You are here

Involving Latino Families in Schools
Share
Share

Involving Latino Families in Schools
Raising Student Achievement Through Home-School Partnerships



March 2004 | 160 pages | Corwin

"Anyone involved in preservice training for future and present classroom teachers should read this book. Both the content and context of the book are practical, timely, and necessary as our country and classrooms become more diverse."
Michele Dean, Principal
Montalvo Elementary School, Ventura, CA

Raise school attendance, reduce dropout rates, and improve academic performance of Latino students!

Often marginalized by poverty, linguistic isolation, or prejudice, Latino students face many academic obstacles. And while research has shown that parental involvement plays a key role in academic achievement, most schools have failed to modify their parent involvement programs to address social and cultural realities of Latino families.

Involving Latino Families in Schools provides tools and strategies for including Latino parents in developing sustained academic improvement. Sharing numerous first person success stories, author Concha Delgado Gaitan stresses three conditions of increased parental participation: connecting to families, sharing information with parents, and supporting continued parental involvement.

Offering easily applied techniques for cultivating communication, this practical handbook examines

  • Latino families and their educational aspirations for their children
  • The communication systems needed between schools and Latino families
  • How Latino families can assist their children at home
  • Techniques to foster Latino parent involvement
  • How to organize schoolwide parent involvement programs

Through suggested activities, case examples, and vignettes, the author provides insights and instruction for planning, designing, and implementing parental participation programs that enhance the classroom curriculum and effectively engage Latino students.

Designed primarily for elementary and secondary school principals and teachers, this innovative text is also an indispensable resource for district-level administrators.


 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
1. Life in Latino Families
Connecting

 
Sharing Information

 
Across Generations of Latinos

 
Staying Involved

 
Summary

 
 
2. Connecting Latino Parents to the Classroom
Understanding Parent Involvement

 
 
3. Communicating Across the Home-School Border
Informal Verbal Contacts With Parents

 
Sharing Information

 
Visiting Families

 
Focus Groups

 
Written Correspondence

 
Language at Meetings

 
Staying Involved

 
Summary

 
 
4. Instructing Parents to Teach at Home
Connecting

 
Sharing Information

 
Staying Involved

 
Mentoring Project

 
Summary

 
 
5. Involving Families in the Life of the School
Connecting

 
Sharing Information

 
Parents as Advocates

 
Home Experiences in the Classroom

 
Parent Volunteers in the School

 
Staying Involved

 
Summary

 
 
6. Preparing Latino Students for Higher Education
Connecting

 
Sharing Information

 
Summary

 
 
7. Designing Schoolwide Parent-Involvement Programs
Connecting

 
Sharing Information

 
Staying Involved

 
Summary

 
 
8. Forming School-Family-Community Partnerships
National Networking for Assisting Local Schools

 
Grassroots Organizing for Latino Parent Involvement

 
College Track Community Program

 
Summary

 
 
Educational and Cultural Informational and Support Resources
 
Cited and Suggested References
 
Index

Anyone involved in preservice training for future and present classroom teachers should read this book. Both the content and context of the book are practical, timely, and necessary as our country and classrooms become more diverse.

Michele Dean, Principal
Montalvo Elementary School, Ventura, CA

"Provides a great basic understanding of Latino cultures and their impact on schooling, with suggestions that are easy to implement, and personal vignettes provided by principals, parents, teachers, community leaders, and Latino students."

Principal, May/June 2006
Key features
  • Addresses important piece of NCLB--to involve parents in their child's education
  • Few resources that address the needs of Latino parents and students
  • Aimed at K-12 educators
  • Will address the differing needs of ELLs as well as second and third generation Latino families

Sample Materials & Chapters

Preface

Chapter 1: Life in Latino Families