki, Ch
15: Working with Families from Diverse Backgrounds
Gestwicki, Ch.16:
Working with Parents in Particular Circumstances
In-class presentations
JULY 13
Gestwicki, Ch.
17: Working to Resolve Troublesome Attitudes and Behaviors
Gestwicki, Ch.
18: Looking at Parent-Involvement Programs that Work
In-class presentations
go to lecture notes - Understanding the Oppression of Parents
go to lecture notes - Parenting Education and Family Support