Marketing Through Positive Communication
CORRECT ASSIGNMENT
Marketing Through Positive Communication. 1st Post Due by Day 3. Marketing is about much more than placing an advertisement in the local paper or planning a special event. Strong family relationships that reflect positive interactions should be seen as the driving force of your program’s success. Effective family relationships are often centered around comprehensive systems of communication. These systems can be composed of items such as daily logs for the families, regular newsletters, accident and incident reports, orientation and open house programs, and parent conferences. This discussion will focus on the creation of relationships with families for overall program success. After reading the assigned chapters from the textbook for this week, please respond to the following:
In your initial post,
- Explain the difference between internal and external marketing found in Chapter 8.
Give at least two examples of each that you think are essential to program success.
Provide a rational. - Briefly describe the three approaches to working with families found in Chapter 12.
Highlight that which most closely aligns with your thinking
Explain why you chose that approach. - Thinking about the program you have chosen to work with for this course, answer the following questions:
What is the program currently doing to actively cultivate positive perceptions among their current clients and community?
Are there features of the program that might result in negative perceptions?
How might they add to their communication strategies with families and the community to building stronger, more positive relationships?
CHAPTER
1
2
Working with Families and Communities
NAEYC Administrator Competencies Addressed in This Chapter:
Management Knowledge and Skills
6. Family Support
· Knowledge and application of family systems and different parenting styles
· The ability to implement program practices that support families of diverse cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and socio-economic backgrounds
· The ability to support families as valued partners in the educational process
3. Staff Management and Human Relations
· The ability to relate to staff and board members of diverse racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds
7. Marketing and Public Relations
· The ability to promote linkages with local schools
9. Oral and Written Communication
· Knowledge of oral communication techniques, including establishing rapport, preparing the environment, active listening, and voicecontrol
· The ability to communicate ideas effectively in a formal presentation
Early Childhood Knowledge and Skills
6. Family and Community Relationships
· Knowledge of the diversity of family systems, traditional, non-traditional and alternative family structures, family life styles, and thedynamics of family life on the development of young children
· Knowledge of socio-cultural factors influencing contemporary families including the impact of language, religion, poverty, race,technology, and the media
· Knowledge of different community resources, assistance, and support available to children and families
· Knowledge of different strategies to promote reciprocal partnerships between home and center
· Ability to communicate effectively with parents through written and oral communication
· Ability to demonstrate awareness and appreciation of different cultural and familial practices and customs
· Knowledge of child rearing patterns in other countries
10. Professionalism
· Ability to make professional judgments based on the NAEYC “Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment”
Learning Outcomes
After studying this chapter, you will be able to:
1. Explain three approaches that programs of early care and education might take to working with families.
2. Identify some of the benefits enjoyed by children, families, and programs when families are engaged with the programs serving theiryoung children.
3. Describe some effective strategies for building trusting relationships with all families.
4. Identify the stakeholder groups and the kinds of expertise that should be represented on programs’ advisory committees and boardsof directors.
Grace’s Experience
The program that Grace directs has been an important part of the neighborhood for more than 20 years. She knows she is benefiting from thegoodwill it has earned over the years. It is respected because of its tradition of high-quality outreach projects, such as the sing-along the childrenpresent at the senior center in the spring. The program’s tradition of community involvement has meant that local businesses have always beenwilling to help out when asked for donations during the center’s annual fund-raiser.
Recent years have brought changes to the neighborhood, however. Like many communities, it is more diverse than ever before. Grace now hearsunfamiliar languages as she runs errands before and after school, and, for the first time, the center includes several children who are learningEnglish as their second language. Grace is committed to maintaining the center’s important role in the community and hopes this chapter willhelp her learn how to develop and maintain productive relationships with all of the families who enroll their children and the neighborhoodwhere the center makes its home.
Early childhood programs play an important role in the lives of young children and their families. We hope this chapter will help youdevelop a greater appreciation for the ways that families, programs of early care and education, and communities can join forces to addresssome of the disparities created by race and class and increase all young children’s access to opportunities that will enhance their chancesfor success in school and beyond.
These linkages are essential—neither families nor programs for young children exist in a vacuum. The coordinated interface among home,school, and community creates an essential network of support that each child deserves (
Bronfenbrenner, 1979
). Program administrators,teachers, and caregivers who spend their days with young children have the opportunity to create and nurture relationships with familiesthat link them to their community’s educational opportunities; these include not only schools and child development centers, but alsolibraries, museums, and afterschool and summer programs that can create rich learning opportunities for all. It is our goal to help you takethe lead in strengthening connections between your early childhood program and the families and communities you serve (
Weiss, 2014
).
Even as you work to engage families with their children’s schooling, they should frequently be reminded that they know their children bestand play the most important role in their lives. Children’s relationships in quality programs of early care and education can last throughouttheir early years, but the relationships between children and families last a lifetime. Not surprisingly, the quality of these lastingrelationships is a stronger predictor of children’s development than the quantity and quality of care in early childhood programs (
NICHDEarly Child Care Research Network, 1997
). This is why it is so important in both the short and long term for early childhood educators toshare insights about children’s growth and development with their families and to be sure they have appropriate expectations for their learning and behavior.
12.1 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS’ LONG HISTORY OF PARTNERING WITH FAMILIES
The field’s earliest leaders recognized that families were children’s first and most influential teachers. Beginning with the pioneeringprograms of the early 1900s, early childhood educators have embraced their responsibility to support families’ efforts to enhance andensure children’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive well-being.
In spite of the fact that families face different challenges today than they did more than a century ago, many of the issues they confrontremain the same. Families and early childhood professionals continue to work together with one shared goal—to give all childrenopportunities to pursue their dreams and to achieve success.
Collaboration: A Crucial Element of Quality Programming
Opportunities for programs, families, and communities to work together have long been a crucial component of quality early childhoodprogramming (
Larner, 1996
;
Raab & Dunst, 1997
). The theoretical foundation for this three-way collaboration is based on Vygotsky’ssociocultural theory (
Vygotsky, 1978
) and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory of human development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), aswell as recent scholarship documenting ways that families’ participation in their children’s education predicts their success in school andbeyond (Weiss, 2014).
The extensive body of research demonstrating the importance of creating school/family partnerships led the first President Bush and thenation’s governors to identify parental1 participation as the 8th National Education Goal and called on schools to “promote partnershipsthat will increase parental involvement in promoting the social, emotional and academic growth of children” (
Goals 2000: Educate AmericaAct, 1994
). The authors of the groundbreaking book Eager to Learn also emphasized the contributions that schools that partner withfamilies can make to children’s futures and recommend that “all early childhood programs build alliances with parents to cultivate mutuallyreinforcing environments for children at home and in early childhood programs” (
Bowman, Donovan, & Burns, 2001
, p. 318). Theimportance of involving families in their children’s programs of early care and education is also illustrated by the wide array of professionalguidelines that have long included creating partnerships with families as a key component of quality:
· Head Start Performance Standards (
Administration for Children and Families [ACF], 2015
)
· National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Early Childhood Program Accreditation Criteria (
NAEYC, 2014
),including the Program Administration Core Competencies
· NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct (
NAEYC, 2011a
) and its Supplement for Program Administrators (
NAEYC, 2011b
)
· These influential NAEYC position statements, some of which are over 20 years old: Developmentally Appropriate Practice (
NAEYC,2009
), Linguistic and Cultural Diversity (
NAEYC, 1995
), Violence in the Lives of Children (
NAEYC, 1993
) and Early Childhood Inclusion, ajoint position statement of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children and NAEYC (
DEC/NAEYC,2009
)
· NAEYC’s Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation Programs (
NAEYC, 2009
), which guide the curriculum offered tostudents enrolled in associate, bachelor’s, and graduate degree programs
· Infant/Toddler, Early Childhood, and School-Age Environment Rating Scales (
Harms, Clifford, & Cryer, 2015
;
Harms, Cryer, & Clifford,2006
;
Harms, Jacobs, & White, 1995
), which are widely used measures of program quality
Application Activity
The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct (NAEYC, 2011a) (see
Appendix 2
) and its Supplement for Early Childhood Program Administrators(NAEYC, 2011b) (see
Appendix 3
) provide guidance for programs striving to develop and maintain strong collaborative relationshipswith families and communities. Working in groups, discuss a difficult situation you have encountered while working with families.Identify the core values involved in this situation and the ideals and principles in the NAEYC Code and Administrators’ Supplementthat guide your ethical decision making. Describe a defensible course of action that is true to these ethical principles.
Three Approaches to Working with Families
It will always be true that families are their children’s first and most important teachers; however, today’s families often rely on outsideresources such as early childhood programs and schools to help them care for and educate their young children. Bronfenbrenner’secological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979;
Bronfenbrenner, 2004
) provides a framework for understanding how important it is thatfamilies and programs of early care and education develop strong and harmonious partnerships to support children’s learning, growth, anddevelopment.
Children’s family members should be warmly welcomed whenever they visit the center.
David Kostelnik/Pearson Education
Involving families in children’s early childhood experiences enhances the program’s effectiveness, is particularly important for childrenfrom low-income families who have encountered racial or ethnic barriers to their success, and has long-lasting benefits for children andtheir families (Weiss, 2014). For example, evidence demonstrates that when families are engaged in their children’s early schoolexperiences, children come to school ready to learn (Harvard Family Research Project, 2014), adapt to school more successfully (
Tan &Goldberg, 2009
), and are more likely to do well academically (
Reynolds, Magnuson, & Ou, 2010
). Furthermore, when families are engagedduring the early childhood years, there is a greater likelihood that they will remain involved during their children’s elementary andsecondary school careers (
Henrich & Blackman-Jones, 2006
). Efforts to engage families in children’s early childhood experiences havebecome an even higher priority in recent years because of schools’ commitment to serving the increasingly diverse populations they arewelcoming into their midst and to ensuring all children’s success (
Derman-Sparks, LeeKeenan, & Nimmo, 2015
;
Halgunseth, Peterson, Stark,& Moodie, 2009
).
It is interesting to think about how recommended approaches to involving families in their children’s education have shifted over the years.For many years, parent involvement programs were seen as the best way for schools to reach out to their students’ families. Thisapproach has been described as being a one-way school-to-family relationship, led by teachers who guide families’ efforts to support theirchildren’s learning and development (
Summer & Summer, 2014
). The success of parent involvement efforts is most often measured by howoften parents volunteer in their child’s classroom or contact their child’s teacher; or by the number of parents who plan and participate infund-raising projects, field trips, and class parties (
Halgunseth, Peterson, Stark, & Moodie, 2009
). Parent involvement programs often expectfamilies to respond to teachers’ requests by fitting their participation into the school’s existing programs (Summer & Summer, 2014). Thisapproach is now viewed as taking a deficit perspective because it fails to take into account families’ work schedules, family responsibilities,economic constraints, or other barriers that may make direct involvement impractical if not impossible (
Souto-Manning & Swick, 2006
).
Another popular approach to working with families is one that creates school/family partnerships (
Halgunseth, Peterson, Stark, &Moodie, 2009
). This approach focuses on ways that families and schools can work together on projects and initiatives that are meaningfuland beneficial to both. These are some of the ways schools reach out to the families and the communities they serve:
· Parent education. Early childhood programs assist families in their efforts to create healthy homes that support children’s physical,emotional, and cognitive development.
· School-to-home and home-to-school communication. Teachers and caregivers use strategies such as newsletters, conferences, phonecalls, text messages, and email to create and maintain lines of communication between school and home.
· Participation. Early childhood programs work to develop effective strategies to recruit and involve families as classroom volunteersand to involve them in schoolwide special events.
· Learning at home. Early childhood programs advise families about how they can create home environments that are conducive tolearning and support children’s school success.
· Decision making. Families are invited to participate in the program’s decision making and governance through vehicles such as thecenter’s parent–teacher organization (PTO) or school advisory council. Some families may become involved in advocacy activitiestargeting decision-making bodies outside of the program. They may, for example, attend meetings of the advisory committee thatoversees child care licensing, the school board or another body that oversees the program’s operations.
· Community outreach. Early childhood programs and parent–teacher groups can engage community members and businesses in theeducation of young children by soliciting their financial or in-kind support (
Epstein et al., 2002
).
A third model of working with families is a family engagement approach that strives to create a collaborative “ongoing, reciprocal,strengths-based partnership between families and their children’s early childhood education programs” (Halgunseth, Peterson, Stark, &Moodie, 2009, p. 3). This approach builds on the strengths of children’s extended circle of caregivers, which can include parents,grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles, friends, and neighbors. The family engagement model honors America’s increased diversity andintegrates the perspectives, strengths, and needs of all children and families, their communities, and the programs that serve them. Theseare some of the characteristics of the family engagement approach:
· Relationships linking children’s homes with their program of early care and education are respectful and designed to build trust.
· Ongoing, timely, and consistent two-way communication about children’s in-school and out-of-school experiences is initiated by bothfamilies and program personnel. Programs are, to the greatest extent possible, responsive to the linguistic traditions of all families andare sensitive that some adults have low levels of literacy.
· Both families and program personnel are viewed as experts. Family members share their knowledge by supporting classroom inquiryand instruction, volunteering, and by participating in school events.
· Teachers and caregivers learn about the homes and communities of the children in their care and use this information to buildcurriculum, to inform instruction, and to support the program’s goals.
· Programs and families create goals for children collaboratively. Families strive to create a home environment that extends learningand helps their children achieve those goals.
· Programs ensure that collaborative relationships with families are sustained by providing teachers and administrators with ongoingprofessional development. They are expected to enhance their knowledge and hone their skills in supporting collaboration withfamilies and communities (Halgunseth, Peterson, Stark, & Moodie, 2009).
Innovative programs implementing a family engagement approach to working with families “represent a vision of family, school, andcommunity engagement as a shared responsibility and a continuous process that occurs wherever children learn and throughout theirdevelopment into young adults” (
National Family, School, and Community Engagement Working Group, 2010
, p. 2). The competitive federalRace to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant program incentivized projects that put the spotlight on the importance of familyengagement by requiring states that received these federal monies to create comprehensive plans for engaging and supporting families(
Harvard Family Research Project, 2012
).
Some of the most important outcomes of well-developed family engagement initiatives are their success reaching traditionally hard-to-engage families, thereby increasing children’s chances for success in school and beyond; their success supporting and reinforcing theefforts of those families already engaged; and by initiatives designed to empower parent leaders to transform schools. Success stories comefrom low-performing schools, including those in low-income communities where many families’ home language is not English and families’educational attainment is low, in addition to those where professional families are financially comfortable and have, themselves, hadsuccessful school careers (National Family, School, and Community Engagement Working Group, 2010).
Teachers and families can strengthen their relationships when they spend informal times together.
David Kostelnik/Pearson Education
12.2 BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF WORKING WITH FAMILIES
It is now a generally accepted fact that children benefit when their families are interested and involved in their school experiences. However,in spite of influential position statements; standards for teacher preparation; criteria for accreditation of early childhood programs; and, insome instances, legislation requiring family–school collaboration, the fact remains that early childhood educators are apt to describeworking with families as the most demanding part of their job (
Gibbs, 2005
). Your responsibility as a program administrator includescreating the expectation that all staff cultivate positive relationships with families; nurturing a center culture that welcomes and embracesfamilies as partners in your important work; and providing logistical support, such as making your center available during nontraditionalevening and weekend hours for events that engage teachers and families in working together on behalf of the community’s children(
Summer & Summer 2014
).
Threefold Benefits of Family–School Collaboration
Children, families, and programs of early care and education all benefit when the home and child care program work in harmony. Whenthey work together, children and families are supported, benefiting from their shared purpose. If the home and school are at odds,however, viewing each other with suspicion or casting blame, then children’s optimal development is in jeopardy. Successful partnershipsbegin with a desire to work together toward a common goal. But collaboration is not easy and does not come naturally. Adults must work todevelop trusting relationships and have patience to overcome the inevitable challenges along the way. When the connections between thehome and school are strong, children, families, schools and child care programs, and communities benefit, accomplishing more than anycould do if each was acting alone.
Benefits for Children:
Whichever approach to working with families described earlier is embraced by your program, you can be assured that children are at atremendous advantage when program personnel are intentional about partnering with families (
Daniel, 2009
), when families and teachersagree on what they expect children will learn and be able to do, and when they agree on how to help children achieve those goals (
Powell &Gerde, 2006
). When operating from these shared understandings, functioning as an extended family, early childhood programs are at theirbest (
Caldwell, 1985
). These are some ways children are likely to benefit from these collaborative efforts:
· Recent demographic changes mean many children entering early care and education are immigrants, finding their way in a newculture with an unfamiliar language (
Adair & Barraza, 2014
;
Kirmani & Leung, 2008
). Furthermore, in some instances, these changeshave impacted families’ economic stability, interrupting and undermining the relationships essential for families’ healthy psychologicaldevelopment (
Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 1998
; Halgunseth, Peterson, Stark, & Moodie, 2009;
Lee & Burkam, 2002
). Children benefitwhen child care programs, schools, and communities provide support during these kinds of family transitions and periods of stress.
· Family involvement and engagement can motivate children to work harder, enhance cognitive development, improve behavior, boostacademic achievement, support emotional development, and increase language and problem-solving skills. It can also decrease thechances that children will misbehave, be referred into special education classes, be retained, or eventually drop out of school (
Henrich& Blackman-Jones, 2006
;
Pena, 2000
; Reynolds, Magnuson, & Ou, 2010;
Westrich & Strobel, 2013
).
· Schools that engage the families of young children in their children’s learning report improved student attendance (
Dubay & Holla,2015
).
· When centers and families collaborate, they are more likely to successfully advocate for the evaluation of children with suspecteddisabilities and to secure special services when they are needed to enhance children’s chances for success (
Croft, 2010
; Pena, 2000).
· When children see their families and school personnel work together toward shared goals they are proud and are more likely todevelop a positive self-image and to bring positive dispositions to their own social relationships (
Marcon, 1994
;
Westrich & Strobel,2013
).
Benefits for Families:
Families benefit when they take advantage of opportunities to participate in their children’s early childhood educational experiences. Theseare some of the benefits family members can enjoy:
· Participation in their young child’s classroom and school can enhance family members’ feelings of self-worth, their English proficiency,and their leadership skills. It also makes them better informed about their children’s school and their experiences while they are awayfrom home (
Bermudez & Marquez, 1996
; Westrich & Strobel, 2013).
· Family members benefit from observing teachers’ interactions with young children. These classroom observations can increase theirknowledge of child development and give them opportunities to see guidance techniques that are appropriate and effective withyoung children. Family members who have spent time in their young children’s classrooms have been shown to apply this knowledgeto interactions with their children in the home (
Keyser, 2006
).
· When family members interact with children in an early childhood setting, they are likely to gain confidence in their own ability tonurture and educate their children (
Epstein, 2001
;
Powell, 1989
).
· Families who have a trusting and respectful relationship with their child’s teacher can leave their child with confidence. They knowthey have a caring partner with whom to share the joys and challenges of parenthood and appreciate being acknowledged as beingtheir child’s first and most important teacher (Keyser, 2006).
· Family members involved in targeted programs in their children’s schools have been shown to better understand their communityschools and the important role they play in their children’s education, become motivated to encourage their children to stay in school,and acquire ways to help their children learn both in school and at home (Keyser, 2006;
National Family, School, and CommunityWorking Group, 2010
).
· When family members participate in their children’s programs, they often form friendships and create networks of mutual support.These friendships may present adults with educational or employment opportunities and have the potential to give the families ofchildren with and without disabilities opportunities to enjoy their children together (
Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010
; Epstein, 2001; Powell, 1989).
Benefits for Programs:
Early childhood programs also benefit from family engagement. These are some of the ways:
· When families help program personnel understand their family’s makeup and culture, caregivers and teachers are likely to moreeffectively incorporate aspects of children’s home cultures into the classroom. They are likely to become more empathetic and to bebetter able to appreciate families’ strengths (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010;
Gonzalez-Mena, 2008
;
Gonzalez-Mena, 2010
).
· Family members who are involved and engaged in the program are more likely to understand its rationale, curriculum, and teachingstrategies. Designers of model programs launched in the 1960s found that participating parents had a unique ability to explain theprogram’s services to other parents—they were advocates who helped the program build credibility in their community.
· Family members volunteering in the classroom create a smaller adult–child ratio, and more children can benefit from adults’ one-on-one attention for activities such as lap reading. They can ease the teacher’s workload; can reduce discipline issues; and may make itpossible for the teacher to plan activities, such as cooking or special crafts, that require an extra pair of adult hands (
Gonzalez-Mena,2010
; Westrich & Strobel, 2013).
· Family members can serve as classroom resources. Their special talents and interests can make valuable contributions when childrenare studying particular hobbies, such as playing a musical instrument or gardening. They can also help teachers when children havequestions about occupations, such as being a truck driver, a veterinarian, or a mail carrier (Gonzalez-Mena, 2010).
· Program directors and teachers often view family involvement and engagement as a sign of respect. It enhances staff morale andimproves school unity (Epstein, 2001;
Souto-Manning, 2010
; Westrich & Strobel, 2013) and can motivate staff to initiate partnershipsin return.
· Involved family members are likely to become the program’s biggest boosters. This kind of positive publicity can increase enrollmentand help promote the program’s reputation and support throughout the community (National Family, School, and CommunityWorking Group, 2010).
· Family members can serve as program decision makers. This contribution will be discussed later in this chapter.
Members of children’s families can make valuable contributions to their classrooms.
Paul Jenkins/Pearson Education
· Family involvement and engagement can make it possible for the center to comply with program requirements. For example, HeadStart Performance Standards mandate that local advisory boards have parent representatives and that parents serve in the classroomas paid employees, volunteers, and observers. Additionally, federal guidelines established for programs serving children withdisabilities require parents to participate in developing Family Service Plans (FSPs) or their children’s Individual Education Plans(IEP). If parents fail to “buy in” to these programs, programs will not be able to meet their legislative mandates.
In spite of evidence that family involvement benefits children, families, and the programs that serve them, the fact remains that not allfamilies are actively involved in their young children’s programs of early care and education. One reason might be that programs have notbeen successful in making all families feel welcome. Is the building accessible and easy to navigate? Are program materials printed in alanguage all families can read? Do program personnel communicate with families in their native language? Does the center and itsemployees successfully reflect an appreciation and respect for all cultures (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010; Kirmani & Leung, 2008)?Does the program assure families that there many ways to support children’s learning and to contribute to the school community andreflect their belief that all families can make important contributions to the program’s success (Westrich & Strobel, 2013)? Programpersonnel also need to appreciate that families who are in crisis because of illness, homelessness, or another stress-producing situation arelikely to be less engaged and less involved because they lack emotional or physical reserves. They may need time and your understandinguntil their family is again on an even keel and has emotional energy, time, and resources to become involved (
Swick & Williams, 2006
).
These trends highlight the fact that not all programs are doing a good job of meeting the needs of all families. They should challenge thosecommitted to family engagement and involvement to reach out in innovative ways that are likely to involve these hard-to-reach populationsso all children can reap the benefits of robust family involvement. It is important to remember, however, that while some families maychoose not to be involved (
Bromer & Weaver, 2014
;
Sciarra, Lynch, Adams, & Dorsey, 2016
), the programs serving their children should beencouraged to suggest ways the center might make engagement in their children’s educational experiences more feasible and attractive.
Application Activity
Describe an activity that will give families an opportunity to become engaged in your center. Identify how children, families, and thecenter might work together in planning the activity and how each might benefit. Consider how you can increase the likelihood thatthis activity will appeal to traditionally hard-to-reach populations.
Challenges to Family Involvement
Differences Can Create Barriers to Family–School Collaboration:
Families and program staff will likely bring different values and beliefs to their interactions with young children. These differences reflectthe influences of their culture, family, and personal experiences and can lead to very different expectations about caregiving, children’sbehavior and development, and the role of families in the center’s day-to-day operations (
Powell & Gerde, 2006
; Souto-Manning, 2010).
Early childhood educators have a responsibility to understand these differences and to work to eliminate the barriers they can create. Somelikely sources of difference you may encounter in your work follow in the next sections.
FAMILY STRUCTURE.
The children you serve are likely to have varied family structures. Your program will probably include children who come from traditionalnuclear families made up of a mother, a father, and their children. But America’s increasingly diverse population means the children youwork with are also likely to come from loving nontraditional families. You may work with children whose parents are gay, lesbian, bisexual,or transgendered; children whose parents are single, either by choice, as the result of death or divorce, a parent’s deployment, or aparent’s incarceration; grandparents who are children’s primary caregivers; blended families that combine parents’ children from previousrelationships; children living with foster parents; and children who have been adopted into forever homes. As the program’s director, youwill set the tone for how the center and its teachers work with all the families you serve. It is your responsibility to clearly send the messagethat all children should feel proud of their family. Consider what changes your center might make to be inclusive and welcoming to allfamilies and ensure that all family structures are positively portrayed in classroom discussions, in books and classroom displays, and arewarmly welcomed into the class community (
Peixoto da Silva, 2014
). When you model inclusive, respectful attitudes about all families it ismore likely that they will feel supported and be more apt to fully participate in school-sponsored events and activities (
Derman-Sparks &Edwards, 2010
).
Teachers who have not had prior training or mentoring about the importance of respecting all families may feel uncomfortable includingreferences to gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender lifestyles in the classroom. Begin by modifying your center’s forms and regularnewsletters, replacing questions about, and references to, children’s mothers and fathers with parents or families, and in some casesreferring to adults’ partners instead of their husbands or wives (Peixoto da Silva, 2014). Also be mindful of how you refer to the adults inchildren’s lives. Referring to them as “your grown-ups” can be one way to show respect for all family structures, as can finding out whatchildren call the significant adults in their lives and using those terms when referring to them (
Scully, Barbour, & Roberts-King, 2015
). Thinkabout the center’s traditions and routines. If each class has traditionally had a room mother, change that job description to describe theclass’s room parent. Consider celebrating Family Day (officially designated as the third Monday in February in some states and Canadianprovinces) instead of Mother’s or Father’s Day, and adapting finger plays and songs to include references to families with two dads or twomoms (
Bower & Klecka, 2009
;
Clay, 2004
; Peixoto da Silva, 2014).
It is also the case that many early childhood educators have not had training that guides them in welcoming families formed by adoption(
Meese, 2012
). There can, for example, be issues around asking to see children’s birth certificates as part of the registration process. Whilebirth certificates of children whose adoptions have been finalized list the names of their forever parents, sometimes children are legallyadopted by just one of their parents. What’s more, before the June 2015 Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriages in everystate, both parents’ names may not have been listed when children had two moms or two dads (
Fox, 2014
). Program handbooks orregistration forms might also be unintentionally unwelcoming to families formed by adoption. Think about how you can include questionsthat help you get to know all the families you serve, while giving families the opportunity to share their children’s special circumstances.Asking question such as, “Who are the important people in your child’s life?” and “What can you tell us about your family that will help usget to know you and care for your child?” would give families opportunities to provide you useful background information about theirchildren and family (Fox, 2014).
Also be careful to use the word adoption only in the context of a way to form loving, forever families. When the word is used in other ways,such as to “adopt a highway,” or “adopt a grandparent” at the local senior center, it trivializes adoption and can be confusing to children andupsetting to families (Fox, 2014). Remember as well that children who have been adopted may not have pictures from when they werebabies, so an activity that asks them for those pictures may be uncomfortable. Refer to the websites listed at the end of this chapter foradditional information about how to make your program welcoming to children who are adopted.
Recent years have also seen an increase in the number of grandparents who have become young children’s primary guardians, often as aresult of a family crisis of one sort or another (
Murphey, Cooper, & Forry, 2013
). These families are likely to have faced stresses such asthose caused by a parent’s incarceration, substance abuse, child abuse, abandonment, death or mental illness (
Pinazo-Hernandis &Tomplins, 2009
). Grandparents are also likely to be adjusting to their new role as parents again and may be in the midst of navigatingthrough any number of agencies as they plan for supporting their grandchildren financially, find suitable housing, and care for children’sphysical and emotional health (
Bailey, Letiecq, & Porterfield, 2009
;
Cox, 2009
). They often need particular kinds of outreach if they are to beinvolved and engaged in their grandchildren’s early care and education (
Birckmayer, Cohen, Jensen, & Variano, 2005
).
Some family structures have been shown to create stresses that make parental program involvement particularly difficult or put children’sphysical, social, and emotional development at risk. For example, single mothers and mothers living with partners who are not the child’sfather are more likely to live in stressful circumstances and are less likely to be involved in their children’s early educational experiences(
Cooper, 2010
). Other families face stress when a parent is deployed by the military, when a family member is incarcerated, or when theyface a serious illness. Skillful teachers can support and successfully boost the self-confidence of adult family members encountering thesekinds of stressful circumstances by offering a compassionate ear, by having realistic expectations about their availability to be involved, andby suggesting opportunities to participate that give them an experience with success while benefiting the school community.
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS.
Children from affluent families are more likely to enjoy academic success than children living in poverty, and their families are more likely tobe involved in their early education (Cooper, 2010). Low-income families face many barriers that can make participating in their children’sschool difficult. Parents may hesitate to be involved because they are not confident that they are dressed appropriately to come to school,may believe that because their own education was limited they have little to offer, or may even be embarrassed because they are unable toread (
Kersey & Masterson, 2009
). Low-wage workers are also more likely to have inflexible work hours or to have jobs that require themto be at work in the early morning, late at night, or on weekends. In addition, they may lack access to reliable transportation. These work-related responsibilities may make it impossible for them to participate in events at their child’s school and may also make schedulingconferences with teachers difficult (Cooper, 2010).
CULTURAL DIVERSITY.
Culture reflects families’ beliefs, values, and ways of interacting. Children are enculturated by their families’ day-to-day interactions. Theyare their family’s investment in the future and are being prepared to perpetuate their culture (
Christian, 2006
; Gonzalez-Mena, 2008).Identifying culturally determined values and ways of interacting helps you understand the families with whom you work.
One framework for developing this understanding is to consider the differences between low-context and high-context cultural patterns. In low-context cultures, the individual is valued over the group, independence of individuals is a virtue, individuals are encouraged to assertthemselves, individual achievement is valued, and communication is verbal and precise. These characteristics usually describe WesternEuropeans and members of the mainstream, dominant U.S. culture.
By contrast, in high-context groups, interdependence, as shown by reliance on the extended family and the community, is valued;achievement within cooperative groups is encouraged and rewarded; contributions to the group are prized; and language is likely toinclude many nonverbal and contextual cues. These characteristics are likely to describe individuals raised in Asian, Southern European,Latino, African American, and Native American traditions (
Hall, 1977
).
Child-rearing practices, particularly beliefs about “the right way” for children to sleep, eat, be toilet trained, and play, reflect culturallydetermined expectations. In low-context cultures, for example, even very young children sleep alone; they are encouraged to feedthemselves at a young age, even if that means Cheerios are thrown on the floor or feeding is a messy affair. Toilet training begins whenchildren are able to get themselves into the bathroom and handle their clothes independently. Solitary play is encouraged by creatingsettings with enough toys, including duplicates of popular selections, so that children have access to what they want when they want it.
Children reared in high-context cultures, on the other hand, are likely to sleep in the family bed at least during infancy, and with theirparents or siblings throughout the early childhood years; are often fed by adults until they are about age 4 (because this is seen as a way tofoster interdependence); may be toilet trained during infancy (in part because their families are likely to believe children should always beheld, which gives the caregiver the opportunity to learn the subtle signals indicating they are about to eliminate); and social play may be anecessity because toys are limited and sharing is viewed as a natural way of interacting (
Freeman, 1998
; Gonzalez-Mena, 2008).
When teachers and caregivers share the culture and language of the families they serve, home values are reinforced and the transition toschool is likely to be a smooth and comfortable process. Significant differences between families’ and caregivers’ cultural backgrounds may,however, create a mismatch between families’ expectations and the program’s goals, curriculum content, adults’ interactional styles, andteaching strategies. This incongruity may mean that children’s and families’ strengths and competencies go unrecognized. Families from thenon-dominant culture may feel overwhelmed, isolated, and alienated (
García, Coll, & Magnuson, 2000
; Keyser, 2006; Kirmani & Leung, 2008;
Nagel & Wells, 2009
).
Early childhood educators have an important responsibility to bridge these cultural gaps when they occur. Culturally competent programsinvest the time and energy needed to develop trusting relationships with all the families they serve (
Kirmaini & Leung, 2008
). They might,for example, invite families to share artifacts and stories from their culture, infuse the cultural values and practices of all participatingfamilies into their routines and programming, and include children’s home language in the classroom (Nagel & Wells, 2009). Culturallycompetent programs are able to negotiate cultural differences with families to help all children succeed at home and in out-of-home settings(Gonzalez-Mena, 2008).
LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY.
A child’s home language is the language of nurture, emotion, and care. It is a child’s link to her extended family, her family’s past, and herfamily’s traditions. As America becomes more diverse, it is increasingly likely that you will work with recent immigrants whose families’home language is not English, and it is more important than ever to find strategies for working with linguistically diverse children andfamilies (Adair & Barraza, 2014).
If your center includes families who are English language learners, it is essential to translate program materials so that all participants haveaccess to the information they need. Interpreters are also important so that caregivers and teachers have the opportunity to learn fromtheir children’s families, and families can benefit from teachers’ and caregivers’ insights about their children’s learning, growth, anddevelopment and receive advice about how to enhance their children’s experiences (Adair & Barraza, 2014). One way to reduce potentiallanguage barriers is identify members of the community who may be able to provide translation services and to help out as interpretersduring family conferences. They can help teachers and classmates learn words and phrases in children’s home language to create a morewelcoming environment (Adair & Barraza, 2014). Another option is to use computer software to translate school–home and home–schoolcommunications (
Kirmani, 2007
). When you use translation software, however, you need to be aware of its limitations, such as inaccuracieswith verb tense or other grammatical constructions. In addition, the software cannot capture nuances or accurately translate figures ofspeech.
The most important contribution an early childhood educator can make to families whose home language is not English is to support theiruse of this language of emotion and nurture while, at the same time, preparing their children for success in the English-speaking settingsthey will encounter during their school years and beyond (Kirmani, 2007).
Tension between Families and Center Personnel Can Make Collaboration Difficult:
Collaborative efforts may also be difficult when home–school relationships are characterized by tension or conflict. Some family membersmay feel inhibited or even inferior around staff members because of their family’s structure, cultural or linguistic differences, or because oftheir own limited or unhappy school experiences (Christian, 2006). When communication with staff members is difficult, these feelings areeven more pronounced.
Early childhood educators who lack respect for all families may respond negatively to differences. They may also be apt to discount whatfamilies do for their children. Their attitudes may make it unlikely that the families most in need of their help navigating their child’seducational setting will get the support they need (Souto-Manning, 2010; Swick & Williams, 2006).
Conflicts may also arise over curriculum content and teaching strategies. Families may expect early childhood experiences to be structuredand academic, while the field’s accepted best practices put the emphasis on hands-on authentic experiences, an integrated curriculum, andinstruction based on teachers’ understanding of children’s developmental needs. Although both families and teachers want children toachieve, conflicts can emerge about differences of opinion about appropriate academic goals (Gonzalez-Mena, 2008;
Kostelnik, Soderman, &Whiren, 2007
).
Family members and staff also bring particular perspectives and needs to their relationships. Stress may result if family members expectstaff to be sympathetic when they bring a mildly ill child to school because they were not able to arrange alternative backup care, tounderstand that the bus can be unpredictable and may make them late for afternoon pickup, and to be accommodating when they are notable to pay tuition the first of the month when it comes due (
Galinsky, 1988
). From their perspective, staff members expect families toappreciate how physically and emotionally exhausting it can be to care for a group of active young children, to respect that they need toleave work on time so they can meet their own family and personal obligations, and to recognize how important it is that tuition paymentsbe made on schedule so the center can meet its payroll and other financial obligations. These conflicting needs and expectations canundermine otherwise healthy and productive relationships.
The attitudes of program staff and families toward collaboration itself may also interfere with their working together. The family’s right tomake decisions about the education of their children may be difficult for some staff members to accept, particularly if cultural differenceslead the teacher to believe parents are not adequately caring for their children (Christian, 2006). What’s more, family members’ critiquingof the program’s curriculum or pedagogy may be seen as meddling, and professionals may resist change based on the opinions ofnonprofessionals. These are some reasons why, before the 1960s, working with parents usually took the form of parent education—theschool communicated to parents, but parents were not seen as partners and were not involved in programmatic decision making.
Interestingly, teachers’ relationships with the families of the children they are working with are apt to change as teachers become moreexperienced. In the early stages of her professional life, a novice teacher is apt to view families from a deficit perspective. Her approach maybe authoritarian or paternalistic, and she may focus on “rescuing” the children she is working with because she thinks their families are notproviding for them adequately (
Gonzalez-Mena, 2009
). With experience, teachers develop an awareness of the importance of workingcollaboratively with families, and collaboration becomes easier.
Similarly, family members’ attitudes and actions can undermine collaboration. Sometimes families constantly call attention to the program’sshortcomings or are resistant and unwilling to work with the school. Some families habitually abuse the teacher’s time or challenge theteacher’s expertise. These behaviors create understandable resistance and resentment on the part of early childhood professionals and cancreate barriers to effective collaboration (
Kraft & Snell, 1980
).
These observations point to the important responsibility of the program administrator to lead novice teachers to see families as partners,to coach experienced teachers who may resist families’ involvement or lack the skills to effectively encourage family engagement, and tohelp families acknowledge teachers’ expertise and caring.
Teachers Are Often Not Well Prepared to Work with Families:
Beginning teachers often feel ill prepared to work effectively with families (Bromer & Weaver, 2014;
Feeney & Sysko, 1986
;
Freeman &Knopf, 2007
). This remains the case even though standards of professional preparation include the expectation that teachers view familiesas partners, and that they build strong school–home relationships to enhance children’s chances for school success.
Preservice teacher preparation programs should work to provide students with increased authentic opportunities to work collaborativelywith families (
Baumgartner & Buchanan, 2010
;
Freeman & Knopf, 2007
), and in-service teachers should have opportunities to participatein professional development designed to enhance their ability to elicit families’ engagement in their young children’s education (
Brown,Knoche, Edwards, & Sheridan, 2009
). In-service staff development, including coaching and mentoring, should be designed to help staffbecome sensitive to all families’ needs and to develop their abilities to communicate effectively across cultures, even when they have toengage in difficult conversations (Croft, 2010;
Galinsky, 1987
; Powell, 1989).
Meeting the Challenges of Collaboration
Although directors and staff members may experience challenges in working with families, it is likely that these problems can be overcomewhen the center intentionally embraces a family engagement approach. Professionals must develop an understanding of the sources ofthese differences and show as much acceptance for differing family views as they do for differences in children.
Program personnel need to have positive attitudes toward working with families, including families whose structure, culture, language, orethnicity is different from their own. They also need support in developing skills for working with diverse families and may need coachingand mentoring as they practice translating these skills into practice (Baumgartner & Buchanan, 2010). Many programs are changing theirapproach to working with families. Whereas in the past, parents were expected to take the initiative to participate in their children’s earlyeducation, families and schools are now more apt to work together to identify program needs as well as community resources to meetthose needs and contribute to children’s success (Halgunseth, Peterson, Stark, & Moodie, 2009). See
Figure 12.1
Characteristics ofPrograms Committed to Family Engagement for a summary of the concepts, skills, and attitudes teachers need to bring to their work withfamilies.
Figure 12.1
Characteristics of Programs Committed to Family Engagement
Sources: Based on Bromer & Weaver, 2014; Henrich & Blackman-Jones, 2006; Souto-Manning & Swick, 2006.
When teachers master these concepts and skills and adopt these attitudes it is more likely they will be prepared to work successfully withall families.
It is also essential that the program creates realistic expectations for family involvement (Epstein, 2001). All families will not want, or beable to, participate in every kind of activity. They need opportunities to be involved in many ways (Gonzalez-Mena, 2010;
Souto-Manning,2010
). The challenge is to be flexible and willing to tailor opportunities to become involved so that there are options that fit all families’available time, expertise, and resources.
And remember, that involving families can be a developmental process for programs of early care and education (Epstein, 2001). Programscommitted to making family engagement an integral part of the program’s offerings should develop specific goals and objectives to measuretheir success (Daniel, 2009; Gonzalez-Mena, 2010). The following strategies will help you build collaborative relationships with families:
· Develop a genuine understanding of, and a respect for, diversity
· Develop strategies that support effective two-way communication with all the families you serve
· Learn what the families you serve want for their children
· Learn how local agencies and organizations are involved with families and network with them to meet the needs of the families youserve
· Evaluate your program’s family engagement program to measure its success. (Christian, 2007; Daniel, 2009; Gonzalez-Mena, 2010)
Professionals need to learn to work with “difficult” families just as they work with “difficult” children. It is important to remember that allfamilies care deeply about their children. They are likely to feel bewildered, vulnerable, and sensitive about problems their children mightbe having at school. If you develop a positive relationship with families, you will have a storehouse of good will that will make it easier forthem to accept concerns you might have about children’s academic progress; physical, emotional, or cognitive development; or behavior(
Boutte, Keepler, Tyler, & Terry, 1992
). When teachers and caregivers have empathy for what families are feeling, even “difficult” families canbecome allies working together on children’s behalf.
12.3 CREATING TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL FAMILIES
Most families want to be involved in their children’s program of early care and education, but they rely on program personnel to show themhow (
Daniel, 1996
;
Epstein & Sanders, 1998
). They feel welcome when the program’s climate is an inclusive one that shows respect,empathy, and an interest in meeting families’ particular needs, and are more likely to be engaged if they believe the invitation for theirparticipation is sincere (
Bang, 2009
).
One way a program shows its commitment to inclusion is by having men and women who represent the diversity of the community on itsstaff. Other ways are having artifacts and furnishings that reflect the cultural backgrounds, linguistic traditions, and family structures ofparticipating families. Many families appreciate being invited into children’s classrooms to help with special projects; read to or sing withchildren; share information about their occupations and hobbies, favorite foods and celebrations, and perhaps their traditional dress ortreasured artifacts from their homes. Programs also demonstrate a commitment to family engagement by being responsive to families’needs, particularly those of families new to the community. Recent immigrants might benefit, in particular, from English as a SecondLanguage (ESL) classes, help understanding how your center and its classrooms are organized, and explanations of how your communities’public school system operates (Bang, 2009; Gonzalez-Mena, 2010; Kirmani & Leung, 2008; Nagel & Wells, 2009).
Helping Families Become Acquainted with Your Program
Families are often anxious about enrolling their children in programs of early care and education for the first time. Directors can helpreduce their fears and address their concerns by being available to answer their questions and by providing them opportunities to learnmore about what their children will experience while they are in their care.
The Family’s Initial Contact with the Center:
For child care programs with continuous enrollment, a family’s first contact may be a telephone conversation, and their first visit is often totour the center and perhaps to register their child. These are important times of first impressions for the family and staff alike.
When meeting a family for the first time a director should provide an overview of the program’s core values, mission and vision; adescription of essential policies; and application/enrollment forms. She should invite families to ask questions about the center and whattheir children will experiences while in its care. This visit might also include an intake interview during which the director makesobservations and asks questions to learn about the child and his family (
Hanhan, 2003
).
An observant director can use this opportunity to learn about the relationship between the parent and the child, how the child reacts tonew situations, how the parent feels about enrolling his child in your program, the child’s personal history, and the parent’s opinions aboutthe child’s strengths and weaknesses.
If at all possible, the parent and child should be invited to observe in the child’s potential classroom; to meet the classroom’s teacher(s);and, if appropriate, to participate in classroom activities. Observation and participation give the parent and child time to becomecomfortable in the setting and give teachers an opportunity to begin to form a relationship with the child and his family.
Spring or Fall Orientation:
Prospective families often visit the center for a tour. This is a good opportunity to begin to develop a trusting relationship.
Suzanne Clouzeau/Pearson Education
Many early childhood programs that follow a school-year calendar have an orientation meeting for families whose children are preparingto enroll for the first time. This meeting can be offered in the late spring or just before the start of school in the fall. Its purpose is toprovide an overview of the program’s core values and mission, the services it offers, and essential policies and procedures. When you arethe director, you can take this opportunity to discourage families from taking an academic “superbaby” approach that may extinguishchildren’s love of learning; and to describe how families can contribute to their children’s learning and development with hands-onactivities they can do at home, such as sorting the clean laundry or helping with meal preparations. Families benefit from knowing howthese hands-on activities, which mirror the program’s approach to curriculum, align with what we know about how young children learnbest. This is also a good time to encourage families to include a story in their child’s bedtime routine. In addition to sharing informationabout their center, this meeting is also an excellent opportunity for directors to begin to establish trusting and cooperative relationshipsbetween families and center personnel.
These guidelines can help you ensure that this orientation makes families enthusiastic about their children’s participation:
1. Select the dates and times carefully. You may want to offer families the option of daytime or evening meetings with dates both in thelate spring and early fall. Evenings meetings should begin early enough for families to be home before their children’s usual bedtime.Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays evenings are usually the best, but consider other community events, such as Wednesday nightchurch services, before setting an evening date.
2. Send invitations with an RSVP to give you the opportunity to follow up by telephone or email with families who do not respond.
3. Consider this outline for your presentation:
a. Begin on time with a warm welcome and your sincere thanks for coming.
b. Introduce yourself and other center personnel. Show the pictures of any staff not able to attend in person.
c. Indicate that the purpose of this meeting is to provide an overview of your program and to prepare for the coming school year.
d. Very briefly describe your background, summarize the program’s history, and express confidence and enthusiasm for the year ahead.
e. Share the program’s core values and mission. A good way to illustrate them is to describe how children’s typical activities align with theprogram’s values and goals. For example, if you tell families that classrooms for 3- and 4-year-olds provide water play at least once aweek, you have an opportunity to explain how this activity supports your goals of enhancing language development, fine-motor skills,and foundational understandings of mathematics and science. A slide show with photographs of children actively engaged in typicalclassroom activities is an effective way to help families understand how you support children’s learning, growth, and development andhow their children’s days will be structured.
f. Remind families that they can help their children get the most out of each day by providing a healthy diet and observing a regularbedtime.
g. Briefly describe how you handle meals and snacks, traffic patterns and drop-off and pickup routines, supplies children need, how youcollect fees, and other essential policies.
h. Describe how your program helps families and teachers communicate regularly and encourage families to stay in touch with theirchild’s teachers.
i. Remind families that a curriculum meeting will be planned once school has begun in the fall. That will provide them with more specificsabout the program’s day-to-day operations and will give them the opportunity to visit their children’s classrooms and to meet theirteachers.
j. Have a short question-and-answer period, but remind families that individual questions should be addressed on a one-on-one basis.
This meeting should last no longer than an hour. When it is followed by a time for socializing, families have an opportunity to visit with oneanother and with center personnel. This is a good time to offer a tour of the facility—families always appreciate seeing where their childrenwill spend their days.
Curriculum Meeting and Open House:
You should schedule a curriculum meeting a few weeks after the beginning of the school year. Plan to share center-wide information withthe large group, and then provide time for families to visit their children’s classrooms. It may be appropriate to combine the curriculummeeting with an evening open house, being sensitive to the schedules and flexibility of the families you serve. The following guidelines willhelp you be successful:
1. Select a date during the first weeks of school. Just as was the case when planning the orientation meeting, you may find families wouldappreciate both daytime and evening options. It would be appropriate to offer a daytime curriculum meeting for families unable toattend an evening open house/curriculum meeting.
2. Send invitations with an RSVP to give you the opportunity to follow up by telephone or email with families who do not respond. Theinvitation should request that families bring the current family handbook with them to the meeting.
3. An evening meeting that includes a simple family supper and child care would almost certainly ensure a good turnout.
4. Consider this outline for your presentation:
a. Begin on time with a warm welcome and your sincere thanks for coming. Share your enthusiasm for the coming year.
b. Introduce yourself and other program personnel. Show pictures of any staff not able to attend in person.
c. Indicate that the purpose of this meeting is to share information about your program and the year ahead. Welcome short questions ifsomething you will be going over needs clarification, reminding families that you are available for one-on-one conversations in personor via telephone or email.
d. Share the program’s core values and mission and briefly describe how the program “walks the walk” as well as “talks the talk.”
e. Restate the program’s commitment to engaging children’s families and communicating with them regularly.
f. Review the program’s policies. Point out any that are new or have been changed. Families should refer to their handbooks forspecifics.
g. Remind families about the center’s calendar, noting days the center will be closed or will dismiss early.
h. Describe any enrichment activities like gymnastics or music classes that you will be offering onsite.
i. Remind families to help their children get the most out of each day by providing a healthy diet and observing a regular bedtime.
j. Encourage families to call or, if appropriate, email you or their child’s teacher anytime they have a question or comment about theirchild or the program.
k. Questions from the large group should be addressed throughout the meeting. You can ask if there are any questions at the end of yourpresentation, but remind families that you want to leave time for them to visit their children’s classroom and meet with their teachers.
l. Thank everyone for coming before you direct them to children’s classrooms.
Figure 12.2
Sample Curriculum Meeting/Open House Invitation
Ask teachers to arrange their classrooms so families will know how their children spend their days. They should describe the classroom’sdaily schedule, arrange materials and equipment as they would for children to use them, and display documentation of what children havelearned. They should describe the center’s approach to curriculum and illustrate, for example, what children learn when playing withblocks, at the water or sand table, in the dramatic play center, or when they are using art materials in creative ways. Figure 12.2 is a SampleCurriculum Meeting/Open House Invitation. It includes all the information families will need to feel welcomed to this event, and makes itclear that they will be home in time for children’s bedtimes.
Some families will have children in more than one classroom and do not want to miss out on the opportunity to visit each of them. This isanother way a daytime curriculum meeting can help you accommodate all families’ needs. Although classroom visits will be different whenthere are children present, you should be able to free up lead teachers long enough for them to meet briefly with families to give them anoverview of their classroom and get to know them better.
A Better Way
Grace’s center has always held its beginning-of-the-year orientation at 7:00 p.m. on the Tuesday after Labor Day, and the openhouse/curriculum meeting four weeks later, at 7:00 p.m. on a Tuesday in early October. Families are used to this routine. It lets them havedinner with their children, and be home in time for most children’s bedtime. This works well for teachers and their families as well. Grace wasready to schedule these meetings at their usual times. She did not want to change routines too much as she assumed the center’s leadership.
As Grace looked over the information sheets families had submitted with their children’s applications, she was glad to see many families newto the program. She also noticed that many of these families’ names suggested they might be new arrivals in the community. Class lists had,for the first time, Hispanic names, such as Garcia, Ortez, and Quiñones as well as Asian names, such as Zhaˉng, Joeng, and Uoˉng, which shewould come to learn were of Mandarin, Cantonese, and Vietnamese origin. These observations made her realize that she needed to reach outto these families to be certain they were well informed about the program and had all the information they needed to fit in.
Grace decided she would need to find help in the community to translate essential information for families learning English as their secondlanguage and to arrange for translators at orientation and curriculum meetings. She set out to find these resources and made thecommitment to have translators attend orientation sessions scheduled in the morning, lunchtime, and evening, adding additional times to becertain that all families would be able to attend. It was harder to change the schedule of classroom open houses, but she believed that she wasmaking progress by offering several options for orientation and would work toward options for curriculum meetings and classroom openhouses as well—but that might have to wait for next year.
Home Visits:
Home visits are another way to orient children and families to your program. They have a long history in early care and education and arean extremely valuable way for your program’s personnel to learn more about the children and families you serve. When teachers visit achild’s home, they gain invaluable insights into the child’s community, home, and family and lay a foundation for the creation of positiverelationships among children, families, and the program. Visits to children’s homes are particularly valuable in settings where the majorityof program personnel come from cultural backgrounds, and perhaps language traditions, that differ from those of the children and familieswith whom they work. In these instances, home visits have been demonstrated to make teachers more compassionate and empathetic; inshort, they are more successful working with diverse populations (
Lin & Bates, 2010
).
Home visits contribute to the creation of a quality program of early care and education in these additional ways:
· Professionals are appreciated for caring enough about the child to visit his family.
· Family members are likely to be more comfortable in their own homes than at the program site. They may provide more informationand discuss more of their concerns in this familiar setting.
· Transitions into care are often easier for children whose teachers have visited them in their homes before their first day of school.
· Home visits can give teachers opportunities to explain the program’s goals and to conduct an intake interview. They may also presentopportunities to share information about child development and developmentally appropriate expectations.
· Family members might become more engaged with their children’s learning and with school activities after meeting with their child’steacher in their home (Lin & Bates, 2010).
Home visits must always be prearranged so they can be planned for a time that is convenient for the family and the teacher. Make everyeffort to provide a translator if the teacher and family do not speak the same language. The teacher should confirm the appointment a dayin advance to be certain the previously scheduled time is still convenient. It may be advisable for teachers to make home visits in pairs orfor the director to join the classroom teacher, particularly if there are concerns about the neighborhood’s safety or if teachers areunfamiliar with the area.
Home visits should last no more than 1 hour. The first 5 to 10 minutes should be devoted to greetings and give teachers, family members,and the child the opportunity to become acquainted. The school visitor should then plan a 20- to 30-minute activity to do with the child inthe child’s room or another quiet place suggested by the family. That leaves 15 to 20 minutes for adult conversation when the teacher canlearn more about the family, share information about the program, and answer questions. It is good to have a parting ritual, such as taking aphotograph to display in the classroom on the first day of school or offering the child a small gift to support learning at home, such as apencil, an inexpensive book, or a box of crayons (
Johnston & Mermin, 1994
; Keyser, 2006).
It is possible that not all families will be comfortable inviting their child’s teacher into their home. When this is the case, the teacher mightsuggest meeting at a nearby park, community center, or family-friendly fast-food restaurant where they can have the same kinds of informalinteractions with the child and the family while learning about the child’s family and community. Teachers often feel unprepared to visittheir students’ homes. They are likely to welcome staff development on strategies to ensure successful home visits, for they require carefulplanning and preparation (Lin & Bates, 2010).
Communicating with the Families of Enrolled Children
Frequent, timely, and effective communication between teachers and caregivers and families is an essential characteristic of quality earlycare and education. As the program director, it is important to model effective communication strategies and create the expectation thatprogram personnel will follow your lead. We know that it can be difficult to keep lines of communication open with all families, but thebenefits are well worth the investments of time and energy. The suggestions that follow may help your program communicate effectivelywith all families.
One way to ensure open lines of communication is to be consistently available. Frequent communication helps program personnel andparents build trust. In fact, frequently communicating teachers and parents are more likely to respect each other than are teachers andparents who communicate infrequently (
Kontos & Dunn, 1989
). It is important to make an effort to match your communication style to thefamily’s linguistic, cultural, and educational background. Program personnel can do this by making efforts to communicate in the family’sprimary language; to carefully avoid educational jargon; and to be conscious of the messages sent by their body language and their use ofpersonal space, eye contact, and touching (Gonzalez-Mena, 2008;
Seplocha, 2004
).
A cozy bench where children can read a book on their parent’s lap helps many children transition into care in the morning.
Suzanne Clouzeau/Pearson Education
Another strategy that supports open communication is to show interest, respect, and caring for each child and family. Make every effort tobegin every interaction with families by sharing something positive about their child—something new he has accomplished or an exampleof how he has helped or shown consideration for a classmate. If you need to discuss a problem or concern, describe the issue usinganecdotes and specifics, listen to the family’s perspective, and respond in a professional manner that will help you address the concerntogether (Kersey & Masterson, 2009;
Pogoloff, 2004
).
Directors can support staff members’ plans to communicate regularly with all families by encouraging and facilitating a variety of ways forthem to stay in touch. Morning drop-off and evening pickup times are often perfect for short check-ins to share information about thechild’s health, eating and sleeping routines, or significant events at home or at school. If children are present, it is important to include themin these conversations. In the morning, you might encourage parents to say something such as, “I’m telling your teacher about the fun youhad on the swing at the playground on Sunday”; afternoon pickup might include a conversation such as, “Let’s tell your mother how muchyou enjoyed playing in the mud this morning, and how we changed your clothes when we came in from the playground” (Keyser, 2006).
Regular Communications:
Each classroom should include an area that welcomes families. A bench or small couch is a perfect place for a family member to observe theprogram in action or to help his or her child transition between home and school.
This is a good place for a bulletin board that provides families with information about the classroom’s daily routines, resources to expandon a recent topic of study, age-specific information about child development, teachers’ requests for specific kinds of help, invitations forfamilies to become involved, or information about upcoming special events. Families appreciate seeing pictures of their children’s days.Digital cameras make it possible to regularly show families some of the day’s memorable events: a young infant’s toothless smile, some of atoddler’s joyful first steps, a complex block structure, or the contribution of a special visitor (
Reedy & McGrath, 2010
). Families alsoappreciate classroom and center-wide newsletters and other vehicles that help them stay informed about their children’s experiences.
A bulletin board is a good addition to the family information center in the classroom.
David Kostelnik/Pearson Education
COMMUNICATING WITH THE FAMILIES OF INFANTS/TODDLERS.
When your center cares for very young children, families and caregivers must communicate daily. Families who will not see their baby’sprimary caregiver at drop-off time should be encouraged to provide a short note describing the baby’s overnight and early morningroutines to help the caregiver meet her particular needs during the day. Caregivers should provide each family with a daily log describingthe child’s caregiving routines and other experiences. It is essential that these logs include specifics about when an infant’s diaper waschanged, when and what she ate, when and for how long she slept, and other noteworthy happenings that families would appreciateknowing. Toddlers’ families should also be informed daily about their child’s eating, sleeping, and toileting routines and what their childenjoyed during the day. See
Figure 12.3
,
A Daily Log for Infants and Toddlers
.
Figure 12.3
A Daily Log for Infants and Toddlers
COMMUNICATING WITH FAMILIES OF PRESCHOOLERS.
Parents of older children appreciate regular updates as well. These can be short notes about the day’s events or reminders about anupcoming PTO meeting or a class trip. They can be put into children’s backpacks (perhaps in a special folder just for notes that teachers andfamilies write back and forth to each other) or posted on a class message board that families can read quickly when they come to the centerin the afternoon. Sometimes teachers want to share information about a particular child’s special accomplishment or thank families fortheir recent contribution to the class. Parents are likely to prefer getting this kind of information in writing because it is impossible topredict what will be going on during pickup time and whether the teacher will be able to have a conversation with a parent about their child(Reedy & McGrath, 2010).
TELEPHONE AND EMAIL CONVERSATIONS.
Teachers and caregivers should take the initiative to call all children’s families early in the school year and to make certain that their firsttelephone conversation is a positive one. This first phone call is a good time to be sure that you have the family’s preferred phone numberand to find out what time of day is best for them to talk. For example, for some parents, a routine phone call from their child’s teacher isappropriate during the workday, while others can accept calls from the center during the workday only in the case of an emergency. Ifteachers are willing to share their personal phone number with families, this is a good time to indicate when they would be available to talkas well.
Telephone or email conversations can be helpful for sharing information throughout the year. Families might call the center or email theteacher to provide insight into a recent event—perhaps their child came home from school worried, was particularly excited about aclassroom activity, or is sad because a beloved pet is very sick. Teachers should phone or email to share good news, describing somethingtheir child has done successfully or that he found particularly interesting, and families are likely to appreciate a call or email to inquire howtheir child is if he has been out of school for a few days or to congratulate the family on the arrival of a new baby. Teachers might also thinka phone call is the best way to alert families to issues that they are facing with a child or may find it helpful when a child has had a difficultday. When based on the foundation of a trusting and positive relationship, a telephone call might help prevent a small worry from becominga major concern.
Even though almost everyone has a telephone and many use email regularly, center personnel should be sensitive to the possibility thatsome families do not have ready access to a telephone or the Internet. Be alert for signs that these may not be the best ways tocommunicate with some families, particularly those living in poverty. If families do not have a telephone, ask for the number of a contactperson who could get an urgent message to the family in the case of an emergency, such as an accident or the need to close the centerbecause of a sudden change in the weather.
NEWSLETTERS.
Newsletters give family members a vehicle for talking with their children about program activities, can provide information about meetingtheir children’s development and learning needs at home, and are a good way for staff and families to communicate.
These are good topics to include in your newsletters:
· Announcements about the program, including dates for registration, school closings, and other important events and deadlines
· Information about quality books, music, toys, and Internet sites and apps for children
· Community events for children and families
· Reprints of articles from local papers, popular magazines, or professional journals of interest to families with young children
· Ideas for activities the family may enjoy during weekends or during summer or school vacations
· Recipes from classroom cooking activities
· Words to favorite songs and finger plays
· Updates on staff changes and profiles of center personnel and families
· Notes of appreciation to family and community volunteers
· The program’s plans for the future
Newsletters should be no more than two pages long. Make sure they have a polished and professional appearance, but be careful to avoidprofessional jargon. Proofread carefully for accuracy and clarity. Like all other written communication, newsletters should take families’reading level into account and should, if possible, be provided in the primary language of each family. You can find ideas and resources tohelp you prepare newsletter articles in the parents’ sections of websites for early childhood professional organizations such as NAEYC andZERO TO THREE. Publications such as NAEYC’s Teaching Young Children and Exchange magazine include handouts appropriate to share withfamilies. These resources can make the task of preparing a regular newsletter easier. Newsletters can be copied or possibly emailed to yourfamilies. You might even be able to post them on your website or Facebook page. You will need to determine the best strategy fordistributing this kind of information to the families you serve.
Application Activity
Identify a topic that you think would be of interest to the families of young children. Use an online or print resource to gatherinformation on this topic that will be relevant and helpful. Write a newsletter article that is three-quarters to one page long on thistopic. Take care to have a friendly but professional tone and to avoid teachers’ jargon. Exchange your article with a classmate.Evaluate each other’s work using the criteria above.
ACCIDENT REPORTS.
Accident reports are another kind of note that you sometimes need to write to families. Compose these notes carefully. Share all therelevant facts, taking care to neither minimize the injury nor alarm families about its severity. Consider the examples of accident reports in
Figure 12.4
. Notice the difference in the OK and NOT OK versions. It is important to share essential information while avoiding being eitherdismissive or alarmist.
OTHER WAYS TO COMMUNICATE.
There are a number of other strategies that encourage communication between families and center personnel. These are some examples:
· Interactive journals: In some programs, teachers and families “talk” by exchanging interactive journals when they are not able to checkin with each other daily. Email may be an appropriate communication tool if the families you serve have easy access to the Internet.
· Twitter and texting: It could be that Twitter, texting, and similar tools are good ways to quickly communicate short messages to thefamilies you serve. These are particularly helpful ways to get the word out when unexpected situations such as severe weather or aplumbing emergency (such as break in a water main) make it necessary for you to close the center early.
Figure 12.4
OK and NOT OK Accident Reports
· Quick notes or emails: Notes or short email messages are effective and quick ways to communicate. These are some topics that aregood reasons to write a short note or email:
· Families will be delighted when you ask them to give their child a “pat on the back” for a job well done. It is always good to be able topass on a compliment.
· Families appreciate thanks when they lend a helping hand. Showing your appreciation when families support your program buildsloyalty.
· Families enjoy a photograph of an activity their child particularly enjoyed. Maybe Tyrone built an extra-tall tower in the block centeror went down the slide alone for the very first time. His family would appreciate a snapshot with an interpretive note to share thesekinds of everyday accomplishments.
· You might create “Ask Me About” badges to let families know their children have accomplished a goal or reached a milestone. Thebadges prompt families to ask children about these important events (
Stamp & Groves, 1994
).
· It may be appropriate to send a card or note for children’s birthdays; however, remember that not all cultural and religioustraditions celebrate birthdays by focusing attention on the “birthday child.”
· Families are likely to appreciate a note when a family member is ill or is facing another hardship.
· Program website: A website can identify the program’s goals and can include the family handbook, enrollment forms, menus, thecenter’s calendar, newsletters, information about PTO projects and events, contact information for the director, and other informationyou want available to the public. While pictures of the facility may be a good addition, do not post children’s pictures to protect theirprivacy. Consider adding a password-protected section of the website for information for participating families such as eachclassroom’s activities.
· Videos: Families are likely to appreciate videos of special events and they can also contribute to marketing efforts. Again, avoid postingany recognizable photographs of children online. It may be best to provide families DVD copies of these videos.
· Social events: Family picnics, adult–child breakfasts or going-home snacks, and a recognition event for volunteers help families connectwith each other and nurture collaborative relationships between families and staff. They also help build a community within thecenter.
Regularly Scheduled Individual Conferences:
Caregivers need to plan in-depth, one-on-one conferences with families to share specific information and documentation about theirchildren’s growth, development, and learning. Individual conferences help families understand the program, learn how their child isdeveloping, and appreciate what he is learning.
When your center schedules conferences early in the year, family members have an opportunity to help set specific learning and behavioralgoals for their children. These conferences may also help avoid problems later because they lay a foundation for teachers and families towork together toward agreed-upon goals (
Neilsen & Finkelstein, 1993
). It is also important to schedule conferences periodically as the yearprogresses to review progress toward agreed-upon goals, and also to help families and children prepare to transition from one classroomto the next or on to kindergarten.
Figure 12.5
provides a sample invitation to schedule a conference. Notice the warm tone and the many options that this teacher offers inher invitation to schedule an individual conference.
The program director is responsible for setting the stage for successful teacher–family conferences. She is responsible for providing theequipment and materials that teachers need to document children’s learning, growth, and development as well as the training and on-sitecoaching to help them conduct individual conferences that provide families in-depth information about their children while nurturinghome–school relationships. Teachers at many centers would benefit from a staff development session designed to help them prepare forindividual conferences. These guidelines will help you plan for that training.
GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE PARENT–TEACHER CONFERENCES
1. Be clear about the purpose of conferencing with families. Individual conferences with children’s family help teachers learn more aboutthe children and families with whom they are working. They provide opportunities to share insights and documentation describingchildren’s learning, growth, and development and to welcome family members’ questions and information related to their child’sperformance and success. They help nurture the trusting relationships that link families to the program personnel who work withtheir children on a regular basis.
2. Intentionally invite families to participate. You want to be certain that all families know when they can expect individual conferences tooccur and how they will be scheduled. Some programs schedule conferences for all children’s families at the same times of the year. Ifthat is the case in your center, remind families when those times are approaching. Other programs, particularly those with year-roundadmissions, schedule conferences throughout the year; for example, every 6 months on the anniversary of children’s enrollment. Ineither case, use your family handbook and regular newsletters, as well as the program’s website and bulletin boards, to remindfamilies how important these meetings are, to indicate the kinds of information teachers will share, and to ask families to comeprepared to ask questions and share insights about their child.
Figure 12.5
Scheduling an Individual Conference
When children do not live with both parents, include the noncustodial parent in these regularly scheduled conferences. Remember,you will want to communicate with both custodial and noncustodial parents if both are involved in the child’s life on a regular basis,even if that means sending home two sets of home–school communications or mailing or emailing materials to the noncustodialparent who has visitation rights. It is possible that conferences with parents who are separated or divorced will have to be heldseparately, but the effort is worthwhile if it helps keep both parents involved in supporting their child’s learning, growth, anddevelopment.
3. Scheduling conferences mindfully. Classroom teachers should develop a schedule and invite families to indicate what times would fittheir needs. When a day and time have been agreed upon, teachers should confirm the appointment a day or two in advance. Somecenters close or dismiss children early on teacher conference days, others arrange coverage so teachers can meet families before thecenter opens in the morning, during lunch/nap time, and in the late afternoon or early evening. It is important that teachers besensitive to individual families’ needs, however, and indicate their willingness to make special accommodations for those who are notable to meet at the suggested times. They might offer to meet at a local park or community center if getting transportation to thecenter could be a barrier to family members’ participation, or to have a telephone conference if that is the best way to ensure thefamily’s participation. Each conference should be scheduled for at least 30 minutes, and it is wise to plan for a break betweenappointments to give teachers time to jot down notes and prepare for the next family. It is important that they stay on schedule. Thisshows their respect for family members’ time and their other commitments.
4. Preparing carefully. Teachers who have urged families to meet with them should prepare carefully to make their conferences goodinvestments of everyone’s time and effort. Consider sharing these guidelines to ensure success:
· Teachers should organize children’s portfolios to serve as an outline for the conference, and should have copies of appropriateassessment reports to give to families. They should also note any questions they want to ask so they do not forget them.
· Remind teachers to be clear about whether families’ enrolled child and/or other young children can be accommodated at themeeting. More families will be able to participate if child care is provided for conferences that are not held during school hours andif younger siblings will be allowed attend if they can play independently.
· Consider the nonverbal messages sent by the setting as well as by teachers’ body language. For example, tables and chairs should beadult sized so everyone can be comfortable, and teachers should sit next to parents rather than behind a desk to create anatmosphere of cooperation and collegiality (
Lawrence-Lightfoot, 2003
).
· Provide families who arrive early with a comfortable place to wait. It is thoughtful to have simple refreshments and appropriatereading material handy.
5. Conducting successful conferences.
· Greet each family member cordially by name.
· Set a positive tone by asking parents what they are particularly enjoying about their child at this age, and, in return, share a positiveanecdote that highlights the child’s successes, growth, and development.
· Describe the child’s learning, growth, and development by sharing assessments, if appropriate, and examples of the child’s activitiesin the classroom. Point out the child’s strengths and accomplishments and then note any areas of potential future growth orconcern.
· Encourage family members to ask questions, and add to their own perspectives about their child’s learning, growth, anddevelopment.
· Develop shared goals for the coming months. What do the family and the teacher hope he will learn and be able to do by the time ofthe next scheduled conference? Develop strategies for working toward these goals at home and at school. Following up on theseplans should be the basis for the next planned conference and can also help guide informal day-to-day conversations.
· If the conference has included some difficult conversations, program personnel must take care not to blame the family, avoid puttingthem on the defensive, and be careful not to react argumentatively if they encounter a difference of opinion. It is possible the familymay blame the teacher or the program if the child is having difficulties or believe their child is simply going through an age-typicalstage. Family members can be especially unprepared to hear or accept a recommendation that the child be screened for a suspecteddevelopmental delay or disability.
· Invite families to participate in the classroom and explore what kinds of involvement might be most appealing and appropriate.
· Do not make family members feel rushed; however, in fairness to others who are waiting, it is important to stay on time. Ifappropriate, invite them to make another appointment to continue the discussion.
· Make notes on the conference to include in the child’s folder (Seplocha, 2004).
Sometimes older preschoolers and primary-age children are invited to participate in at least part of their family’s conference with theirteacher. This gives them opportunities to reflect on their accomplishments by selecting items to describe to their families and to join insetting goals for the future (
Alasuutari, 2014
).
Application Activity
Watch the video of Kayla’s parent–teacher conference again, taking the director’s perspective. What feedback would you give Kayla’steacher? What did she do well? Do you have any suggestions for how she can improve her conferencing skills in the future?
Specially Called Individual Conferences:
Unlike regularly scheduled individual conferences, which occur at planned intervals, specially called parent–teacher conferences may beinitiated by the family, teacher or caregiver, or the director to address a specific issue or concern. The most common reasons for speciallycalled conferences are challenging behaviors such as biting, aggression, uncontrolled anger, and an unwillingness to cooperate. Concernsabout other issues such as separation anxiety or shyness may, however, prompt the child’s family or teacher to schedule a meeting todiscuss the issue, or teachers might ask for a conference to discuss a child’s emerging skill or competency that would benefit fromhome/school collaboration. These conferences should be seen as opportunities to engage in shared problem solving. A systematicapproach can help families and program personnel work together toward shared goals that will make the child more successful and hisschool experiences more pleasant for all.
Teachers often need their director’s coaching when addressing concerns with families. It may be helpful to guide teachers through thefollowing steps when planning for a conference called to address a challenging behavior. You may also want to offer to join the conversationto add insights based on your observations, experience, and specialized training.
1. Define the behaviors that are causing you concern and provide documentation demonstrating when they occur. Describe how centerpersonnel have responded to these challenging behaviors to date.
2. Ask family members if they have observed the same behaviors. Do they know of experiences or situations that may explain them?How do they respond to these behaviors at home and other out-of-school settings?
3. Agree on behavioral goals and strategies to reinforce desired behaviors.
4. Plan for a follow-up meeting after trying the agreed-upon strategies for a specified time (perhaps 2 or 4 weeks).
5. If the family and teachers are not able to report that they have made progress encouraging the desired behavior, it may be time toseek the advice of a specialist at the local school district or a local college or university, or a practitioner recommended by the family’spediatrician. As the director, you will be responsible for helping the classroom teacher follow through with a referral if one is needed.
Resources for Families
The child study movement of the early 1900s made child rearing a science. In the 1960s and the 1970s, parent education programs becamepart of almost all early intervention programs. These programs gave parents opportunities to learn about child development, and they wereencouraged to collaborate with their child’s early childhood program or school to help them meet their child’s needs. By the 1980s,programs for typically developing children customarily offered family similar kinds of support and parent education programs. Programs ofearly care and education continue to reach out to the families they serve by providing them information about child development andeffective parenting practices.
Family Resource Room:
In addition to a family corner in each classroom, many centers have a family resource room. It should be a well-defined space that includesresources describing children’s growth and development as well as guidance for effective parenting. The family resource room should inviterelaxed communication among families and between families and center personnel. The space should have adequate lighting, comfortablechairs, and a place to write. A computer workstation with printer would be an excellent addition. If it will be used for parent–teacherconferences, plan a private area where sensitive information can be shared confidentially.
Consider displays featuring these kinds of materials:
· Resources and guidelines to help families choose appropriate books, toys, and apps and media for young children
· Information about community resources and events designed for children and families
· Recipes and directions for family projects and crafts, such as finger paint, play dough, and lunchtime favorites
· Words to children’s favorite songs and finger plays
· Information about childhood diseases, and how to ensure children’s safety in the home and on the playground
· Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls of products used by children
· Materials or websites for parents prepared by professional organizations focused on young children such as ZERO TO THREE andNAEYC. These materials might help parents prepare for an upcoming special topic meeting or might follow up on a past session
· Information about the program’s services, calendar, names and responsibilities of all program personnel, and upcoming special events
Meetings about Special Topics:
As the director, you or some of the more experienced members of your staff might be interested in leading special topics meetings to shareinformation about a particular aspect of child development or to address families’ questions about toilet training, appropriate guidancetechniques, welcoming a new baby, or another parenting issue they are facing. You can begin either by identifying some potential topics oridentifying experts in the community who you have learned have good information to share with families. It would be helpful to ask parentsto let you know if they are aware of good potential presenters or to help you finalize a list of topics. Their input will help you prepare tomove forward with finalizing the details of the year’s events.
If you or a member of your staff will be making one or more of these presentations, remember that professional organizations’ publicationsand websites have a wealth of information on many topics of interest. Local experts, such as members of the early childhood faculty from anearby college or university, your Resource and Referral consultant, or an Infant/Toddler Specialist are other potential presenters who maybe willing to share their expertise. Be sensitive to the fact that if you recruit someone from outside your program to present, the meetingtime and day may need to accommodate their schedule.
After identifying topics of interest and potential presenters, the next step is to identify times that are convenient for the families who wouldlike to attend. It is likely that some families would prefer sessions to be scheduled during the school day, while for others morning, evening,or even weekend sessions would work best. If you plan a series of special topics meetings, vary the schedule to give all interested familiesthe opportunity to participate. Refreshments always help to create a relaxed and collegial atmosphere, and if you schedule a session in theevening, a family dinner and child care services are likely to make it possible for more families to participate.
Some special topics sessions will apply to all families and others will appeal to small groups who find the topic of particular interest. Bothlarge- and small-group sessions should be scheduled to last 60 to 75 minutes. They should focus on practical information that families withyoung children will find useful. Plan to begin by summarizing the “big ideas”—what families of young children need to know.
This overview might be based on resources that families have been provided in advance or materials distributed at the meeting. Follow thisoverview with a discussion that gives families opportunities to apply what they have heard and conclude the session by inviting participantsto ask follow-up questions.
Small-group meetings have several advantages over those involving a large group. They are easier to schedule because fewer families areinvolved, they make it easier for those who feel uneasy voicing their concerns in an individual conference or those uncomfortable speakingout in a large-group meeting to contribute, and they reassure families that others are facing some of the same challenges and have some ofthe same concerns. The major disadvantage to scheduling small group sessions is that they may require the presenter to invest a great dealof time and effort in a presentation that addresses the interests of just a few families.
Figure 12.6
is an Outline of a Family EducationMeeting on a Special Topic. This meeting is designed to share some of the latest information about brain development, a topic likely to beof interest to all families with young children.
Family Support Programs:
There are many types of family support programs available (Epstein, 2001;
National PTA, 2000
). The ones you select will depend on theprogram’s needs, families’ needs and wishes, and the program’s goals. Some family support programs have one focus, such as guidance anddiscipline techniques that are appropriate to use with preschoolers; others are multifaceted, focusing, for example, on how to care forinfants, and may address eating, sleeping, and play-time routines. They may be delivered through direct instruction or indirectly, with familymembers observing parent educators working with their children in their own homes or in the classroom. Programs may be sponsored bycommunity agencies, public school systems, or universities. They might also be a collaborative effort organized by multiple communitygroups working together. In some instances, program personnel or a court order may require families to participate; in others, families’participation is voluntary.
Figure 12.6
Outline of a Family Education Meeting on a Special Topic
Sources: Based on Lally, 2013;
Padgett, 2011
.
HOME-VISITING PROGRAMS.
Home-visiting programs are most often sponsored by community agencies such as health departments or comprehensive school-readinessinitiatives. They are designed to help family members learn how to support their children’s early learning and development. They oftenbegin before or shortly after the baby’s birth and demonstrate to families how to talk to and interact with their babies and how to useeveryday household materials as educational toys. The exact nature of home-visiting programs depends on the program’s objectives, thenumber of families each family educator must visit, the number and frequency of visits per family, and the program’s financial resources.
FAMILY DISCUSSION GROUPS.
The goal of most family discussion groups is to help families learn more about positive parenting practices as well as child development andlearning. Discussion groups can be led by a knowledgeable resource person or by participating parents. These peer support groups areoften particularly popular among families of children with disabilities.
RESOURCE CENTERS.
Parent resource centers provide child-rearing information and may include a toy-lending library that makes quality toys available toparticipating families. They are typically located in public libraries or another community building, and are often sponsored by the state’s orthe community’s comprehensive early childhood program.
SELF-IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS.
Self-improvement programs are designed to empower adult family members to improve their own lives. Services may include instruction inbasic adult education, including preparation for the General Educational Development (GED) high school equivalency test; English forEnglish Language Learners; consumer, nutrition, or health education; information about how to access community resources; how-toclasses in home repairs; and other family life topics. This instruction may be in the form of courses for high school credit or they may beinformal workshops. They are usually offered by the public school system for the benefit of all adult residents of the community.
FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS.
Family support programs offer a wide variety of services; however, to be effective, they must be individualized to support each family’sparticular needs. They might help families address family/work life balance issues; the needs of the sandwich generation, which is raisingchildren while caring for aging seniors; and responding to family crises. Their services typically include the following:
· Programs for children, including home-visiting programs, family child care, and center-based programs
· Programs for adults addressing topics such as family and consumer sciences, child development, adult education, and job counseling
· Health and nutrition services, including medical services for children and adult family members and classes in child care, safety,obesity prevention, and nutrition
· Social services, such as referrals, recreational activities, and assistance in finding adequate housing, food, and clothing
Welcoming Families’ Contributions
There is a long tradition of families participating in programs of early care and education. In parent co-ops, or cooperative preschools,children’s families own and operate the program and are responsible for assisting in their children’s classrooms on a regular basis. HeadStart and other government-sponsored programs require families to be involved as employees and volunteers and to serve on advisorycouncils. Programs serving children with disabilities also often require families to be involved on a regular basis. The truth is that allchildren, families, and programs benefit when families are actively involved in their children’s education.
Classroom Visits:
Adult family members are likely to appreciate the opportunity to experience your program firsthand and see their child interacting withpeers and adults in their natural setting. Encourage families to visit, either by appointment or to drop in unannounced, at any time—exceptwhen children are settling down for nap or when they are sleeping.
It is sometimes helpful to make a phone call or send a personal invitation encouraging family members to visit your program or a particularclassroom. That extra step may prompt those who are reluctant to volunteer and may initiate greater family engagement. See
Figure 12.7
for a Sample
Invitation to Visit the Classroom
. This personal invitation might encourage a reluctant family member to visit his child’sclassroom.
An open-door policy means families are welcome to visit any time. It is particularly nice when families can join their children for lunch.
Suzanne Clouzeau/Pearson Education
Family Members as Volunteers:
Figure 12.7
Invitation to Visit the Classroom
In effective programs, all families are invited to participate in a variety of ways and are encouraged to suggest unique contributions thatthey can make to the center. Family members are sometimes able to volunteer in classrooms on a regular basis; in other instances, theymight be available to help in the classroom just once or twice a year. Some families can contribute to the classroom even though they arenot able to visit regularly. They could record themselves reading some favorite books; invite children to visit them in their workplace; orcome in periodically to handle a particular responsibility, such as managing the classroom aquarium (Souto-Manning, 2010). Social activitiesand fund-raising projects are also popular ways for families to be involved. Those kinds of activities are the most likely to involve thegreatest numbers of families and may be just the encouragement some families need to become more engaged in their children’s earlyeducation. Effective volunteer programs should be under the oversight of the program’s administrator, who helps plan for and organize thevolunteers. Once a volunteer program has been launched, volunteers should be able to operate it themselves.
It is important to remember to welcome the contributions of fathers into their children’s classrooms. There was a time when fathers werenot as likely as mothers to be involved in their children’s early childhood programs (
Fagan, 1994
); however, recent research has shown thatthe number of stay-at-home dads has greatly increased in the last decade, and that number is expected to continue to grow (
Morin, 2013
;
Parker & Wang, 2013
). We know that the days of room mothers are long gone—many of today’s fathers are very involved in their youngchildren’s lives, so it is important that the language you use to invite them into the center and describe their role is inclusive andencouraging. Even while American families are changing, some early childhood programs continue to inadvertently create barriers thatmake it difficult for fathers to participate or make them feel unwelcome (Gonzalez-Mena, 2010). Activities planned by fathers andspecifically designed to appeal to their interests and skills are more likely to engage men in their young children’s school experiences(
Cunningham, 1994
; Fagan, 1994;
Fagan, 1996
; Gonzalez-Mena, 2010).
Grandparents are another group that is sometimes overlooked. We know that grandparents are, increasingly, young children’s primarycaregivers. They bring particular needs and unique resources to your program. It is worth the effort to reach out to both custodial andnoncustodial grandparents—your program will undoubtedly benefit from their contributions and unique perspectives (
Birckmayer, Cohen,Jensen, & Variano, 2005
).
Even when rolling out the welcome mat in as many ways as possible, there will always be some families who cannot or choose not toparticipate (Sciarra, Lynch, Adams, & Dorsey, 2016). It is important to respect this decision and to maintain the same kind of positive andproductive relationship with all families, regardless of their interest in or ability to participate.
MAKING A PLACE FOR FAMILY VOLUNTEERS.
Family members are valuable volunteers because they are likely to know and understand the kinds of demands put on other families bytheir work responsibilities, their access to reliable transportation, and the community’s customs and culture. They can serve as culturalmodels for children; can help staff members understand children’s likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, and home successes andchallenges; may be able to serve as interpreters in bilingual and multilingual programs; and can assist by leading activities such asstorytelling, art, music, and gardening. As volunteers, they may also accompany staff members in home-visiting programs and serve asambassadors to the neighborhood.
Your state’s licensing regulations may require volunteers to undergo background checks or show proof of up-to-date immunizations. Checkthose requirements to be certain that your center remains in compliance. Other specific expectations of volunteers should be determinedby the program’s needs and the volunteers’ abilities. These are some issues to consider:
· Volunteers should have an orientation to the program’s facility and staff and should be briefed on regulations addressing volunteers’roles in programs for young children, including the kinds of responsibilities they can (and cannot) assume. Orientation should alsoinclude an overview of the program’s core values, mission, and policies and procedures; the kinds of tasks they will be assigned; and,if they will be working directly with children, a description of the program’s approach to classroom management. Volunteers’ feedbackabout the usefulness of this orientation will help you plan future sessions.
· A volunteer’s handbook reiterating much of the information shared during this orientation would be a helpful resource for staff andvolunteers alike.
· Teachers and caregivers should be able to decide if they want family volunteers in their classrooms and what they want them to do.They should be coached about appropriate ways to utilize volunteers’ contributions.
· Volunteers should not be responsible for supervising children alone and cannot be counted in child–staff ratios for licensing. This isimportant because the program is liable if a child under a volunteer’s supervision is injured.
· Teachers and caregivers should have a specific plan for what volunteers are to do during their visits. Avoid giving volunteers onlymenial jobs or tasks that no one else wants to do: they are apt to develop a negative attitude and may lose interest in being involved ifthey do not feel their talents are being used. Volunteers need guidance if they are to lead a learning activity. They should typicallywork with individual children or small groups. The teacher should demonstrate what she expects the volunteer to do, provide a briefrationale for the activity, describe what children will learn during this activity, and show the volunteer where to find the neededmaterials.
· Offer a variety of ways for family members to volunteer in the program’s support service areas: working in the lunchroom, assistingthe school nurse, assisting in the library/media center, helping with the distribution of equipment and materials, working withtransportation services, and providing general office support are all potential options. Be open to families’ suggestions as to ways theycan help out. They may have a skill or special expertise that would make a great contribution to your program.
· Volunteers’ performance and effectiveness should be assessed by the director, along with the teacher, if appropriate. Tasks should betailored to individuals’ strengths and interests. That kind of planning makes families’ volunteer contributions a win-win proposition.
OCCASIONAL VOLUNTEERS.
Many family members cannot volunteer on a regular basis but enjoy helping out periodically. One way you might tap into the expertise offamily members with diverse backgrounds and experiences is to ask them to share information about their culture, language, home country,or family customs. Other families might share information about their careers or their hobbies. They might also be able to contribute bychaperoning field trips, working on fund-raising projects, and helping during special events such as the fall open house or family picnic. Besure to encourage fathers, uncles, and grandfathers, in particular. School routines sometimes leave men out—you have an opportunity tomake them feel especially welcome.
It is wise to survey family members to learn about their special talents and interests and to encourage them to share them with youngchildren.
Workdays:
Workdays can be popular ways to engage families with the center. They can provide an informal setting for families and staff to worktogether. There are two common types of workdays:
1. In materials workdays, adults construct materials and equipment. This may involve making instructional materials and games for theclassroom. It might also be an opportunity for families to help build a playground (under the supervision of trained playgroundinstallation personnel). As the director, you will be responsible for determining the types of activities families are willing to take part inand providing choices for participants (
Dodd & Brock, 1994
).
2. Cleanup/fix-up workdays may be held in the evening or on the weekend to clean and repair the building, classrooms, the grounds,equipment, or materials.
12.4 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS’ LONG HISTORY OF PARTNERING WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES
Programs of early care and education have traditionally seen their neighborhoods and communities as partners in education. They typicallytake their children on field trips to destinations such as the local pet store or garden center, a performance of a popular ballet, or to aproduction of the local children’s theater. They might also involve children in activities that make contributions to their neighborhood, suchas planting flowers at a local community center, or singing at the senior center. In other instances, members of the community come into thecenter. These are sometimes called reverse field trips, as when an animal rescue organization brings in a bird being rehabilitated after itwas hit by a car, or when a biology professor shares his butterfly collection with children preparing for a trip to the butterfly garden at thezoo (Scully, Barbour, & Roberts-King, 2015).
Local communities have also traditionally supported families and the educational programs that serve their young children. Restaurantsand other local businesses are often willing to donate or provide goods and services at reduced prices for special events. They may bewilling to provide lunch for program personnel for teacher appreciation day or to support children’s participation at a local “Week of theYoung Child” event. If families of children attending your center own local business, they are more likely to be receptive to your request forsupport.
Local firefighters are often willing to visit nearby early childhood programs. This reverse field trip is a good example of how communities support youngchildren and the programs that serve them.
Paul Jenkins/Pearson Education
Because program administrators often work closely with families over an extended period of time and are knowledgeable of, and visiblewithin the community, they often have unique opportunities to serve as families’ advocates. They can help them access communityresources they might need, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), subsidized child care, Child Find infant screeningprograms, child health services such as Medicaid, information about how to access local health clinics’ nutrition programs, informationabout how to access unemployment benefits and job training programs, specialized child care programs such as Head Start, family violenceprevention and treatment programs, information about adoption and foster care, and services for those who are homeless.
Tapping into Family and Community Support through Advisory Committees and Boards of Directors
Many early childhood programs include representatives from participating families and other members of the community on theirprogram-level advisory committee, which addresses issues related to the program’s day-to-day operations; and on the agency-level boardof directors, which is responsible for issues related to essential policies as well as the program’s finances, including salaries and benefits,decisions about the facility’s rental or renovation, and decisions that relate to the program’s financial and legal obligations.
When planning whom to invite to serve on your advisory committee and governing board, look beyond individuals you already know andtrust, such as friends or parents of current children. When family members of current students predominate, the board may act more like aPTO than a governing board or may simply become a rubber stamp for the director (
Gottlieb, 2005
). Board members from outside theprogram are also likely to have a longer view and to be willing to serve your organization for several years.
The first issue to address when establishing an advisory committee and governing board is to identify the issues it will address. Thefollowing tasks are typically assigned to advisory committees and/or governing boards:
· Finalizing statements of the organization’s core values, mission, and vision
· Evaluating the program’s success in living up to its core values, mission, and vision
· Hiring and evaluating the director
· Setting fees
· Negotiating employees’ fringe benefit packages
· Establishing salary schedules
· Overseeing the facility, including plans to build, remodel, and perform needed maintenance
The next issue to consider is how many members these bodies need. Many states require nonprofit governing boards to have at least 3members. Experts recommend that effective boards usually have between 7 and 13 members. Group size may vary depending on whatneeds to be accomplished. A larger group will be needed when the program is being established; facilities are being built or remodeled; andpolicies, procedures, and handbooks are being created.
Organizations that have a history of running smoothly are likely to need smaller advisory committees and governing boards, whoseresponsibilities can be characterized as keeping the ship running on course. Small groups are also more flexible and their members aremore likely to have a feeling of unity and purpose. Larger committees and boards, however, bring more expertise to the tasks at hand andthere are more people to do the needed work. As you plan how these bodies will operate, we recommend that you have terms of 2 or 3years so that they will have the benefit of some members’ prior experience each year.
The third issue is, “What stakeholders and expertise do you need on your advisory committee and governing board?” Most states’ licensingregulations require that a not-for-profit private early childhood organization operate under a governing board composed, at least in part,of the people it serves. Head Start also has specific guidelines about stakeholders’ participation in the program’s governance. Considerincluding individuals representing the stakeholder groups and the skills identified in the list that follows as you form your advisorycommittee and governing board. It is important to learn to identify the leadership potential of even shy and quiet individuals as youconsider whom to invite to serve in these leadership roles. Can you discover who has vision? Who wants to make something happen? Whocan work both independently and interdependently? (Gonzalez-Mena, 2010). When you do, your program will be enriched by the inclusionof many voices.
And finally, you will want to take demographic factors into account as well, striving for a group of men and women of various ages thatreflects the ethnicities and cultures of the community and families you serve as well as their special interests and expertise. Remember, it ispossible that an individual may bring more than one kind of diversity or expertise to the table.
· Seek representatives from these stakeholder groups:
· A family member of a child attending your program
· An employee of the program
· A representative from the child care licensing or QRIS oversight agency
· A community resident
· The owner of a community business
· Seek individuals with these skills and special expertise:
· Accreditation and regulations
· Accounting/banking/investments
· Early childhood education
· Facility management/real estate
· Financial and organizational management
· Fund-raising (both experienced fund-raisers and those who with relationships with potential benefactors)
· Law
· Marketing/public relations
· Human resources/personnel management
· Owning and operating a small business
Once you have a functioning advisory committee or governing board that includes individuals with the needed expertise, is diverse, andincludes representatives from the desired stakeholder groups, consider
Figure 12.8
a Sample
Governing Board Profile Worksheet
. Itidentifies the expertise of each member of the board, as well as the stakeholder group each represents, and demonstrates how you cantrack the contribution that each current member of the group brings to your organization. It can also help ensure that you retain thisdiversity of expertise and perspective as time goes by.
Once the advisory committee and governing board have been formed, you will need to create clear expectations about how will operate.Provide members of the committee and board with a job description that answers the questions that follow and request that each membercommit to assuming the responsibilities of membership described in the position description and statement of commitment.
Figure 12.8
Governing Board Profile Worksheet
Source: Based on
Martinelli, 2000
.
It is wise to have terms of two or three years so that these governing bodies will have the benefit of some members’ prior experience eachyear. Candidates should also be informed of expectations for board membership.
Figure 12.9
is a Sample Governing Board JobDescription and Sample of Commitment. It provides a job description that answers the questions that follow and requests that memberscommit to assuming the responsibilities of board membership.
· What is the mission of the organization and the role of the advisory committee and/or board of directors?
· What is the term of office? Are there term limits?
· How frequently does this committee/board meet? How long are the meetings? Is there a set meeting time, such as noon to 2:00 p.m.on the first Tuesday of the month?
Figure 12.9
Sample Governing Board Job Description and Statement of Commitment
Source: Based on
F. Martinelli, 2000
.
· How are members of these governing bodies expected to support the organization, including responsibilities for participating inspecial events?
· How much time is required for this service? About how many hours per month or per year will participating on this committee/boardrequire?
· What committees report to this board? What are board members’ committee responsibilities?
· When will an orientation be provided for members of the committee/board? (Gottlieb, 2005)
The director needs to be certain that the members of these governing bodies are prepared to tackle the work at hand. She should arrangefor a training that focuses on strategies to help them work together to understand the regulations and accreditation standards (whenapplicable) within which her program operates; to identify current problems and generate possible solutions; to learn decision-making andconsensus-building strategies; and to communicate their decisions to all stakeholders. It could be that a member of one of these groups hasthe expertise in human resources to lead these training sessions and will be willing to make that contribution to the program’s success.
SUMMARY
When programs of early care and education partner with families and communities, they have the opportunity to enhance children’schances for success in school and beyond.
· Explain three approaches that programs of early care and education might take to working with families.
Programs of early care and education have, historically, taken one of these three approaches to working with families: (a) parentinvolvement, (b) school/family partnership, or (c) family engagement. Programs that take a parent involvement approach create theexpectation that families will fit their participation into schools’ existing programs. When programs take the school/family partnershipapproach, families and schools work together on projects and initiatives that are meaningful and beneficial to both. Programs thatembrace family engagement develop reciprocal relationships with families and recognize their expertise.
· Identify some of the benefits enjoyed by children, families, and programs when families are engaged with the programs serving their youngchildren.
Children whose families are engaged show improved attendance, are more likely to have a positive self-image, are more motivated,improve their behavior, and show increases in language and problem-solving skills. Their families are also more likely to successfullyadvocate for special services when needed. Benefits to families include family members’ increased knowledge of children development, anenhanced sense of self-worth, English proficiency, and leadership skills. They are likely to be more comfortable leaving their children intheir teacher’s care, and often develop networks of mutual support. Early childhood programs that effectively engage families benefit byacquiring increased appreciation for families’ diversities, by gaining families’ trust and loyalty, are better able to tap into family members’knowledge and expertise, and, when family members assist in children’s classrooms, lower the adult–child ratio.
· Describe some effective strategies for building trusting relationships with all families.
Programs show their commitment to welcoming all families by having men and women who represent the diversity of the community onits staff. Other ways are having artifacts and furnishings that reflect the cultural backgrounds, linguistic traditions, and family structures ofall participating families. The process of developing a trusting relationship begins with families’ first contact with the center. Orientationand curriculum meetings help inform families about what they can expect their children to experience while in care; effectivecommunication linking families with the program help to nurture and sustain these trusting relationships.
Programs must use a variety of communication strategies to keep the diverse families they serve informed, including daily notes to thefamilies of infant and toddlers; newsletters; bulletin boards, emails, and notes; and scheduled individual conferences. Additional forms ofoutreach include the program’s website, special topics meetings, inviting families to contribute to their children’s classrooms, and invitingfamilies to participate in special events such as family dinners and fix-up days. It is essential to remember that language differences cancreate barriers to communication between families and the programs of early care education their children. Programs have aresponsibility to make every effort to communicate with all the families, including those whose home language is not English.
· Identify the stakeholder groups and the kinds of expertise that should be represented on programs’ advisory committees and boards of directors.
Programs’ advisory committees and governing boards should include families of currently enrolled children, an employee, arepresentative from the child care licensing agency or your state’s QRIS oversight agency, a community resident, and the owner of a smallbusiness. Look for expertise in early childhood education, including child care regulations and accreditation; accounting, banking, andinvestments; real estate and facility management; fundraising; law; marketing and public relations; and human relations and personnelmanagement.
USEFUL WEBSITES
National Charter School Resource Center
This website has resources to guide governing board selection, and governing board functioning.
Adoptive Families
This website has articles and other resources about adoption, including the perspectives of parents, teachers, birth families, andprofessionals.
Creating a Family
Here you will find articles and podcasts addressing adoption and attachment issues that are helpful for teachers and families.
Welcoming Schools
This resource promotes family diversity and addresses issues such as gender stereotyping, bullying, and name-calling. It offers resources tocreate a learning environment for all.
Teaching Tolerance
This Southern Poverty Law Center supports equitable educational experiences for all. It has many free resources for teachers andadministrators in the United States and Canada.
Harvard Family Research Project
The mission of this project is to address educational access and equity while advancing family and community engagement practices thatincrease all children’s chances for success. It includes descriptions of promising practices and professional development materials designedto help teachers engage families in their children’s learning.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (click on “For Families”)
This collection of resources for families includes advice on selecting quality child care, advocating for quality early care and education, andother topics of interest.
Zero to Three, particularly Parenting Resources
These science-based resources are designed to help families nurture their young children’s development. This page has links to age-specifichandouts, brochures, and guides.
TO REFLECT
1. Families often bring their own adult concerns (e.g., divorce, stress of being a single parent, financial problems) into formal and informalfamily–teacher conferences. As a director, how would you advise your teachers to address these concerns?
2. One of the most difficult situations for directors working with families is dealing with family members who do not believe they have thetime, abilities, skills, or interests to help their children learn. When families lack confidence in their child-rearing skills, how does theprogram build on their strengths? Can engagement be defined in different ways to accommodate different family-life pressures?
1We will sometimes refer to children’s parents for clarity, but we appreciate that grandparents, foster parents, and others play importantroles in children’s lives and may be their primary guardians.