Abstract
As can be seen from Chap. 1, the literature on the involvement of parents in the education of their children encompasses extensive research indicating its effectiveness, the reported value given to it by both educators and parents, and a substantial collection of theoretical models and publications providing guidance about its implementation. The reality of parental involvement is, however, quite different. Henderson and Berla (1994) summarized the situation succinctly when they stated, “The benefits of effective collaborations and how to do them are well documented across all the age ranges of schooling. Still they are not in widespread practice” (p. 18). Sixteen years later, this situation has not substantially changed. The current reality is that there is considerable diversity in the type and degree of parental involvement, with modal practice being at the more traditional end of the spectrum that focuses on a one directional flow of support from parents to schools. The typical approach to parental involvement reflects a lack of understanding, guiding framework, and professional training, which not surprisingly results in variable effectiveness (Hornby, 2000; Lueder, 2000; Pomerantz, Moorman, & Litwack, 2007).
*Also contributed to by Rayleen Lafaele.
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Hornby, G. (2011). Barriers to Parental Involvement. In: Parental Involvement in Childhood Education. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8379-4_2
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