Patricia Edwards is the recipient of the 2019 AERA Scholars of Color Distinguished Career Contribution Award

Chapter modules cover common challenges teachers face in a variety of situations, including conducting honest parent–teacher conferences, dealing with discipline issues, responding to confrontational parents, and educating neurodiverse students. Each module includes questions, worksheets, and background information for developing asset-based approaches that consider caregivers’ and students’ underlying needs.

“This book is a trove of treasured stories about how to communicate with diverse families to support student success in school. Teachers will keep this reference handy because they will meet similar challenges.”
—From the Foreword by Joyce L. Epstein, Johns Hopkins University

“If you’ve ever been confused or discouraged about building partnerships with families, this book provides research-based, practical strategies.”
—Laurie Elish-Piper, Northern Illinois University

“This is a gem of a resource for supporting the development of teachers who can work in responsive, thoughtful partnership with all families.”
—Judy Paulick, University of Virginia

“This book is a must-read for everyone involved in education. The modules are comprehensive and the case scenarios are realistic and engaging.”
—Elfrieda (Freddy) H. Hiebert, TextProject