Question 1: In contrast to the traditional ways that educators relate to families, describe four ways that collaborative educators are connecting with families. Which specific changes in these teacher beliefs and practices of interacting with their students’ families seem most different from the teacher practices that you or your family experienced during your elementary and high school years of schooling?
Question 2: What impact do our lived experiences have on the development of our thinking about family–school relating? What types of experiences should we create for ourselves to develop more comfort with the collaboration paradigm?
Question 3: Describe an ideal parent–teacher relationship. Discuss five things a teacher can do to encourage such a relationship. Discuss five ways a parent can work with the school.
Question 4: Consider your beliefs and value system. What beliefs might be blocks to communication with parents, particularly those with a different value system?
Question 5: Thinking about diverse family forms and compositions, have you ever heard anyone make a negative comment about a particular family form or family structure? If so, what was it? How did it affect you?
Question 6: Identify incidences of disagreement among parents, the community, and the school or school system either in your home community or the community in which you are observing educational practices. What are the issues in conflict? How are children’s interests represented? Are the interests of certain parent and community groups attended to more than are others? How are the disagreements resolved?
Question 7: Discuss the guidelines related to home visits. How can you keep them positive and professional?
Question 8: Choose one of the problems a parent of an exceptional child may encounter and describe how you as a professional would try to help that parent. Examples may include a parent who is an English language learner or one who has a disability as well.
Question 9: Ask two friends to think about a person they consider a good listener. Ask them to describe the qualities this person demonstrates as a good listener. Make a list of these qualities and compare them with what you know about yourself as a listener.
Question 10: Identify one exemplar of home–school partnerships (you can use your textbooks if desired). How could you use the information from that exemplar and adapt it to your current (or future) school? What resources would you need to initiate such a project? Whom would you call on for support?
Question 11: What are ways that teachers/school staff can facilitate communication with children and families about their challenges without intimating, embarrassing, and alienating them?
Question 12: How would you handle staff or co-worker resistance to family involvement activities?
Question 13: Locate and read an article from a scholarly journal that focuses on helping families who are victims of abuse. Share what you have learned.
Question 14: If you could start an advocacy organization tomorrow, on what issue would you focus your efforts? How can you work to improve this issue at the school or community level?