Reaching Out to Parents
An important component of school-linked service efforts is empowering parents to become more involved in their children's education. Bruner (1994) notes that the benefits of involving parents who traditionally have not been called upon for classroom support "may extend well beyond the classroom walls" because "school-linked services can help find ways for teachers and parents to work with one another in achieving their mutual goals for their children's education" (p. 5). He adds that teachers should "view all parents as resources, and seek to involve parents in the school and their child's education at a level appropriate to the parents' interest, time and capabilities" (p. 7).
For example, the "funds of knowledge" model by Moll (1992) recognizes the unique skills of adults who are involved in maintaining households and communities. It uses the experiences and capacities of parents and community members to teach students about real-life applications of math and other subjects.
