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Emily Gross
Professor Peggy S. Larrick
EDL 318 Section C
April 7th, 2016
Inquiry-to-Curriculum Literature Review
The two most influential environments in which young children develop are their
homes and their early childhood education programs (Summer and Summer 2014).
Parents are entrusting teachers that they will care and provide the best experience for
their child. It is a difficult task, but one that will forever be a rewarding experience.
School and home have been seen as separate entities. While students spend the
majority of their days in the classroom, teachers seem to know little to none about their
home life or families. As teachers, we have a responsibility to bridge the gap between
schools and home. These two essential components of a students life should be
connected together to best have them succeed. To best have students thrive, parent
relationships and involvement with teachers have been proven to show lasting impacts
on students success in their schooling experience. This literature review shares why
parent teacher relationships, along with parent involvement, is essential in students
schooling.
What is parent involvement in the classroom?
It is best to first identify what parent involvement is in the classroom. Parent
involvement is having parents understand the role they play in their childs education.
This is a shared power. While many classrooms operate in a way where teachers are
seen as the soul educators, shared power is having families and school staff function

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as equal partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform,
influence and create policies, practices, and programs (Hammack, Foote, Garretson,
Thompson 2012 p. 105). It is vital for teachers to make it known that families have the
knowledge and tools to be their childs educators just as much as teachers are.
Parent involvement comes in various ways. It could include providing
opportunities for parents to volunteer in the classroom, and more importantly providing a
classroom where parents are actively involved in their students schooling. Family
involvement includes any way that families can support their childs education, including
communication between the home and school (Summer and Summer, 2014).
According to Swell (2012), teachers must be prepared to work with families
whose cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and social backgrounds differ from their own (Swell,
2012, p. 259). As classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse, it is significant that
teachers are adequately prepared in their schooling to learn the strategies and
techniques on how to work and form positive relationships with families, especially the
care providers for students.
It has been known that teachers find the idea of partnering with families daunting
and an unmanageable task. This stems from the lack of preparation and training given
during a teachers undergraduate schooling. While institutions are more focused on
other aspects of the teaching profession, we fail to realize and implement the
importance of partnering with families. It is frustrating that many preservice teachers feel
unprepared to have positive, lasting relationships with their students families. There has
been numerous research done showing statistics on the lack of teacher preparation to
work with families. Zygmunt-Fillwalk (2011) shared, that in a national study of teacher

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educators, 88.5% of professors surveyed suggested that preservice teachers in their
program did not receive sufficient information about how to work with families in ways
that promote effective communication between home and school (Zygmunt-Fillwalk,
2011, p. 85). In addition to this, Zygmunt-Fillwalk (2011) reported, that 57% of teachers
responded that they did not receive sufficient information about how to work with
families in their preparation programs (Zygmunt-Fillwalk, 2011, p. 85).
How are we, the future of the education system, able to create lasting
relationships and have parent involvement in our classrooms when we are not
prepared? As future generations of teachers are being prepared for this hard, but
rewarding profession, it is essential we understand that a parent is a childs first teacher.
Parents teach their child the essential components of life. My parents taught me how to
walk, talk, how to love; the list could go on and on. As teachers we want to establish a
partnership where we understand the importance of family and that they are respected
in the classroom (Zygmunt-Fillwalk, 2011, p. 86).
This partnership can start when teachers realize we are no the sole educators,
but that parents provide just as much knowledge to their child. We need to move away
from a one-way relationship with families to family engagement where teachers are
required to reflect on the effectiveness of their current practices. This entails that
teachers need to be more willing to except that families, specifically parents, will be in
and part of the classroom (Summer and Summer, 2014).
In best early childhood practice, teachers recognize that every child in the
classroom is closely connected to his or her family, and that the most appropriate action
a teacher can take is to build a bridge for the child between home and school (Gartrell,
2012, p. 67). I have been fortunate to grow up with a close family. My family is the most

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important part of my life. I would not be where I am today without the love and support I
have received from them, specifically my mom and dad. To this day, my parents are
involved in my schooling. While I may live over three hours away from home, I am still
constantly updating my parents on how I am doing and what I am learning in my
studies. When I was younger, my parents were even more involved in my schooling.
They checked my homework, helped me study, and came to every school event I was
involved with. They were my number one supporters.
Looking back to my teachers in elementary school, they knew my parents by
their first name. They not only made strong relationships with me and my fellow
classmates, but they become close with my parents too. They formed positive
relationships which helped show me that school and my home life were connected. To
this day, my teachers still remember who I am as well as my parents. This all stems
from the relationships and connections my teachers formed with my parents. I had such
a positive schooling experience, and it is from the time and commitment my teachers
took to genuinely know their students and their families.
Why is Parent Involvement Important?
We have seen teachers operate classrooms for a long time without the
involvement of their students parents. While this may be the easier, less challenging
route, research has shown that the benefits of having parents involved far outweighs the
challenges it can bring to a classroom. Why is parent involvement important? According
to Zygmunt-Fillwalk (2011), researchers have documented a multitude of benefits when
families are involved in their childrens education. Children whose families are involved
in home/school partnerships evidence higher test scores, better attendance, less

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retention, less participation in special education, higher rates of graduation, and more
attendance at college (Zygmunt-Fillwalk, 2011, p. 84). Students are more likely to
succeed in their schooling when they see that there is a home-school partnership.
Additionally, families report more sensitivity to childrens social, emotional, and
intellectual needs, and more confidence helping children with schoolwork at home
(Zygmunt-Fillwalk, 2011, p. 84). The greatest benefit in all is that when children see the
connection between their home and school they are motivated to succeed (Kersey and
Masterson, 2009, p. 34).
In addition, Summer and Summer (2014) stated, educators can respect and
value the expertise families bring and encourage family collaboration in a meaningful
way that maximizes their childrens learning experience (Summer and Summer, 2014
p. 9). Parents bring something to the table that teachers do not have; they are the ones
who know their child better than anyone else. They can give insight on their child that
teachers may not know. When teachers and parents are equal partners, they are able to
support children more deeply, allowing meaningful learning opportunities to occur at
school and at the home (Hammack, Foote, Garretson, Thompson, 2012). In order for
educators to learn about their students and create lasting relationships with their
parents, we must understand that it takes families and teachers together to educate a
child, as well as have a willingness to open our classroom doors and allow parents to
become involved in the classroom (Summer and Summer, 2014).
As a future educator, we need to move away from the idea that the teacher is the
sole teacher, and instead create learning communities. Summer and Summer (2014)
defined a learning community as a group of people who come together to learn with

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and from each other and then seek to act on what they learn (Summer and Summer,
2014 p. 9). For young children, families are their most important community. When
families and teachers work together, they can learn about one anothers interests and
cultures which ultimately will develop a richer and more diverse early childhood
curriculum. (Summer and Summer, 2014). For example, I am Jewish. During the holiday
season, my parents had the opportunity to come into my classroom and teach my
classmates about Hanukkah. It was an experience that was more meaningful rather
then reading a book or watching a video. Having a familys expertise lets other students
see that they have varying cultures and interests from their own, but have the chance to
learn from their fellow classmates and families. This is also a learning experience for
teachers where they are able to see that parents bring knowledge and expertise into the
classroom that is valuable for all students.
In a research study, a control group of teachers were much more likely to
indicate that their desire to involve families stemmed from an opportunity that was
personal or self-serving in nature (Zygmunt-Fillwalk, 2011, p. 84). I have had such
positive experiences with the relationship between my family and schooling that I want
my future students to have similar opportunities. I want to be the teacher that welcomes
parents into my classroom with open arms, sees the knowledge that they bring, and
make my classroom a community of diverse learners and their families.
As an early childhood educator, I will be faced with first-time parents. These
parents will be sending their child to school for the first time. They will not know what to
expect, and quiet possibly will be in fear. Many parents need affirmation and
reassurance to build trust and deal with their feelings of uncertainty, inadequacy, or

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sometimes even intimidation (Kersey and Masterson, 2009, p. 34). Parents want
comfort in knowing that their child will be safe and protected while at school. They want
to know that their child is receiving the best education from a qualified teacher and that
as parents, they are doing a good job at home. By having a positive relationship with
teachers, parents can know that their child is in trusted hands. In the beginning of the
school year, positive relationships need to be created right away. These relationships
need to be strong and built on trust so when problems arise, parents and teachers are
able to discuss what the next steps are to take. The relationship will already be
established which can make communication more meaningful and easier.
As a teacher, our job is not only to educate our students, but to make their
families feel welcomed. This can be done by learning about their cultures and family
traditions (Hammack, Foote, Garretson, Thompson, 2012). While it may take more time,
doing this simple step can go a long way. We are not only welcoming students and their
varying backgrounds into our classroom, but we are showing students respect of their
culture, and are excited to learn about who they are. I want all of my students to know
that they are accepted and appreciated.
How Teachers Can Get Parents Involved
While research shares how vital parent and teacher relationships and
involvement are essential in a childs success, how does that look in the classroom?
What are techniques and strategies that teachers can use to create a welcoming
environment that parents want to be involved in? First, the school, specifically the
teachers, need to recognize and value that families bring knowledge and strength.
According to Summer and Summer (2014), educators must be supportive of allowing to
invite parents into the classroom as visiting experts. Families can be featured experts

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on topics of inquiry, and involve families meaningfully in extending classroom topics at
home through activities (Summer and Summer, 2014 p. 9).
Parents bring an abundance of knowledge about their own professions or
hobbies. When I was in elementary school, my favorite days were when we were able to
have fieldtrips or guest speakers. These guest speakers created presentations that
brought joy and excitement into the classroom. In 5 th grade, my father came as a guest
speaker for a science lesson. My family owns a small electrical distribution business. My
dad taught a lesson on electricity. He used real life stories, materials, and knowledge to
teach a hard concept to grasp. My teacher Mrs. Matarni, was willing to allow my dad,
the expertise to teach in my classroom. This lesson is still something that I remember to
this day.
Although we know that parents bring expertise and knowledge that would benefit
all students, it is important to remember that not all adults had good experiences in
school and we may have to work hard to dispel their perceptions and fears (Kersey and
Masterson, 2009, p. 35). With bad experiences in school, parents may be reluctant to
come into their childs classroom. Additionally, Kersey and Masterson (2009) explain,
that parents can feel a teacher is questioning their competence, and so when they come
for a meeting, they are defensive. Whether it is parents anticipating bad news when
they answer the phone from the teacher, they are unable to read, feel incompetent or
not good enough for education, or they cringe at answers they cannot answer, teachers
need to build parents confidence that their school encounters will result in positive
interactions and success for their child. These facts share that teachers are the ones
who can change these experiences parents have faced. This is why creating positive

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relationships with parents is tremendously imperative in the beginning and throughout
the school year. As teachers we need to share with parents that their child is worthy and
capable of succeeding. Showcasing the positives of each child alleviates the fear that
their child may not be good enough.
Below are a multitude of strategies that were given by various authors on
successful ways to improve relationships and involvement in the classroom. In the
beginning of the year, teachers can have an open house of their classroom where
parents and students can come and see where their desks are and what the layout of
the classroom is like. Having this initial meeting can provide comfort and safety to
students, especially those who have never experienced school before. Additionally,
teachers can provide a parent night. This meeting will let the teacher start building
relationships immediately. Parents can fill out questionnaires regarding their child so the
teacher can learn about their childs interests, strengths, or and contact information that
the parents feel the teachers should know (Summer and Summer, 2014).
Throughout the year teachers can have a classroom website, newsletter or
twitter page. This is an online resource for parents to see what is currently happening in
the classroom. Parents are able to keep up to date with what their child is doing. As
parents may not have internet access, a paper copy of the classroom newsletter should
be sent home each week for parents to read.
When teachers are communicating with parents, teachers can say one positive
about their child. Talking about positives helps show parents that their child is good and
is noticed by the teacher. Talking about the positives of a child can also help parents
communicate with teachers when a problem arises. During parent teacher conferences,

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teachers can share the strengths of the child in the beginning and end of the
conference. During these conferences, teachers can let parents take the lead. Teachers
can use the expertise of parents on their child. Parents can tell the teacher about their
child and what they notice at home that could be useful to know during school. Having
parents lead the conference shows the parent that they too have valuable knowledge
about their child. This can lessen fear that may be present with those parents who did
not have a positive experience during their schooling. At the end of the conference,
teachers can explain that they are not the only experts, but want to work with the
parents to create the optimal environment for their child. The teacher and parents can
brainstorm solutions together on how they can help the child succeed. In conferences
and any interaction with parents, it is important to always start and end on positive
notes. (Summer and Summer, 2014). While these only touch the surface on strategies
that teachers can use, they give a glimpse on the extra steps teachers can take in order
to create lasting relationships with parents.
As I continue to step closer into the teaching profession, I look forward to using
what I have learned in these articles in my future classroom. Using the experiences I
have had with my family and previous teachers, combined with research, strategies and
techniques, I can see how imperative it is to have positive relationships and involvement
form my students parents. I know that going the extra mile will not only benefit parents,
but will share with students that there is a connection between home and school, and
that this connection will help the student succeed during their time in school.
Reference List
Gartrell, D. (2012). "Goodest" Guidance. YC: Young Children, 67(3), 66-68.

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Hammack, B. G., Foote, M. M., Garretson, S., & Thompson, J. (2012). Family Literacy
Packs. YC: Young Children, 67(3), 104-110.
Kersey, K. C., & Masterson, M. L. (2009). Teachers Connecting with Families--In the
Best Interest of Children. YC: Young Children, 64(5), 34-38.
Sewell, T. (2012, October). Are we Adequately Preparing Teachers to Partner with
Families?. Early Childhood Education Journal. pp. 259-263. doi:10.1007/s10643011-

0503-8.

Summer, M., & Summer, G. L. (2014). Creating Family Learning Communities. (cover
story). YC: Young Children, 69(4), 8-14.
ZYGMUNT-FILLWALK, E. (2011). Building Family Partnerships: The Journey From
Preservice Preparation to Classroom Practice. Journal Of Early Childhood
Teacher Education, 32(1), 84-96. doi:10.1080/10901027.2010.547653