The purpose of this course is to provide Student Teachers with a strong foundation for understanding the relationship between and among teachers, the school, and the fam­ilies and community that support the school. Basic conceptualizations of educational institutions and the role of the teacher in relating to these institutions will be considered. Student Teachers will also explore how cultural, social, and historical forces have shaped their understanding of the relationship teachers have with schools, communities, and families in Pakistan. The course will explore the social context of schooling and examine how the work of teachers is nested within school and community. It will provide orien­tation to the process of socialization in schools and how social factors affect education.

    In this course, student Teachers will have opportunity to put this knowledge into practice in the accompanying one-credit laboratory by studying a school and its community, so that as teachers, they can mobilize support for educational programs and contribute positively to their communities. Practical application of the course will be emphasized as Student Teachers explore teaching and learning within both the school and the community. They will identify strategies, practices, and relationships that have proven fruitful within familiar contexts, and learn how to identify and respond to challenges in school, community, and teacher relationships. Student Teachers will identify how culture, gender, special needs, equity and equality, and collaborative working condi­tions affect the school and community