Families and schools in a world of diversity : beyond misunderstandings
In the larger context of family-school relationships, this paper addresses the issue of school interactions with parents bearing cultures different from the one dominant at school. We will refer to research conducted in several national contexts (United States, Canada (Quebec), France and Switzerland). These contexts are shaped by different conceptions of the mission of school as well as by singular visions of the integration of students coming from other cultural horizons. The paper points to the importance of building strong family-school relations because the nature and characteristics of these relations condition schooling outcomes.