ABSTRACT
There is widespread support among educators and the community for the notion that parents have a major role to play in education and in schooling in particular (Cavarretta, 1998). What is more difficult to get agreement upon is how to nurture a collaborative relationship between parents and teachers at a school site to enhance students’ learning. There are various interpretations about activities that are perceived to be effective. Hayes and Chodkiewiez (2006) contend that the ‘interface between schools and communities is a boundary that contains and excludes while affording limited views across it’ (p. 3). Those positioned on opposite sides of this interface (teachers on one side and parents on the other) ‘have limited opportunities for dialogue and for understanding each other’ (p. 3). Katyal and Evers (2007) provide a provocative comment when they state
that ‘[t]he new reality of education is that schools are no longer the primary learning sites, at least for more senior students, and students view homes that are wired as the place where they learn in a meaningful manner’ (p. 74). If this is the emerging pattern, then it will create different relationships between teachers and parents.
