Home Visitor TrainingHome Visitor TrainingKendra Vandertie & Bill CurtisKendra Vandertie & Bill Curtis

Home Visitor TrainingHome Visitor TrainingKendra Vandertie & Bill CurtisKendra Vandertie & Bill Curtis

Appleton Area School DistrictAppleton Area School District2011/20122011/2012

Who are Home Visitors?

• How many years have you been doing home visits?

• What is your role as a Home Visitor?• Share some experiences• How many have taken NVCI?• What do you hope to gain from this

training? (index cards)

Various purposes for home visits (team vs. ind)• Parents as Teachers Program• Early Childhood Teachers and Providers (PT,

OT, SP/L Pathologists, etc.)• ELL, Home/School Connection• New student visits – Kindergarten teachers• Title-I Preschool Teachers and Interpreters• Student Services intervention• Attendance concerns• Health needs• Others ?

Review of Home Visiting Guidelines

• Three major components:

– Preparation before the visit

– Interaction during the visit

– Follow up after the visit

Before the visit………• Communication Needs

• Cultural Norms

• Data Collection

• Scheduling Process

• Items to Bring

• Misc

Communication Needs• Need for an interpreter?

Check with familyInvite interpreter Conversational English or specialized

language

Working with an Interpreter

• Greet parents directly. (Use parent’s native language in greeting.)

• Be mindful of seating.• Always speak directly to parents

and face them.• Speak slowly and clearly.

Working with Interpreter (cont.)

• Use natural, but shorter chunks of language.

• Allow for wait time.

• Allow for questions and comments.

Interpreter’s focus• Interpret the thought, intent, and

spirit in a neutral fashion.• Do not give opinions or judgments.• Ask for clarification.• Ask the home visitor to slow down.

Cultural NormsMexican families• People are not accustomed to

home visits.• Teachers went into people’s homes

for social purposes.• In Mexico, people always go to

school to discuss school business.

Cultural NormsMexican families, cont• Critical to explain in Spanish ahead

of time the purpose of the visit and identify the visitors.

• People may be distrustful of authorities.

• Concerns about immigration.

Cultural NormsMexican families, cont

• Many families are less invested in the local community because they plan to return to Mexico.

Cultural NormsHmong families• Distinguish between traditional

family and second generation.• Explain the purpose of the visit.• More integrated into the local

community. Idea of returning to Laos is less prevalent.

Cultural NormsHmong families-Traditional• Both parents may not stay for

entire meeting.• Traditionally, the role of the parent

was to nurture, not teach.

Cultural NormsHmong families-Traditional• Parents as teachers is not a widely

held cultural belief among the Hmong.

• Most traditional Hmong would expect to meet in the school.

• Concerns about privacy .

Cultural NormsHmong families-Second generation• New cultural view-parents as teachers.• Get children ready for school.• Economic concerns predominate.• Children may be in care of

grandparents with traditional views.

Cultural NormsOther groups-Native American and

African-American people.• Difficult to generalize. Know the

background of target family.• Build rapport and trust.• Socializing before business-

considered good manners.

Data Collection• Review data in the following areas:

– Chancery– BCT Notes– Home visit logs– 3 & 4 year old screening information– PSL Officer– Administrator– Student Service Staff– Student cumulative & behavioral file

Scheduling Process• If information in

the data collection indicates a safety concern for home visit, then schedule in a public location.

– Public library– School– Park– Mall– Fast food

restaurant with play area

– Others?

Scheduling Process (cont)

• If a visit to the home is required (i.e. truancy), but records indicate it is unsafe…..– Attend with two people– Request assistance of PSL Officer– Make sure to follow check in and check

out procedures and carry a cell phone

Items To Bring• In addition to always bringing a cell phone…….

– ID Badge– Wear comfortable shoes and clothing that

are appropriate and not loose-fitting.– Keep jewelry to a minimum– Bring along all necessary materials for the

visit– If cleanliness of the home is a concern,

bring a blanket to sit on– Have an agenda or checklist for the visit

Miscellaneous• Be sure your car is well maintained and

has a full tank of gas• Become familiar with stores,

businesses, police and fire department locations and other “safe havens”.

• Know where service stations and public phones are located.

During The Visit• When arriving at the home, be aware of your

surroundings…..– Stop and listen at the doorway prior to alerting of

your arrival.– Greet the family and find out who is all in the

home.– Request that pets be confined and other

distractions be minimized– Do not carry a purse. Keep keys in your pocket.– If at any time you feel unsafe, leave.

During the Visit (cont.)• Stay aware of your surroundings

– Position yourself between the door and other non-school members of the visit

– Keep alert to unusual sounds or movements– Seat yourself on a stable surface….ask for a

kitchen chair if the couch or floor are unsuitable

– Stick to your agenda – A written agenda provides a framework for the visit.

Sample AgendasAgenda A • Student progress report

• Skills to be practiced at home

• Model and practice

• Parent Questions/Concerns

• Set up next meeting date

Agenda B• Share staff concerns about

attendance

• Parent concerns about attendance

• Brainstorm solutions

• Outline a plan

• Review plan and set up next meeting

When De-escalation is needed

Non -Threatening Posture and Gestures – CPI* Supportive Stance

*CPI – Crisis Prevention Institute

Communication – Non-Verbals and Para Verbals

Take the HEAT –Hear –Empathize-Apologize-Take Action

27

Do’s Don’ts

• Remain Calm• Listen• Be aware of

nonverbals and paraverbals

• Plan your exit, if needed.

• Overreact• Make false

promises• Give fake

attention• Be threatening• Use jargon (can

be confusing and frustrating)

Concluding the Visit• Schedule future meeting dates• Determine whether the meeting

place next time will be in the home or a public place

• Determine future agendas• Skills to ending a visit…role play?

After The Visit• Check in at school• Report any concerns to your Administrator• Fill out all necessary paperwork

documenting the visit• Fill out time sheet, if applicable• Report significant concerns to authorities,

as necessary (give examples)

References• AASD Home Visitation Guidelines• Parents as Teachers National Center,

Inc., 1999 Parent educator resource• Nora Lazcano, AASD ELL Interpreter• Ger Vang, AASD ELL Interpreter• Cynthia Cruz, AASD Native American

Cultural Support Specialist• CPI - Crisis Prevention Institute, Inc.

•Questions? (refer to index cards)

•Evaluation

Thank You for coming!

Kendra & Bill