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Chapter 9Partnership with Families

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Family Patterns and Expectations

• What is a family?– The answer is constantly changing.– Families are individuals who care about one

another and often have a bond.– It may be a group of individuals related by

blood; but they may also not be, just live together.

– Family is also a cultural group that you are attached to.

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Family Patterns and Expectations (continued)

• Cultural competence– In working with families, a teacher needs to

become culturally competent:• Learn about the families you serve.• Work with cultural mediators.• Learn words from their language.• Take time to work with interpreters.• Use forms of communication acceptable to the

family.• Recognize collaboration.

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Family Patterns and Expectations (continued)

• Families of children with disabilities– Research has been done on mothers’

reactions, often wanting the best for their child.

– Little research has been done on fathers, who see the big picture and think about money.

– Attention needs to be paid to grandparents and siblings as well.

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Family Patterns and Expectations (continued)

• Family adjustment– Grief is typically the first emotion.– The family grieves for the loss of the normal,

healthy child they were planning for.– Decisions need to be made, causing stress.– Families need to work together for the benefit

of the child and the family stability.

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Family Patterns and Expectations (continued)

• Enabling and empowering families– Enabling is creating opportunities for family

members to become more competent and self-sustaining with respect to their abilities to mobilize their social networks to get needs met and attain goals.

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Family Patterns and Expectations (continued)

– Empowering is carrying out interventions in a manner in which family members acquire a sense of control over their own developmental course as a result of their own efforts to meet needs.

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The Parent-Teacher Partnership

• Parent involvement– Provides an ongoing support system that

supports the program– Maintains and elaborates the child’s gains

after the program ends

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The Parent-Teacher Partnership (continued)

• Rationale for parent participation– Parents are the first teacher.– Skills are learned faster when practice is done

at home.– Early intervention provides support for

parents.– Consistency of expectations is maintained.– Parents know their child best.

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The Parent-Teacher Partnership (continued)

• Degree of participation– Parents cannot always do as much as they

would like or caregivers would like due to• Work schedules• Other children• Attitude toward child and child’s problems• Culture• Parental education and health

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The Parent-Teacher Partnership (continued)

• Establishing trust– Teachers need to work hard to develop trust

with the parent.– This can be done by talking to the parent

honestly.– Share concerns in a caring manner.– Protect a child’s confidentiality.

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The Parent-Teacher Partnership (continued)

• Communicating with parents– Informal exchanges– Parent observations– Telephone calls– Written notes– Email– Two way journal– Audio- and videotapes– Newsletters– Class websites

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The Parent-Teacher Partnership (continued)

• Parent-teacher meetings– Large group meetings

• Parents are called together to share information that affects the group at large

– Changes in curriculum– Scheduling– Staffing– Child development

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The Parent-Teacher Partnership (continued)

– Parent conferences• More one-on-one with the child’s parents.• It is a give-and-take meeting.• Parents have a time to share concerns.• Teachers share progress and address

weaknesses.• Parents are allowed time to question.

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The Parent-Teacher Partnership (continued)

• Parent support groups– These groups offer support to families in the

areas of information, social gatherings, and advocacy.

– Teachers should be familiar with the groups in their area to share information with the parents.

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The Parent-Teacher Partnership (continued)

• Parent feedback– Indirect feedback

• Said in passing by a parent or said to another parent in hearing of the teacher.

– Direct feedback• Questionnaires and suggestion boxes are ways to

solicit feedback from parents who won’t share vocally.

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The Parent-Teacher Partnership (continued)

• Home visits– This is an essential part of the family

partnership.– Teachers can help parents with skills at home

once they see what the parent has to offer.– Teachers also break the ice with the child and

can help with transitioning the child.– Teachers show respect to the parent as

teacher through a home visit.