| Citation: | OÕConnor, S. (2001). Voices of parents and teachers in a poor white urban school. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 6(3), 175-198. EJ630414. |
Annotation:
This study focuses on the voices of elementary school teachers and poor and working class parents to illustrate LareauÕs (1987) notion of the ÒindependenceÓ of working-class families from their childrenÕs schools. Findings showed that: (1) working class families turned their childrenÕs education over to the school rather than collaborating with the school interdependently as do middle-class families (Lareau, 1987); (2) teachers questioned parentsÕ help in the education of their children; (3) both parents and teachers, but especially parents, were aware of the power differentials between school personnel and families; (4) teachers and parents agreed that schools should offer additional services to families; (5) parents and teachers shared a sense of helplessness to change things beyond the structures within which they presently functioned; (6) teacher-parent relationships included friendship (or attempted friendship), as well as varying levels of trust and mutual suspicion; and (7) for a few parents, regular parent involvement resulted in genuine benefits to the school and personal development for the parent. Interviews were conducted at the school during a 7-month period with 17 staff members (15 women, 2 men) from a total of about 40. All interviews were tape recorded and transcribed for analysis, and reported in narrative form. The author recommends several interventions: (1) a circle of advocates who would consult and accompany families to meetings and conferences; (2) added classes or learning communities at schools focused on child development, school organization, and curriculum construction; (3) positions that parents could fill, as well as meetings in which they may participate, such as curriculum planning meetings and SBDM committees; (4) an autonomous grouping of poor and working-poor parents for collective critical reflection on the experiences and development their ability to act on their childrenÕs behalf; (5) inservice and pre service training for staff members focused on thinking outside the Òtaken for granted as a way of pursuing meaningful school changeÓ; and (6) conditional waivers granted and overseen by school district officials for personnel and parents to decide collectively how, where, and when these recommendations could be carried out. Although the study provides practitioners several ideas for working with parents in this school, the findings of a single case study are not generalizable to other schools.
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