P. Ramsay et al., SHARING CURRICULUM DECISIONS WITH PARENTS - AN OVERVIEW OF THE FINDINGS OF PROJECT CRRISP, New Zealand journal of educational studies, 27(2), 1992, pp. 167-182
The Curriculum Review Research in Schools Project was designed to moni
tor changes in schools as they moved towards increased parental partic
ipation in curriculum decision making. The project involved observing
four school developers working in clusters of six through eight school
s in different New Zealand locations. Overall 10,000 hours of observat
ion were recorded, which taken together with questionnaires and interv
iews composed a huge data bank. A range of change strategies and a rep
ertoire of developmental techniques were recorded. Key findings includ
ed the need for a great number of staff and parent development program
mes; that parents not only desired, but demanded involvement, that par
ents were supportive, generally speaking of teachers and schools; and
that 'traditional' ways of involving parents (e.g. parent teacher even
ings) were not the most suitable vehicles. Pivotal roles played by sch
ool principals and developers were identified and described. Women wer
e found to be more open to change than men. Inclusive strategies were
found to be more successful than elite top down models. Schools which
adapted, or better still, created their own conditions were faster mov
ing than those who merely adopted ideas. Finally, quality reflection t
ime was found to be a very necessary commodity before people came to o
wn the changes.