A Cord of Three Strands: A New Approach to Parent Engagement in Schools

by Soo Hong, Jean Anyon (Foreword)

How can low-income, non-English-speaking parents become advocates, leaders, and role models in their children’s schools? A Cord of Three Strands offers a close study of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association, a grassroots organization on the northwest side of Chicago, whose work on parent engagement has drawn national attention.

The author identifies three elements—induction, integration, and investment—that together capture the dynamic and developmental nature of successful parent engagement.

Writing with both optimism and urgency, author Soo Hong offers richly detailed portraits of parents’ experiences and addresses the complex and sometime conflicting relationships among school, family, and community.

Genres: Education

264 pages, Paperback

First published March 17, 2011

Reviews

[Hilary]

This book could’ve been an article.

[Marie]

Of course I think this book is fabulous. I am so fortunate to know one of the protaganists (Nancy Aardema) who is the director of this incredible community organization that is making such difference in the lives of so many children, their families and their community. If you want to see how to really transform schools to meet the needs of at risk inner city kids and communities read this! wow.

[Kim]

This an amazing account of Chicago's Logan Square Neighborhood Association using public schools as a cultural center for all members of the family. The program is being piloted as a state model for parent involvement in schools, but Hong does a great job of discussing an important tension that results from taking a local initiative and replicating it in other parts of Illinois.

[Wendy Gardiner]

benefit: an important topic that is well researched & analyzed, and is informative. drawback: the book tends to get repetitious and could have been substantively shortened without sacrificing content

[Sarah left GR]

Based on a radical parent-involvement program in Logan Square:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/co...