ABSTRACT
In this chapter I describe a participatory research project that allowed me to make an in-depth study of the ideas I put forth in this book. Although I was not these students' regular classroom teacher, as a supervisor of the beginning teacher I was frequently in the classroom. The project was carried out primarily with the assistance of the teacher; we believe that the things we discovered together will be of value to any classroom teacher interested in this kind of work. Within the context of a small group of first graders and their families, we began to explore some answers to the major question posed by this book:
How can educators create a partnership with parents and young students that will nurture literacy and facilitate participation in the schools while celebrating and validating home culture and family concerns and aspirations?
