Deck 16: Parents and Caregivers Partnerships With Schools

Question 1

In Smit et al's (2007) typology of parents, 'politician parents' are:

A) willing to help with practical matters to support administrative staff.
B) quick to raise concerns and criticism about errors that may or may not have been made by the school.
C) active contributors to the school.
D) keen to be involved in decisions to they can be in a situation of power and persuasion.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Lasky (2000) asserts that a major factor in teacher-parent relationships is:

A) emotionality.
B) social competence.
C) mutual respect.
D) similar values.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The first Australian state/territory to move away from the traditional, highly centralised bureaucratic model of educational decision-making was:

A) the ACT.
B) South Australia.
C) Victoria.
D) the Northern Territory.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

According to Cooper and Christie (2005) parents need to be:

A) consulted.
B) involved.
C) valued.
D) empowered.

Question 5

In 1973, the body that was created to support new programs that emphasised devolution of educational decision-making to schools and greater involvement of community members was called the:

A) Commonwealth Schools Commission.
B) Karmel Research Group.
C) Special Projects Program.
D) Disadvantaged Schools Program.

Question 6

Is this statement True or False? 'Research undertaken in the US and UK did not find any empirical evidence for the contention that parent participation in school councils and the general governance of a school contributes to student learning.'

Question 7

Which of the following is not normally argued as a benefit of parent participation in schools?

A) Parents have a variety of skills, talents and interests they can contribute to curriculum.
B) If parents participate in schools they are more likely to understand the complexities and defend school practices.
C) Democratic decision-making operates in most institutions and agencies so it should also occur in schools.
D) Parents who are close to the education of their child have a greater impact on the child's development and achievement.

Question 8

Is this statement True or False? 'In Australia there are already well-developed formalised partnerships between schools and families.'

Question 9

What is the difference between parental involvement and parental participation?

Question 10

The first significant signs of individuals and groups seeking a greater share in educational decision-making for parents and community occurred in Australia in the:

A) 1950s.
B) 1960s.
C) 1970s.
D) 1980s.

Question 11

In Henderson et als' (2007) typology, teachers would be involved in contacting families, sending home folders of work and holding parent-teacher conferences in:

A) a partnership school.
B) an open door school.
C) a come if we call you school.
D) a fortress school.

Question 12

Why is it important for teachers to understand the function of the school council and what should they know about it?

Question 13

Parents who participate in school seminars and classroom observation days would appear on the 'continuum of parent participation' shown in Figure 16.3 in the category called:

A) sharing ideas.
B) assisting in school (in instruction).
C) receiving information.
D) engaging in governance activities.

Question 14

What are two things that parents need to know about the education system in which their local school operates?

Question 15

Write a discussion paper for use in a staff meeting outlining the benefits and challenges of greater parent participation in schools.

Question 16

Is this statement True or False? 'Teachers in rural schools have less opportunity for interaction with parents and may have difficulties in understanding and empathising with the priorities and values of some parents.'

Question 17

Currently, the organisation at the national level that represents parents from non-government schools is the:

A) Australian Council of School Organisations.
B) Australian Parents Council.
C) Australian Council of School Organisations.
D) Australian Association for Community Education.

Question 18

Henderson et als' (2007) typology depicted four different types of parent participation in schools. In a 'partnership school' you would be unlikely to find:

A) members of the school community able to use buildings.
B) community members tutoring in homework groups.
C) twice-yearly opportunities for parents to discuss their child's progress with teachers.
D) a culture of collaboration.

Question 19

Parent participation typologies are useful to:

A) show that parents are very similar in their interests and needs.
B) indicate the diversity of parent support and the various ways school staff may want to elicit that support.
C) help parents understand the various ways they might participate in schools.
D) inform systems and governments as to how they might best support parent participation.

Question 20

Some organisations, particularly teachers' unions, have argued that parents and community members should not be active participants in schools because:

A) it will hinder teachers' ability to teach effectively.
B) parents are not qualified teachers.
C) the costs involved in training parents to be effective are too high.
D) it reduces the professional responsibilities of teachers.

Question 21

You are being interviewed for a job in a school which uses Henderson et al's (2007) four basic beliefs to underpin its partnership approach to parent participation. What would you say when you are asked about how you would translate each of the four beliefs into your practice as a teacher?

Question 22

Which of the following is not one of the basic beliefs that Henderson et al. (2007) identified as necessary for strong partnerships between parents and staff?

A) Parents and school staff should be equal partners in planning and implementing teaching.
B) The responsibility for building partnerships has to be equally shared by parents and teachers.
C) Parents hold big expectations about the roles schools will play in the education of their children.
D) All parents have the capacity to support children's learning.

Question 23

It is difficult for teachers to meet parents' need to have assessment data reported clearly because:

A) some assessment data is too complex to be shared easily with parents.
B) students can suffer if parents receive reports that they are behind other students.
C) parents do not see assessment data in its proper context and so may focus on only some of the factors.
D) some school leaders prohibit the release of some assessment data to parents.