School social workers can foster partnerships between family and school. Both the home environment and the amount of parent involvement can add or detract from educational productivity for students. Aspirations for excellence have a better chance if the social worker helps to forge relationships between families, communities and schools. (VM)

Two mothers of pupils in the Holyoke School System revitalized flagging parent involvement efforts with a program, the City-Wide Parent Participation Council, that includes the following strategies: (1) membership, voting, and elections; (2) scheduling; (3) minority outreach; (4) communications staff and office; (5) publicity; and (6) special…

Argues that reading aloud to teenagers can provide some of the same benefits that lap reading gives to younger children. (FL)

Presents new research which takes advantage of two nationally representative data bases. Results show that mother's employment and living in a one-parent family can have negative effects on school achievement, but that these effects differ by age, race, and family structure. Results also show the importance of mediating variables such as income…

Provides a conceptual and methodological critique of Milne's article (SO515520). Provides an alternative analysis of the data, showing that structural, attitudinal, and socioeconomic determinants of mother's employment substantially diminish the effects noted by Milne. (JDH)

Provides a rebuttal and final rejoinder to the articles by Milne and Heyns. Recognizes problems with the data base and provides additional analyses to demonstrate the effects reported in the original article. (JDH)

Questions theoretical assumptions underlying current provision of Australian early childhood distance education and proposes an alternative attitudinal base dependent on these assumptions: There are differences in settings, role, and role relationships in home-based programs; parent is main educator; and teachers' role and interpersonal skills…

Lists sources of stress among Southeast Asian refugees as: (1) the Vietnam war and evacuation; (2) underemployment and unemployment; (3) cultural differences; (4) changing roles within the family; and (5) social disruption or inadequate social ties. Also details major groups at risk, correlations between stress and children's age on migrating, and…

Examines demographic trends relevant to change in gender and parenting roles. Reviews gender differences in parenting in traditional and nontraditional family arrangements. Examines current social explanations of gender differences in parenting, and argues for a model drawing on bio-evolutionary theory and the neurosciences. (CMG)

Contributors offer suggestions concerning parents as reading stimulators, book discussions, a test bank for the secondary school/college reading lab, standardized reading tests, television reading, plagiarism, vocabulary development, and book reports. (FL)

Does homework work? Homework is the cause of more friction between school and home than any other aspect of education and becomes the prime battlefield when schools, families, and communities view one another as adversaries. This comprehensive third edition tackles all the tough questions: What's the right amount of homework? What role should…

Noting that raising well-behaved, considerate children requires learning how to balance firm discipline with equal doses of love and humor, this book provides parents with effective and realistic solutions to countless parenting challenges. The strategies are organized into the following categories: (1) "Avoid Power Struggles"; (2) "Minimize Daily…

Distributed by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education, and Health and Human Services, this Spanish-language pamphlet provides parents with information and advice about their infants in the fifth month of life. Following a brief description of developmental characteristics at this age, the pamphlet offers information on topics including…

This document is comprised of the 30 issues of volume 2 of learning guides for parents providing suggestions regarding activities to assist their kindergarten and first grade children be successful in school. Each learning guide is organized similarly and contains: (1) a message to parents regarding their role in helping their children succeed;…

Distributed by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education, and Health and Human Services, this Spanish-language pamphlet provides parents with information and advice about their infants in the fourth month of life. Following a brief description of developmental characteristics at this age, the pamphlet offers information on topics including…