EDUC 443 Families, Schools, and Educational Justice: Family and Community Engagement
This course introduces students to family and community engagement as a critical aspect of educational practice and institutional decision-making. Students explore the historical, social, and policy factors that shape relationships among families, communities, and schools, as well as the educational activism of families and communities that facilitate institutional change. Students also gain practical skills to build stronger relationships with families, including beginning-of-year relationship-building, navigating difficult conversations, and academically partnering with families. This course runs concurrently with practicum experiences. These experiences will enable students to apply and observe these strategies in real-world contexts, critically reflecting on equity, culturally sustaining family engagement, and professional dispositions.