Educating preservice teachers for family, school, and community engagement

Abstract

Effective family, school, and community partnerships enhance the academic, social, and emotional development of children. As a result, colleges, schools, and departments of education are increasingly addressing the topic. Unfortunately, teachers continue to report that the most significant challenge encountered when entering the profession is the establishment of relationships with families and communities. This article reviews existing literature on the outcomes of efforts to prepare educators who are capable of successfully engaging a broad range of families and communities. Based on a comprehensive literature review, the findings reveal a narrow sample of empirically based research; however, these studies offer insights regarding pedagogical approaches that increase teachers’ confidence and self-awareness, improve educators’ knowledge of diverse families, and enhance teachers’ ability to use knowledge about families and communities to improve instruction. This review examines efforts in higher education to address family engagement and the impact of various pedagogical approaches on preservice teachers. It concludes with recommendations for research in the field based on identified knowledge gaps.

Keywords:

• teacher preparation
• family engagement
• teacher beliefs
• family–school
• community partnerships