Motivating Students and Parents

As a teacher or a future teacher it is our job to make a difference in our student lives. It is our responsibility to allow our students to be creative and allow them to express themselves, it is our responsibility as well to do everything we can to gain parental involvement. I'm very concerned with the amount of parental involvement that I see in schools now days, and the line of separation between teachers and parents. It is in my opinion, and maybe I'm wrong, but I still cannot help but feel that parents and teachers should work together and build a learning community for their children together. We seem to live in a society where parental involvement is at a minimal, and I am very confused as to why! When I was younger, you couldn't get away from parents, they were everywhere, and now I hardly see them, and I worry that it is because of the attitudes that teachers and faculty. Being a teacher at times can be misinterpreted by stepping into a dictator type role, but that is not the case. I believe when you take on the responsibility to educate people you are taking on the responsibility to educate in creative enthusiastic ways, that motivates the students and parents to get involved. We are there to motivate both, not boss them around. We are teacher not dictators! My question to you is, how can we as a teaching society, motivate our students and our parents?