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school, family, community partnership predictor model: Based on principals' communication and action strategies
Title
A school, family, community partnership predictor model: Based on principals' communication and action strategies.
Creator
Bernstein, Susan Beth, Florida Atlantic University, Decker, Larry E.
Abstract/Description
Family and community involvement literature reveals that principals play a key role in the success of family and community involvement initiatives. However, there is a paucity of information on specific strategies that principals use to increase involvement. This lack of information applies to schools in general and for schools with diverse populations with low socio-economic status. To help fill these gaps in information this researcher examines differences in communication and action...
Show moreFamily and community involvement literature reveals that principals play a key role in the success of family and community involvement initiatives. However, there is a paucity of information on specific strategies that principals use to increase involvement. This lack of information applies to schools in general and for schools with diverse populations with low socio-economic status. To help fill these gaps in information this researcher examines differences in communication and action strategies used by principals in, both Title I and non Title I schools, with exemplary family and community involvement programs (as evidenced by their school receiving the FL DOE Five Star School Award) compared to strategies used by principals whose schools did not receive such a distinction. Sixty-one potentially significant communication and action variables are extracted from the literature and grouped into three categories (one-way communication, two-way communication, and action-based communication strategies). Seven null hypotheses addressing the significance of these categories and the potential to develop a predictor model are tested using a specially designed Family and Community Involvement Principal Survey whose content, construct, and validity was subjected to the scrutiny of experts in the field and pilot tested for its reliability. Data was collected in January 2003 from a final sample of fifty-nine Palm Beach County. Florida elementary school principals (an 80% response rate). This data is subjected to a series of factorial Analysis of Variance and Discriminant Analysis, testing the null hypotheses at a .05 level of significance. The analyses identify statistically significant differences in action-based communication variables for Five Star, Title I, and an interaction among Five Star/Title I principals including: (a) planning teacher in-service on involvement, (b) funding involvement programs, (c) creating a Family Resource Center, and (d) encouraging family and community members to participate in shared decision-making. No significant differences were found in one-way or two-way communication variables for Five Star, Title I, or an interaction between Five Star/Title I. Further, the null hypothesis for a predictor model was rejected allowing for identification of key variables in a partnership classification model. Conclusions, recommendations, and implementations are discussed for further research and practical application.
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Date Issued
2003
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FADT12033
Subject Headings
School principals
Format
Document (PDF)
Between Home and School: Guatemalan Maya Students and Cultural Gender Roles in South Florida
Title
Between Home and School: Guatemalan Maya Students and Cultural Gender Roles in South Florida.
Creator
Robbins, Kristin L., Brown, Susan Love, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description
Second-generation Guatemalan Maya children and adolescents who were born in Palm Beach County had to balance two cultures. As children of Guatemalan Maya parents, these youths belonged to Guatemalan Maya households--but many of their other roles in the United States, particularly their roles as students, involved the wider American culture. As such, they endured many of the same acculturation challenges that first generation immigrants do. They often had to choose between fulfilling student...
Show moreSecond-generation Guatemalan Maya children and adolescents who were born in Palm Beach County had to balance two cultures. As children of Guatemalan Maya parents, these youths belonged to Guatemalan Maya households--but many of their other roles in the United States, particularly their roles as students, involved the wider American culture. As such, they endured many of the same acculturation challenges that first generation immigrants do. They often had to choose between fulfilling student roles, family roles, and contrasting cultural beliefs and values, and negotiate shifting cultural, familial, community, and gender dynamics. My primary research interest was to understand how home, community, and cultural roles and identities affected students' school experiences and how their student identities and school experiences affected their home lives. 1 found that second-generation Guatemalan Maya faced maJor obstacles as students such as poverty, language barriers, and rigid grading standards and views of knowledge that educational institutions adhere to. In addition, because of the extreme persecution against indigenous Maya in Guatemala. most of the students' parents received little fonnal education; thus, they were often unable to help their children with homework. Further, Maya also have adopted cautious views of fonnal education because of the tendencies of mainstream curriculums to devalue an indigenous lifestyle. Maya beliefs about the usefulness of a Western education also influenced students' perceptions of school. Moreover, most Maya immigrants came to the United States poor, and often had to work several jobs and long hours to financially support their families. Poverty was the primary factor that created hardships in students' lives. Families faced challenges of poverty by staying interdependent and working together to maintain the household. Thus, Guatemalan Maya children were expected to fulfill Maya adult roles, which varied for women and men, and contribute to the household by doing chores. Students' responsibilities at home diverted time and energy away from school, but these roles also gave students a greater understanding of adult roles and responsibilities. Thus, Guatemalan-Maya students gave family, home, community, and adult Maya roles priority while giving school identities and roles second priority.
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Date Issued
2006
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000990
Subject Headings
Education and globalization--Cross-cultural studies, Mayas--Social conditions--Florida--Indiantown, Mayas--Cultural assimilation--Florida, Home and school--United States--Florida
Format
Document (PDF)