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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
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