M.Ed. (Education Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The study was conducted in the backdrop of Section 24(1)(a) of the South African Schools Act (SASA) 84 of 1996 which promulgated that parents should be involved in the education of their children. To fulfil this requirement, each school is expected to have a legally constituted School Governing Body (SGB) as part of school governance. The involvement of the SGB does not exclude parents involving themselves in school activities as individuals but as organised groups geared towards working on a specific project of the school. Involvement also implies helping the child at home. The study investigated the extent to which black parents involve themselves in school activities as envisaged by the SASA. Conceptual literature relating to issues of parental involvement in school was reviewed. Specifically the concept parent/parental involvement as it relates to black parents was explored. Factors promoting or hindering parental involvement in school were also examined. The research is qualitative. Participants included principals, teachers, learners and chairpersons of school governing bodies of ten selected schools in the major townships of Port Elizabeth. Views and experiences of participants were captured and explained through in-depth interviews and observations. Results are discussed in relation to the relevant literature, allowing grounded theory to emerge. What emerged was a desperate situation of non-involvement of black parents in school activities largely because of the failure of the Department of Education (DoE) to capacitate all parties involved in strategies to involve parents in school. The potential for generalizability and transferability is discussed in the report and possible intervention strategies are recommended at micro- and macro-levels. The study demonstrates that the DoE needs to follow up on its policies to ensure that the envisaged change is realized.

M. Ed. / The aim of the study was to identify factors that hinder collaboration between the school and the families and developing strategies to overcome those barriers. Perspectives on schoolfamily collaboration and theoretical framework were also discussed. A qualitative investigation was explored. It was approached using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model. This model helps us to understand the complexity of the family as a system and how the individual child functions within the family and society. Data was obtained by means of individual and focus groups interviews with educators, parents and school management team at a school located at an informal settlement in South Africa. The study revealed that families, school management team and educators regard collaboration as vital for the learners’ academic success. The study also revealed barriers occurring at different levels, namely: the family, schools and community. Recommendations based on the findings were made: Develop involvement strategies that are appropriate to the school’s community setting for example informal settlements. Teacher training should equip educators with skills for initiating collaboration. Department of Education together with the school governing body should collaborate in empowering educators and parents.

To evaluate activities that effect better parent-teacher cooperation in relation to child development and welfare is the purpose of this study. The five types of activities about which information was desired included personal conferences, communication, parent-teacher association, visitation, and parental education.

"It is the purpose of this study to present the organizational, operational, constitutional, and financial structures of eight junior high school band and music clubs of Tampa, Florida. A complete analysis and interpretation will be made of these structures. The following chapter will include the inner workings of these clubs"--Introduction. / "August, 1956." / Typescript. / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music Education." / Advisor: Robert L. Briggs, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 75).

"It is within the framework of the objects of the Parent-Teacher Association that the writer of this paper has projected his thinking about what might be done to promote parent-teacher understanding. The main purpose to be served by the paper is, therefore, that of projecting a concrete plan toward improvement of the school through making proper use of the Parent-Teacher Association Local Unit. At Cherry Lake School, it appears that the Local Unit of the Parent-Teacher Association has not met in full its first obligation, viz., to project a program for building real understanding among the parents and teachers concerned. Without attempting to fix blame on either parents or teachers, the writer, within the limits of the paper, will analyze the situation briefly and project in as concrete a form as is possible the next steps that might be taken. In other words, the focus of the paper will be that of projecting a concrete yet flexible plan that will be useful in promoting cooperative efforts on the part of parents and teachers during the school year 1955-56"--Introduction. / "August, 1955." / Typescript. / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science." / Advisor: W. Edwards, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 23-24).

Teacher-parent partnerships in education are crucial when responding to the challenges of the 21st century. As teachers and parents work collaboratively to enhance children's development, the need for building productive alliances becomes essential. The link between these institutions takes on added significance as parents and teachers of students with disabilities work together as partners. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the ranking of selected values and beliefs about child development by parents and teachers of students with disabilities. The sample was comprised of 10 teachers considered out of field, teaching in exceptional education classrooms and 10 mothers whose children with disabilities were receiving services in special education classrooms. Participants were interviewed individually using a Q-sort rank and order task. The Q-sort involved a set of 15 cards, which were presented to the participants. Each card listed a characteristic(s) that could be ascribed to a child (e.g., responsible, obedient). Participants were asked to sort the cards into three groups of five cards according to the importance they ascribed to the characteristics. Data analysis was divided into two phases. First, the similarities and differences on participants' ranking were examined within and across groups. Means and standard deviations were calculated and used for comparison. Second, definitions ascribed by mothers and teachers to the top three and bottom three characteristics were transcribed and analyzed to compare their constructed meaning for each of these characteristics. Research findings yielded that mothers' and teachers' are in fact in agreement as to the characteristics that they value and believe to be the most arid least important to the development of a child. Results also described differences in the definition of selected constructs or characteristics responding to the role participants played in the lives of the children. Similarities and differences identified in this study may assist in the development of healthy parent-teacher partnerships and strengthen those that already exist.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 124-131). Also available in print.