Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/are-home-visitations-still-a-viable-tool/5010915/
Home visitations are widely acclaimed to be a valuable tool for cementing partnerships between teachers and parents. This article explores why home visitation is not widely used and how obstacles limiting the use of home visitations can be overcome.There is widespread appeal for using home visits to enhance the school-home relationship. Home visits provide opportunities for teachers to gain helpful information concerning children and their family relationships which assist in curriculum and developmental planning. Home visits may also provide parents access to teachers and information otherwise unavailable to them due to their special circumstances. Home visits by teachers can prepare children for transition from home to school, build bridges for further communication, and increase self-concept in children and parents. (Fox-Barnett and Meyer, 1992; Johnston and Mermin, 1994) The U.S. Department of Education and the national PTA are engaged in renewed interest to involve families in partnerships for learning. The National Education Goal added in the last Congress, as part of Goals 2000, dealt with increased parental involvement and participation (Imig, 1994). Most often the practice is found in governmentally funded programs such as Head Start that require visits as part of their funding criteria.
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