ABSTRACT
Increasing and Developing Partnerships with Parents and the Community is the fourth zone in the Four Zones of Equity Driven Professional Learning Model. This chapter focuses on making connections and developing meaningful relationships with the families and community of marginalized gifted populations. Essential to this step is a solid grounding from Zone 1, in particular a dynamic rather than deficit view of students, families, and communities. Zone 4 reflects on strengthening and expanding on existing family and community partnerships to move beyond involvement to active engagement. Facilitators reading this chapter learn to establish a sense of belongingness, so that all stakeholders know that they are equal contributors in a mutually beneficial partnership. The chapter concludes with activities to use during Zone 4 professional learning experiences and a Resources section for further exploration.
