7 Leading for learning and the EXTernal environment: families and communities

Question 1

For leaders and managers in education who are promoting the improvement of the learning of their students, it is vital to be aware of the impact of ____ and ________ – factors which have been shown to be key influences on students’ educational progress and well-being (Wolfendale and Bastiani, ????, Gelsthorpe, ????, West-Burnham, ????, West-Burnham et al, ????).

Answer 1

For leaders and managers in education who are promoting the improvement of the learning of their students, it is vital to be aware of the impact of home and community – factors which have been shown to be key influences on students’ educational progress and well-being (Wolfendale and Bastiani, 2000, Gelsthorpe, 2003, West-Burnham, 2003, West-Burnham et al, 2007).

Question 2

(Wolfendale and Bastiani, ????, Gelsthorpe, ????, West-Burnham, ????, West-Burnham et al, ????).

For leaders and managers in education who are promoting the improvement of the learning of their students, it is vital to be aware of the impact of home and community – factors which have been shown to be key influences on students’ educational progress and well-being

Answer 2

(Wolfendale and Bastiani, 2000, Gelsthorpe, 2003, West-Burnham, 2003, West-Burnham et al, 2007).

For leaders and managers in education who are promoting the improvement of the learning of their students, it is vital to be aware of the impact of home and community – factors which have been shown to be key influences on students’ educational progress and well-being

Question 3

A challenge for schools and colleges is how to respond to the variability of families that have…

Answer 3

diverse needs and preferences, and varying economic and cultural resources, affected by factors such as social class, ethnicity and gender. This variability and diversity has implications for their relationship to and perspective on formal education.

Question 4

Families have diverse needs and preferences, and varying economic and cultural resources, affected by factors such as social class, ethnicity and gender. This variability and diversity has implications for their relationship to and perspective on formal education.
This means schools and colleges have the…

Answer 4

challenge of responding to this variability.

Question 5

Rose (????) a community, in reality, is not…

Answer 5

necessarily a homogenous group of people with a common voice and shared set of views and, by emphasising common knowledge, it can fail to acknowledge the ways in which local power is reinforced

Question 6

In urban areas of the UK it is often ____ to identify a community that is served by a school. _____ and __________ has meant that sought after secondary schools can attract pupils from __ or more primary schools ranging across a whole city. Even where this is not the case one school is likely to attract students from areas that ____ widely in family income and expectations.

Answer 6

In urban areas of the UK it is often hard to identify a community that is served by a school. Choice and competition has meant that sought after secondary schools can attract pupils from 30 or more primary schools ranging across a whole city. Even where this is not the case one school is likely to attract students from areas that differ widely in family income and expectations.

Question 7

There has long been awareness of ________ between ______ class and ______ class parents regarding education (Ball, ????; Power et al., ????),

Answer 7

There has long been awareness of differences between middle class and working class parents regarding education (Ball, 2003; Power et al., 2003),

Question 8

increasing attention has been given to the relationship between ______, ______ and __________ (Dillabough and Arnot, ????; Gillborn and Youdell, ????)

Answer 8

increasing attention has been given to the relationship between ethnicity, gender and education (Dillabough and Arnot, 2001; Gillborn and Youdell, 2001)

Question 9

contrary to the conventional assumptions, parents at disadvantaged schools are keen to have greater involvement in the education of their children.
(Martin, ????)

Answer 9

contrary to the conventional assumptions, parents at disadvantaged schools are keen to have greater involvement in the education of their children.
(Martin, 1999)

Question 10

(Martin, ????)
contrary to the conventional assumptions, parents at _________ schools are keen to have greater _____________ in the education of their children.

Answer 10

(Martin, 1999)
contrary to the conventional assumptions, parents at disadvantaged schools are keen to have greater involvement in the education of their children.

Question 11

Martin, 1999 said about parents at disadvantaged schools…

Answer 11

(Martin, 1999)
contrary to the conventional assumptions, parents at disadvantaged schools are keen to have greater involvement in the education of their children.

Question 12

more ___ appear to be taking an active role in their children’s education
(Martin, 1999)

Answer 12

more men appear to be taking an active role in their children’s education
(Martin, 1999)

Question 13

_____, _____ and other minority _____ groups were found to be ‘more positive [about involving themselves with their child’s school] and surprisingly assertive given their traditional experience of marginalisation’
(Martin, 1999)

Answer 13

black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups were found to be ‘more positive [about involving themselves with their child’s school] and surprisingly assertive given their traditional experience of marginalisation’
(Martin, 1999)

Question 14

Martin’s findings are unlikely to be replicated everywhere. It is more than likely that in many areas of the world – within a developed country such as the ________ ________ as well as developing countries – being disadvantaged, working class or in an ethnic minority is often associated with being disaffected by or distanced from formal education

Answer 14

Martin’s findings are unlikely to be replicated everywhere. It is more than likely that in many areas of the world – within a developed country such as the United Kingdom as well as developing countries – being disadvantaged, working class or in an ethnic minority is often associated with being disaffected by or distanced from formal education

Question 15

students, parents and adults responsible for children can be conceived in different ways (5):

Answer 15

customers
citizens
clients
first educators
partners

Question 16

students, parents and adults responsible for children can be conceived in different ways (5): customers…

Answer 16

customers, particularly in the context of the competitive market model

Question 17

students, parents and adults responsible for children can be conceived in different ways (5): citizens…

Answer 17

citizens, with rights and responsibilities expressed through local empowerment (through participation in school governance for example) or quality assurance models (educational institutions being held to account on behalf of parents as citizens)

Question 18

students, parents and adults responsible for children can be conceived in different ways (5): clients…

Answer 18

clients, who are offered the professional expertise of educators dedicated to service to others (Macbeth 1989), which may be in the context of any of the governance models

Question 19

students, parents and adults responsible for children can be conceived in different ways (5): first educators…

Answer 19

first educators, recognising the social and biological closeness of parents especially to the child in which daily experiences of an educational nature are embedded and which is a reality to be acknowledged by all governance models

Question 20

students, parents and adults responsible for children can be conceived in different ways (5): partners…

Answer 20

partners, which implies professionals and adults working together with some degree of equality in the relationship and perhaps fits best with a democratised local empowerment model.

Question 21

Bastiani (1993 ), on the basis of much practical experience in home-school links, proposes the following as the components of partnership. He suggests partnership involves:

Answer 21

 sharing of power, responsibility and ownership
 mutuality, which begins with the process of listening to each other and incorporates responsive dialogue and ‘give and take’ on both sides
 shared aims and goals, based on common ground, but which also acknowledge important differences
 commitment to joint action, in which parents, pupils and professionals work together to get things done.

Question 22

Because governance contexts usually have features of more than one idealised model,…

Answer 22

Because governance contexts usually have features of more than one idealised model, hybrid conceptions of the parent are conceivable.

Question 23

Woods (????, ????), for example, has suggested that in some contexts parents act as consumer-citizens: parents as consumer-citizens display…

Answer 23

Woods (1993, 1995), for example, has suggested that in some contexts parents act as consumer-citizens: parents as consumer-citizens display dimensions of consumer activity – such as making choices, exercising rights to access and information and creatively adapting services – but embedded in a framework of democratic citizenship which enables participation in the governance of education.

Question 24

Martin and colleagues highlight the tension between two traditions. Inward focus – the ‘professional tradition’ as Martin et al. (1999, p. 63) call it – emphasises…

Answer 24

Martin and colleagues highlight the tension between two traditions. Inward focus – the ‘professional tradition’ as Martin et al. (1999, p. 63) call it – emphasises ‘the community as a site for enriching the curriculum’ and parental participation as a means of ‘improving pupil motivation, behaviour and achievement’.

Question 25

Martin and colleagues highlight the tension between two traditions.
‘outward focus’ aims to

Answer 25

Martin and colleagues highlight the tension between two traditions.
‘outward focus’ aims to reach out and serve the learning needs of the community wherever they may be found:

Question 26

Participation by families and communities covers different types of involvement and concerns. It can be:

Answer 26

Participation by families and communities covers different types of involvement and concerns. It can be:
 individual or collective:
– individual, involving an individual parent or family
– collective, where parents, families and the community act together either as a group or through representatives
 focused on the particular or the general:
– particular, meaning a child of a particular parent and family (usually through the individual involvement of the parent and family)
– general, meaning broad matters of policy, including purposes of education and curricular and pedagogical matters involving different activities.

Question 27

Elements of participation: communicating

Answer 27

This is two-way and includes the information sent by the school or college to the home/community, and vice versa.

Question 28

Elements of participation: educating

Answer 28

Parents have an educational influence on their child in the home. Family and community members can also give time in schools to assist teachers in the classroom. They can collectively support educational activities too, through organising educational visits and raising funds for additional educational activities.

Question 29

Elements of participation: exercise influence

Answer 29

Parents, for example, may do this individually in relation to their own child’s teaching arrangements or homework, or collectively through governance structures when they comment on or make decisions on policy matters. Schools and colleges may seek to influence families and communities about their attitudes to education.

Question 30

Amongst the factors highlighted in the reading by Rose is the importance of enabling leadership by _____ people in communities, an issue raised above in relation to democratic governing bodies. This is a key issue for you to consider. The implication is that leadership of schools and colleges must complement or be shared with leadership within the _________. So the ideas involved in __________ leadership or ______ leadership are highly relevant to community participation.

Answer 30

Amongst the factors highlighted in the reading by Rose is the importance of enabling leadership by local people in communities, an issue raised above in relation to democratic governing bodies. This is a key issue for you to consider. The implication is that leadership of schools and colleges must complement or be shared with leadership within the community. So the ideas involved in distributed leadership or shared leadership are highly relevant to community participation.

Question 31

(Rose ????) reliance that community participation has on the resources – economic, social and cultural – in the community and to the fact that those with the greatest educational ______ are the _________, who have least resources to enable their participation.

Answer 31

(Rose 2003)
reliance that community participation has on the resources – economic, social and cultural – in the community and to the fact that those with the greatest educational needs are the poorest, who have least resources to enable their participation.

Question 32

Dangers and challenges in participation you may have noted include:

Answer 32

Dangers and challenges in participation you may have noted include:
 exclusion of some groups and communities less able to take advantage of opportunities for participation
 additional costs in terms of time and energy spent on participation by educational leaders and teachers.

Question 33

Benefits you may have noted in participation include:

Answer 33

Benefits you may have noted in participation include:
 more positive engagement with learning by students and families
 better understanding of the needs and preferences of the local community, which leads to better use of resources
 strengthening of democracy.

Question 34

in order for a collaborative partnership to be realised, (Martin et. al, ????) data suggests that schools will need to be informed by the values, purposes, tasks and conditions on the left-hand side of the typology…

Answer 34

-Values: Meeting the needs of parents as well as children
-Purposes: Promoting parents’ own education
-Tasks: community education best able to involve parents
-Conditions: utilising skills of identified community worker
(Martin et. al, 1999)

Question 35

The home-school community link demands the skills of a person committed to developing and sustaining collaborative work in partnership with ______, _______ and other agencies.
(Martin et. al, ????)

Answer 35

The home-school community link demands the skills of a person committed to developing and sustaining collaborative work in partnership with teachers, parents and other agencies.
(Martin et. al, 1999)

Question 36

The successful school will necessarily be involved in community building and regeneration as a value and purpose.
This is what Sergiovanni (????) terms the “__________” school; the school which above all values kinship, neighbourliness and collegiality above rational, contractual relationships (________).
(Martin et. al, ????)

Answer 36

The successful school will necessarily be involved in community building and regeneration as a value and purpose.
This is what Sergiovanni (????) terms the “gemeinschaft” school; the school which above all values kinship, neighbourliness and collegiality above rational, contractual relationships (gesellschaft).
(Martin et. al, 1999)

Question 37

The most effective partnerships that (?????, ????) examined were committed to…

Answer 37

• inclusiveness
• recognising social as well as academic goals
• raising expectations through educational achievements
• involving local people in decision-making
• democratic participation and active citizenship

Question 38

some aspects Martin’s collaborative partnerships continuum left out…

Answer 38

diversity and difference
formal rights
professional power

Question 39

Is learning something to be delivered, or is it to be regarded ‘more as an…
(Ranson, ????)?

Answer 39

Is learning something to be delivered, or is it to be regarded ‘more as an unfolding learning process which is adapted continuously to suit the needs of particular individuals’ (Ranson, 1990)?

Question 40

Democratic educational communities teach students how to live in a…
Furman, ????

Answer 40

Democratic educational communities teach students how to live in a multi-cultural, democratic society.
Furman, 2002

Question 41

Academic achievement is better in educational institutions being…
Furman, ????

Answer 41

Academic achievement is better in educational institutions being learning communities.
Furman, 2002

Question 42

A sense of community or belonging can remedy the…

Furman, ????

Answer 42

A sense of community or belonging can remedy the alienation of modern society.
Furman, 2002

Question 43

Educational leaders need to do two things for community participation:

Answer 43

• be clear about what community participation is intended to achieve;
• and make sure to gather and scrutinise evidence from differing perspectives on its operation in practice over time

Question 44

community participation is a process of _______ change in which values choices and power ___________ are inherent in its day-to-day activity.

Answer 44

community participation is a process of reflective change in which values choices and power imbalances are inherent in its day-to-day activity.

Question 45

crucial aims that need to underpin the activities of the learning community:

Answer 45

 inclusion: working to ensure all groups and individuals are enabled to be involved equally; it is also about recognizing that school and community are complementary to and part of each other
 rounded education: developing people’s social, cultural, moral and spiritual aspects as well as their academic potential
 building esteem, achievement and aspiration: helping students, parents and others in the community to find educational activities in which they can do well and which help them – and inspire others – to gain confidence and move towards their full potential
 democratic participation: structures and processes – providing the institutional opportunities and spaces which encourage and enable local people to make and shape the partnerships in which they are involved
 democratic participation: intrinsic valuing of people as active citizens – giving people a sense of being valued for themselves, regardless of their academic or other capabilities, their attainment or formal status.

Question 46

conditions for effective participative relationships between educational institutions and their families and communities include:

Answer 46

 commitment to communal relations in which the intrinsic worth and rights of all are respected, and a dominating instrumental approach to people and communities is avoided
 awareness of diversity and difference amongst communities and the cultural ‘work’ they engage in, as part of an outward focus towards their learning needs
 strategies for inclusive participation in the light of this diversity and difference
 strategies, nationally and regionally, to tackle inequalities between educational institutions and between communities
 strategies to reduce power imbalances between parents/communities and:
– professional educators
– representatives of those parents/communities
 strategies to facilitate open dialogue
 supportive national and local policy contexts which facilitate the above
 critical evaluation of positive and negative impact of participation.