INVOLVING PARENTS AND FAMILIES

FACS Standard 4.4.2

Herr, Judy. Working with Young Children. The Goodheart-Wilcox Co., Inc. 2008.

Need frequent 2-way communication Teacher-parent relationship VITAL Parents need caregivers reassurance and

emotional support Caregivers need to learn from the family

how to create an environment like home experiences

Parent involvement – patterns of participation in educational programs by parentsAssisting in the classroomHelping with fund-raising activities

Home teachingSupplying classroom resourcesAttending parent education classes

Build a positive relationship with parents Have casual conversations as they bring

children to and pick up from facility, sharing observations and events of the day

Always welcome parents to the facility Parent involvement now affects child’s later

school success

Objectives of Parent Involvement

Develop and understanding of child growth and development

Gain confidence in their parenting skills Learn about child’s experiences at

facility

Understand their child by observing them with other children

Learn new positive ways to interact with children

Become more informed about community resources

Foster child and parent’s ability to interact with each other

Extend learning from facility into home Understand how partnership with facility can

promote the child’s development

Encourage parent involvement through:

Written communication Class videos Parent-teacher conferences Advisory committees Discussion groups Newsletters

Written communication popular because:Require less time and energy for teacher

than meetings or multiple phone calls

3 common forms of written communication:

Newsletters – include information concerning a variety of subjects; shared on a regular basis

Newsletter can be read over weekend, during lunch, or while commuting – saving parents time and energy as well

Use active, not passive voiceActive voice says subject did somethingPassive voice says subject was acted on

Keep communication short, clear, and simple

Newsletter may include: Review of special activities Special classroom-related activities for

children to do at home

Guidance tips Upcoming calendar special events at the

facility Short articles of interest Summaries of books or articles related

to parenting

Nutritious recipes Child development information Want-ad section Help-wanted section for parent volunteers Upcoming community events of interest to

young children and their families

“Meet the Staff” section Recognition of parent contributions Parent exchange section Reminder of facility policies Welcome to new families and teachers Classroom celebrations and birthdays

Classroom needs The design of the newsletter can leave a

blank section – for teacher to write a brief personal positive note

Another blank spot could be used by parents to send notes back to the facility

Letters – often address only one item; sent out as needed

One page long Can be a supplement to a newsletter

First letter should introduce the teachers and staff to the families

Address classroom goals, rules, expectations

Welcome families to observe and/or take part in facility activities

Include the current theme Special facility activities should be noted

along with the goals of the activities New songs and accompaniments should be

written out with accompanying music or actions that go with them

Field trip sites, dates, and times should be included

Thank parents for favors Home learning activities should be

included; include activity and rationale for their use

Special letter

May feel need to send special letter about a special event or a special day

This should promote a learning experience between parents and children

Daily News Flash – bits of news for parents and children to discuss; written or printed on paper; may be e-mailed

May include news about special occasions or interesting events such as:Making blueberry muffins and eating

them

Announcing the loss of a tooth during lunch

Introduce new staffNaming of facility petArrival of a new baby to a facility familyLearning a new song

May be posted at entrance, on classroom door, or bulletin board

May be on computer screen or a video showing on television monitor as parents arrive

Class Videos

Prepare videos that can be checked out by families

Include fingerplays, holiday celebrations, acting out stories in the dramatic play area, building with blocks, preparing foods, experimenting with creative media

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Help develop a shared understanding of the child

Share the child’s likes, needs, concerns, etc. Share observation logs, skill development,

eating habits, sleeping habits, etc.

Home Visits

May want to visit child at home to get a sense of routine at home

Seeing teacher outside the school builds a trust and intimacy with the child

Discussion Groups

Bring parents together to become more familiar with growth and development of their child

Other Methods of Involvement

Lending library, family resource center, traveling backpack, problem-solving file, bulletin boards, documentation boards, sunshine calls, theme bag

Lending Library

Current books and magazines relating to parenting

Available to families to read and return

Family Resource Center

Referrals and resources for families Have access to information on child

development, child guidance, community services

Books, brochures, professional articles, and other media may be available

Brochures and flyers might contain the following:

Home visiting programs WIC (Women, Infant, and Children) –

federal nutrition supplement program for pregnant women, new mothers, infants

Food stamps – food purchasing help for low-income families

Nutrition, meal planning, and infant feeding Earned income tax credit for low-income

working families Big Brothers, Big Sisters

Medicaid – health care benefit for low-income families

Dependent care tax credit for some costs related to child care

Hospital programs that support new parents

Health clinics and dental screenings Agencies that work with families in crisis,

such as domestic violence and drug addiction

Counseling and emergency housing Child care resources and referral agencies

Federal housing assistance for low-income families

Family service programs from the Department of Health; the Department of Human Services; a licensing agency; or the public library

Traveling Backpack

Children choose favorite books, music cassettes, puzzles, or games to take home in the backpack, share with their families, and return to school

Often teachers will send home paper and writing tool

Problem-Solving File

File containing information of problems parents face

Reading materials, journal articles, newspaper clippings relating to the problems

Publicize files through newsletters and parent meetings

Bulletin Boards

Way to communicate with parents Local events, library resources,

educational television programs, tips for choosing toys, books, nutritional snacks, childhood diseases, immunizations, safety, and child developmental issues

Hang in the most visible and well-traveled area of the center

Change the background and color often – this is a way to alert parents of changes and updated information

Sunshine Calls

Telephone call to parent from teacher telling praise and support for the child; share something outstanding or interesting the child has recently done

Lets parents know you are interested in their child

When using the telephone:Plan the conversationKeep the call 5 minutes or lessBegin the call by asking if this is a

convenient time to talkPut parent at ease quickly by telling them

what the call is about

Share positive statements Give the parents words of praises and

thanks Many parents are more at ease over the

phone than a face-to-face meeting

Theme Bags

Used to involve parents In the form of traveling backpacks Includes parent letter introducing the

purpose of the bag along with the contents Games, puppets, storybooks, songs, charts,

etc. to accompany the learning activities are included

Volunteers

Parents want to be involved with their child’ education – why it is important to ask for their assistance

Send personalized thank-you notes for the help, the resources, etc. that parents do to help in educating their child