The purpose of this study was to gain a fuller understanding of the sort of assistance, support, or education parents feel they need from school counselors in parenting adolescents. The research question examined was: What sort of assistance, support, or education do independent school parents feel they need from school counselors in raising adolescent children? The participants for this study were parents of middle school children attending an independent school located in an urban southern city. All parents of children attending the independent school were asked to respond to an online “needs assessment” survey asking parents to select parent education topics that are of interest to them. Parents participating in this phase of the study had an opportunity to volunteer for the next phase of the study, an online card sort activity. Parents who volunteered for the online card sort activity were sent a link to the online card sort activity where they took a list of parent education topics and arranged them into groups as they saw fit. Analysis of the results revealed nine themes, or categories of topics that are of interest to parents of middle school children: Parenting Skills, Adolescent Self-Management, Self-Awareness and Esteem, Academic Opportunities and Career Choices, Peer Relationships and Skills, Emotional Wellness, Physical Health and Wellness, Parent-Teacher/Staff Communication, and Technology Safety and Use. An informal concept map was created to visually represent the categories of parent education topics that emerged from the study. The results of this study can assist professional school counselors in designing parent education and consultation curriculum and interventions, and help ensure that school counselors better meet parents’ needs.

The word diversity can be described as being different or having differences. Furthermore, it also relates to variety or assortment. Diversity forms an integral part of society worldwide. It consists of many different aspects which are all evident in different ways in society. These aspects of diversity include culture, religion, race, language, socio-economic class, gender, ability, etc. Diversity also exists in education as an important part of society. Parental involvement is viewed by many people as an important part of the education process. It has many positives which include improved academic performance of the child, understanding of the schools circumstances, having a more positive attitude towards the school, improved community involvement and a positive school climate. Parental involvement enhances the complete learning experience of the child and focuses on the total development of the child. It includes the making of a commitment and the forming of a partnership between parent and school which is also fundamentally prescribed by legislation. When this partnership is engaged in properly there is a definite positive outcome for both the child and the school. Fundamentally, the purpose of parental involvement lies in the opportunities that it offers all the stakeholders involved to contribute towards the upbringing and development of the children. Managing the involvement of parents should be well planned and directed. School managers need to take into account the issue of diversity in relation to parental involvement. Schools have to make use of creative strategies and approaches as they deal with differences among people which need to be respected in such a way that everyone can be integrated into the school system. Diversity amongst people has an influence on parental involvement and need to be managed to good effect. Ultimately, positive parents will educate positive children who are what we strived for. What is interesting from the results of the study is that the respondents that participated in the research are of the opinion that racial differences as an aspect of diversity doesn‟t have a significant influence on parental involvement. Diversity aspects that are viewed as having a / Thesis (MEd (Education Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves I-IX).

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 162-169).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 162-169). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves I-IX). Also available in print.

The present study sought to identify variables that predicted parental decision-making regarding their child's participation in a national gifted and talented identification program for middle school students and subsequent participation in recommended educational options. One hundred sixty-nine parents of students who qualified for either the 2001-2002 or 2002-2003 Duke Talent Identification Program participated in the study. The students were drawn from two large public school districts and six small private schools in a large metropolitan area in the southwestern United States. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to identify the variables predictive of parental decision-making regarding talent search participation. Each parent completed a questionnaire consisting of both multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Selected parents participated in structured follow-up interviews. The results of the study indicated that parental perception of the helpfulness of school personnel in explaining the purpose and process of the talent search was most predictive of participation in the talent search. The educational level of the father, parent's prior awareness of the purpose and process of talent search, and the number of enrichment activities in which the child had previously participated were also predictive of talent search participation. Qualitative data indicated that parents of both participants and nonparticipants had a limited understanding of the purpose, diagnostic power, and potential benefits of the talent search. Very few parents chose to seek extracurricular or curricular/instructional options following the talent search testing. Qualitative data indicated that parents did not choose these options due to cost, logistical concerns regarding the special programs, and reservations about the developmental appropriateness of such options for middle school students. Although talent searches are sponsored and administered by organizations outside the local school, this study suggests that parents mostly rely on their local school for notification of their child's nomination, information on the purpose and benefits of talent search, interpretation of test scores, and guidance in selecting appropriate curricular or extracurricular follow-up.

This research focuses on aspects of parental involvement in homework and the differing power relations which homework uncovered within the family. It is concerned with the deeper implications of homework through exploring the attitudes, behaviours and beliefs of teachers and/or parents and/or pupils and to consider who really is in control of the homework process, the perceived and actual roles of the participants, the resistances to homework and the possible changing social factors which impinge on homework. This thesis offers a unique contribution to the homework discourses as it uses a qualitative approach, drawing on an extended version of the French and Raven (1959) conceptualisation of power as a means of interrogating the data, by labelling certain attitudes, behaviours and beliefs, to seek explanations of the patterns of power. These patterns of power are exposed through the family’s story of their engagement, or not, in the homework process. The notion of engaging pupils in the learning process is at the heart of many of the recent educational initiatives, arising from the National debate on Education (2002). At the heart of these new initiatives is the notion of learners being actively involved in the learning process, in and out of the classroom to encourage them to take responsibility for their learning. A number of implications for pupils, parents, teachers and the government are considered. These particularly relate to the effective practices of teachers and parents as a means of preventing the pupils from controlling the homework process and to the government to consider appropriate and effective means of ensuring that all concerned are engaged in conducting homework which is interesting, stimulating and motivating.

This project focused on the enhancement of an existing school web page. Schools have jumped on the bandwagon in record numbers in the past couple of years publishing web pages about their schools. Cucamonga Middle School is no exception, having first published a web site in 1995. Utilizing information gathered from a survey, the author/webmaster created a redesign of the existing school webpage. The wants and needs of parents, as noted in the survey were the driving force behind the redesign.

The purpose of this project is to review the literature on the importance of creating school web sites and to show how Dartmouth Middle School can successfully plan an effective site. The project focuses on the significance of having a school web site as a way to add to the communication process between school and parents.