

A blueprint for making positive father engagement a reality in your school.
When students' fathers are engaged at school, good things happen. Discipline problems ease. Achievement rises. A positive sense of community and connection grows. The Dad Difference is a testament to the power of fathers as leaders and role models and a practical guide to working with them as educational partners.
Informed by experience and inspired by the dads whose voices appear in the book, education leaders Chacko Abraham and Deborah R. Higdon explore the transformative nature of effective father engagement programs. You'll learn...
You'll also find a starter kit of effective father engagement strategies--20 different activities that can expand your school's capacity, foster strong school-home relationships, and boost confidence and belonging in both kids and dads. If you're looking for a low-cost, research-backed way to improve students' academic, social, and emotional outcomes, The Dad Difference is for you.
Book Details
Born out of a collaborative virtual partnership during the 2020 pandemic, school administrators Chacko Abraham and Dr. Deborah R. Higdon outline actionable tools to help educators build intentional father partnerships.
Expands focus to encompass biological fathers alongside any key adult male role models in students' lives.
Examines modern trends in paternity leave, sharing child care, and shifting roles in child rearing and parenting.
Features verbatim, unsanitized insights gathered from real interviews with active local fathers.
Provides simple, high-impact strategies that do not require immense budgets—only commitment.
Offers customizable frameworks easily adapted for elementary, middle, or high schools of any size and setting.