A volume in Issues in Urban Education Series Editors Denise E.
Armstrong, Brock University and Brenda J. McMahon, Florida State
University This book is intended to examine in depth the issues
surrounding family and community involvement initially presented in
the book, Inclusion in Urban Educational Environments: Addressing
Issues of Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice. It contributes to
the ongoing conversations in academia as well as in the profession
around effectively engaging all families in their children's
education, and building relationships with diverse community
members around common educational goals. The book seeks to address
issues related to structure, culture, and the agency of individuals
and educational organizations. Structure refers to the external
forces that impose upon and attempt to define social action,
particularly, the institutional arrangements that schools, families
and communities have traditionally held in relationship to each
other and to the district, state and federal government. Education
is tied system of class relations that structures racism, classism
and sexism in response to the desire of dominant groups to preserve
their privilege and power. The consequence is the economic position
of low-income ethnic minority students, the population that we find
most frequently in urban schools, is merely reproduced. Students
and families from these backgrounds often feel alienated and
marginalized and thus unable to engage actively with schools that
are viewed as representing the interests of the white middle class.
Understanding the success and failures of school, family and
community partnerships also demands an examination of the cultural
factors that are involved. By looking at culture, both that of the
school and the community, we gain a better understanding of how the
ideologies, beliefs and values held by the various constituents
give rise to ideological conflicts that may impede collaborations.
Partnerships are driven by the individual actions or agency of
those involved. This collection demonstrates how actions or agency
are tied to structural and cultural factors, including racial,
ethnic, class, linguistic and gendered positions. Through the
contributions of a team of authors who examine family and community
involvement in education, a compelling argument is made for the
need to attend to issues of structure, culture, and agency.
Typically applied to school reform and change issues, this
framework adds a new perspective to the family and community
involvement literature, and may help to explain why strong
family-school-community partnerships are not more widespread
despite the abundance of literature that details the benefits of
partnering for students, school personnel and their partners. By
looking at the structures in the schools, districts and broader
community that impact family and community involvement, the
organizational cultures that support or limit their involvement,
and the ability for students, their families, the community members
and school personnel to make a difference in education, the book
not only demonstrates the importance of these elements, but how
they work together or against each other. Most importantly, the
book illustrates how authentic partnerships - characterized by
respectful, two-way communication that leads to shared goals and
mutually beneficial relationships - can be created and maintained.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
(1)
(1)
