From the Renaissance onwards, European scholars began to collect and study the various languages of the Old and the New Worlds. The recognition of language diversity encouraged them to explain how differences between languages emerged, why languages kept changing, and in what language families they could be classified.

The story of the Warden, McKenzie, O’Keefe, Greenwood and Martyn families intertwine across the years 1852 – 1918. Five generations are covered in the sweeping backdrop of New Zealand’s colonial days and early nationhood.

The history is accurate in its background, but the families involved are fictitious. The development of sheep farming, gold mining, the coal mines and railroads are the backdrop to these families wealth.

Home-School Connections in a Multicultural Society: Learning From and With Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families

Educators everywhere confront critical issues related to families, schooling, and teaching in diverse settings. Directly addressing this reality, Home-School Connections in a Multicultural Society shows pre-service and practicing teachers how to recognize and build on the rich resources for enhancing school learning that exist within culturally and linguistically diverse families.

So why do we continue to administer this modern cod liver oil-or even demand a larger dose? Kohn’s incisive analysis reveals how a set of misconceptions about learning and a misguided focus on competitiveness has left our kids with less free time, and our families with more conflict. Pointing to stories of parents who have fought back-and schools that have proved educational excellence is possible without homework-Kohn demonstrates how we can rethink what happens during and after school in order to rescue our families and our children’s love of learning.

With a wealth of new information from family involvement in education, this updated new second edition of Families and Educators as Partners: Issues and Challenges, 2nd Edition is a readable and practical text. It provides future and current teachers, administrators, school personnel and parents with background information as well as strategies that they need to plan and implement a successful family involvement program in preschool and elementary environments.