abstract: During the winter semester of 2018, I conducted a series of four workshops to teach parents (n = 6) strategies that could be used from home with their fourth-grade struggling readers. This study was situated in an elementary school located in North Las Vegas, NV. I invited students that scored two or more years below grade level, as indicated by the STAR Reading Assessment (a grade equivalency assessment). The purpose of this study focused on how family engagement resulting from the implementation of four small group workshops delivered by the teacher (and researcher) could affect reading performance of students who were below grade level. This mixed-methods action research study was informed by Bourdieu’s Theory of Cultural Capital (1977), Bandura’s Theory of Self-efficacy (1986), and school, family, and community partnership models. Quantitative data included pre- and post-intervention parent surveys, post-intervention student surveys, and pre- and post-intervention student reading assessments. Qualitative data included field notes and post-intervention parent interviews. A repeated-measure t-test found the difference between student pre- and post-assessment to be statistically significant, t(9) = -3.38, p = 0.008. Findings also indicated that parents utilized the skills learned, increased their self-efficacy in regards to family involvement, and overcame obstacles. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2019

The purpose of this study was to describe what happens when parents and children are invited to participate in a child-parent-teacher partnership which mutually supports the child's literacy development during transition into first grade. Questions which helped focus the study were: How do child-parent-teacher partnerships develop? How are participant's understandings and expectations about literacy affected and what is their influence on literacy development? What kind of changes related to involvement with literacy occur during the transition period? What are the conditions under which partnerships were promoted or impeded? Constructivist theory and ecological theory of human development provided the theoretical foundation for the study. Families from the researcher's classroom were invited to participate in child-parent-teacher partnerships. Eight families participated in the study. A case study design was used to describe the partnership process. Data collection consisted of three family surveys, child and parent journals, researcher folios, children's work samples, school records, written and verbal correspondences, unstructured interviews, and audio taped at home child-parent work sessions. Data analysis followed grounded theory methodology. Analysis revealed a uniqueness to each family and each child-parent-teacher relationship. Child-parent-teacher partnerships developed with seven of the eight participatory families. One surprising partnership developed without a positive parent-teacher relationship. The eighth intended partnership failed to emerge. Findings indicate the eight characteristics of partnership development are: interest and willingness to participate; shared purpose; reciprocal flexibility; ability and willingness to negotiate and compromise; unconditional commitment; mutual respect; effective communication; and availability of curriculum materials. Three benefits of child-parent-teacher partnerships are: enhanced literacy development; enriched parental understanding, expectation and involvement; and more informed child-parent-teacher communication. / Ph. D.

The aim of this study was to examine the management of parent involvement in historically disadvantaged secondary schools in Tshwane West district, Gauteng. A literature study was undertaken to investigate the existing theories and models of parent involvement as well as their practical application. A literature study was also done to explore the historical development of the management of parent involvement in South Africa. The advantages of and barriers to parent involvement were also investigated through the review of both local and international literature. An interpretive, qualitative approach was adopted and an investigation of the management of parent involvement was conducted in three of the selected historically disadvantaged secondary schools in Tshwane West district, Gauteng. In-depth interviews were conducted with principals and focus-group interviews were held with three teachers as well as three members of the School Governing Bodies of each of the three selected schools. The overall impression was that the extent of parent involvement in the education of their children was very minimal due to the inability of the School Management Teams, especially school principals, to initiate, facilitate and sustain organisational structures and management processes which would ensure the effective involvement of parents in the education of their children. As a result of those findings, it was realised that a need existed to equip members of the management teams, including school principals, with appropriate skills that would assist in the implementation and sustenance of effective parent involvement programmes. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The aim of this study was to examine the management of parent involvement in historically disadvantaged secondary schools in Tshwane West district, Gauteng. A literature study was undertaken to investigate the existing theories and models of parent involvement as well as their practical application. A literature study was also done to explore the historical development of the management of parent involvement in South Africa. The advantages of and barriers to parent involvement were also investigated through the review of both local and international literature. An interpretive, qualitative approach was adopted and an investigation of the management of parent involvement was conducted in three of the selected historically disadvantaged secondary schools in Tshwane West district, Gauteng. In-depth interviews were conducted with principals and focus-group interviews were held with three teachers as well as three members of the School Governing Bodies of each of the three selected schools. The overall impression was that the extent of parent involvement in the education of their children was very minimal due to the inability of the School Management Teams, especially school principals, to initiate, facilitate and sustain organisational structures and management processes which would ensure the effective involvement of parents in the education of their children. As a result of those findings, it was realised that a need existed to equip members of the management teams, including school principals, with appropriate skills that would assist in the implementation and sustenance of effective parent involvement programmes. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)