March 2008 Announcement
Dear FINE Member,
In the last FINE newsletter, we told you about some exciting new developments
at FINE and Harvard Family Research Project. In this month's newsletter, we
share some of our new resources and offer a sneak preview of our upcoming issue
of The Evaluation Exchange on Building the Future of Family Involvement.
The Evaluation Exchange issue and our other new resources place family
involvement within a framework of complementary learning. A complementary learning
approach integrates school and nonschool supports in an aligned and systemic
way to promote educational success for all children and youth. Within this framework,
family involvement reaches across settings and time, and plays many essential
roles. Our new and upcoming resources illustrate these roles.
As always, the newsletter also features recent research and resources from
the field. This month's new resources include a range of topics such as family
involvement in out-of-school time, school–family–community partnerships,
and English language learners.
New From FINE
- Evaluation Exchange
Sneak Peek
Read a sneak peek of an article from the upcoming issue of The Evaluation
Exchange on family involvement, due out later this spring. In the article,
entitled “Building the Field,” Harvard Family Research Project
talks to field leaders Kathy Hoover-Dempsey, M. Elena Lopez, Karen Mapp,
Eva Patrikakou, and Sam Redding about the current state of the family involvement
field and promising areas for future research.
- Building the Future of Family
Involvement
The upcoming double issue of The Evaluation Exchange examines the
current state and future directions for the family involvement field in
research, policy, and practice. Featuring innovative initiatives, new evaluation
approaches and findings, and interviews with field leaders, the issue is
designed to spark conversation about where the field is today and where
it needs to go in the future. To sign up to receive The Evaluation Exchange
for free in print or online, visit our subscription
center.
New From HFRP
- Complementary
Learning in Action
As complementary learning takes root across the country, Complementary
Learning in Action shares innovative examples and lessons learned from
those initiatives. This series documents the ways that diverse cities, counties,
and states are employing complementary learning approaches to serve children
across ages and across settings. It highlights key themes and emerging strategies
to help build knowledge and inform others in the field.
- Complementary
Learning: Recommended and Related Reading
Designed as a resource for professionals from many backgrounds to learn
about promising ideas and approaches in the field of complementary learning,
this annotated bibliography compiles recent publications on complementary
learning and related concepts, demonstrating a growing national momentum
for connected nonschool supports. As part of HFRP's ongoing efforts to inform
and facilitate dialogue, we will update the bibliography as new resources
become available.
- After
School Programs in the 21st Century
The latest Issues and Opportunities in Out-of-School Time Evaluation
research brief draws on seminal research and evaluation studies to address
two primary questions: (1) Does participation in after school programs make
a difference, and if so, (2) what conditions are necessary to achieve positive
results? The brief concludes with a set of questions to spur conversation
about the evolving role of after school in efforts to expand time and opportunities
for children and youth in the 21st century.
Articles and Reports
- “Family
Valued”
The winter issue of Ed. Magazine, the magazine of the Harvard Graduate
School of Education, features HFRP founder and director Heather Weiss. In
an article about increasing family engagement in schools, Weiss talks about
the evidence base supporting family involvement at all levels of schooling.
- Our
Children
The February/March issue of the National PTA's Our Children magazine
addresses the varied aspects of father and other male involvement in education
in four articles. From general male involvement to more specific Latino
father involvement in the PTA, the articles discuss the unique challenges
that schools and men face in becoming involved as well as suggestions for
overcoming those challenges.
-
Promoting ELL Parental Involvement
A recent policy brief released by the Great Lakes Center for Education
Research and Practice analyzes factors related to parent involvement among
English Language Learners in the United States. The authors recommend a
strength-based approach to building family involvement programs in ELL communities
and encourage policymakers to support culturally relevant and nontraditional
programs as well as community-based parent programs and appropriate teacher
preparation.
- Limited
English Proficient/Immigrant Families and Early Child Care
The Center for Law and Social Policy has published findings from a study
of the state plans of Child Care and Development Block Grant recipients
across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report includes a
description of barriers that prevent children of immigrants from participating
in quality early child care and education as well as recommendations for
state policy makers to address such barriers.
-
Out-of-School Activities and Family Meal Time
A recent brief from Child Trends highlights findings from a study funded
by the National 4-H Council on effective ways to promote positive child
and youth development. Findings suggest that out-of-school time activities
and shared family mealtime play an important role in positive youth development,
defined in this article by the Five C's: competence, confidence, connection,
character, and character/compassion.
- Leveraging
Community Resources
Another brief from Child Trends discusses the benefits that out-of-school
time programs can gain from community partnerships. The brief offers suggestions
for programs wishing to identify community resources. It also suggests partnership-building
strategies, one of which is encouraging family involvement.
- Building
New Relationships With Schools
Collaborative Communications Group and the Kettering Foundation recently
released a report of findings from research on five organizations that work
to connect schools and communities. Overall findings suggest that community-based
organizations can help strengthen their communities' educational policy
and practice schools through conversation-based engagement within their
communities.
Websites and Tool Kits
-
Building the Parent–Teacher Relationship
As part of Teacher Magazine's online “Ask the Mentor”
series, Anne T. Henderson and Karen L. Mapp, co-authors of Beyond the
Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family–School Partnerships, will
answer questions about how teachers can strengthen relationships with parents.
Questions are currently being accepted at the link above. (Please note that
you will need to register for free access to this resource.)
- Spanish Infant
and Toddler Parent Education Handouts
Washington Learning Systems has released Spanish-language versions of their
parent–child activity materials for children from birth to age 3 and
the adults who care for them. The handouts contain 20 home and community
activities related to early language and literacy development. The handouts
are available for download on the WLS website through the Free Parent Education
Handouts link.
- Public
School Insights
This month marks the beginning of a new online community of public school
educators, parents, and policy makers. The new Public School Insights website
offers resources and space for community members to share ideas with each
other, encouraging the exchange of successful practices in public education.
Upcoming Events
- Parents
as Teachers Annual Conference
Parents as Teachers will host its 8th annual conference April 1–3
in St. Louis, Missouri. Practitioners in parent education, social service
work, and early childhood care and education will share knowledge and resources
related to a range of relevant topics, including school readiness, child
mental health, and working with diverse families.
- National
Network of Partnership Schools: District Leadership Institute
The NNPS will sponsor a 2-day workshop April 17–18 in Baltimore, Maryland.
The workshop is intended for district facilitators who are or will be providing
direct services to schools. Attendees will learn how to apply the NNPS research-based
model to support schools in building sustainable family and community partnerships.
- What's
Love Got to Do with It? The Heart of School Readiness and Success
The University of Pittsburgh will host the Annual Family Support Conference
on June 4 in Pittsburgh. The conference, now in its 14th year, will bring
together parents, practitioners, and researchers to share ideas related
to school readiness and child academic outcomes.
- Child
and Family Programs and Policy
Bridgewater State College, in conjunction with its School of Arts and Sciences
and the Department of Social Work, will host a National Research Conference
on Child and Family Programs and Policy in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, July
10–11. The conference will bring together researchers, practitioners,
and policymakers to discuss promising research findings related to child
and family programs, policy, preventive programs, and interventions.
Program Opportunity
Contact Us
If you experience a problem reading this newsletter or have questions and
comments concerning our work, we would love to hear from you. Please send an
email to fine@gse.harvard.edu.
Enjoy!
The FINE Team at Harvard Family Research Project
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