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From Parents Diat: Suggestions for interviews widi the educational psychologist, an appointment at a child guidance clinic, a placement in die 'nurture group', came from parents diat parents to us, since diey had become aware through talking widi other parents, staff and neighbours diat these were positive and frequently successful ways of gaining help widi problems diat were concerning diem. This was a development diat we had noted with pleasure and enthusiasm.
We connected widi some parents well; widi most intermittendy; but widi a fair proportion never. We realized diat we were not responding sufficiendy to die real, if usually unexpressed, concern of all the parents: the desire to continue to be effective in their children's intellectual development and daily learning. All the work at fairs and jumble sales did not advance diis need one iota and we had seemed, traditionally, content to leave it so.
We had, of course, been aware of the importance of the role parents played in shaping the attitudes towards learning held by the children we were trying to help. When we heard diat the Centre for Urban Educational Studies (CUES)1 was conducting a research project into Family Co-operation in the Development of Literacy, we went at once to meet die researchers. Valerie Elder, the leader of the project, and her team made a strong impression on us. They spoke widi conviction and excitement of their findings in two inner-city boroughs about parents' attitudes toward their children's education. |
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