Think of the world we carry with us: Latina Women Changing the conversation of Parent Involvement

Abstract

My genuine interest in the role of parents in schools, especially of those parents who face more difficult challenges when making their voices heard is sustained through the memory of my parents’ participation throughout my schooling. My parent’s participation in my education went further than the formal parent involvement model offered by my school. A parent’s conception of their child’s education is largely based on their relationship with the school and the educational intent for the child. Parent involvement is claimed to be a multidimensional construct, and we now know that generally there are two places where a parent becomes involved in their child's education—the school and the home. My parents were part of communal participation where parents communicated about school and organized as a community to be involved when needed. They communicated with other parents (our neighbors) who attended meetings or events to keep abreast of important information.