Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Working with Parents, Families, and Communities Chapter 7

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Goals of Chapter 7 Learn about the diversity of family situations and their impact on education Develop insights regarding the importance of parent and community involvement Study the elements of effective communication Identify tools for quality communication with parents Clarify the role of community members in early education

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 3 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Family Life Today The extended family Divorce and single-parent families Blended families Gay and lesbian families Two-Career families Older and younger parents Ethnic/Cultural diversity Family mobility Homeless families

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Is Involvement Worth the Effort? Benefits to teachers and caregivers Benefits to parents and families Benefits to children

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 5 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Building Strong Two-Way Relationships Providing mutual support Communication is the key Types of involvement Parenting Communicating Volunteering Learning at home Decision making Collaborating with community

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 6 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Understanding Beliefs and Attitudes Religious beliefs People with different racial or ethnic backgrounds Single-parent families Political beliefs Healthy lifestyles

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 7 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Family Friendly Schools Welcome parents visually and emotionally Accommodate diverse families Make it easy to get involved Demonstrate that parental options and involvement are important Create spaces for parents Provide assistance and resources

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 8 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Effective Communication Methods Telephone calls Written communications Handwritten notes Notices to all parents Parent letters Newsletters Published materials Communicating through technology Visual communication tools Home visits

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 9 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Family Meetings Social events Educational meetings Organizational meetings Child performances

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 10 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Teacher-Parent Conferences Bring families Build rapport Provide more information Show student work Three-way conference

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 11 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Factors Influencing Family Involvement Written policies Administrative support Training Partnership approach Networking Evaluation

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 12 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Families of Children With Special Needs Experience a wide range of possible feelings Be sensitive Listen carefully Be ready to assist in any way possible Make sure they are welcomed Read, “Empowering Families, Supporting Students”

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 13 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Connecting with the Community Involving the community in the school Involving the school in the community Advocacy and public policy Contact elected officials Educate yourself about critical issues Share your insights with others Work to elect officials that support children and families Share your opinions in the media

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 14 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Observing Development – Parent-Teacher-Child Interactions Observe Go to MyEducationLab and select “Child Development” and watch the video “Emotional Development: Infancy”. Reflect In what ways did the parents interactions influence the child’s behavior? Apply Identify helpful information this parent could provide you with if you cared for this infant?

© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 15 Teaching Young Children, 4 th Edition Henniger Multimedia Exploration and Activities… Research Go to MyEducationLab and select “Early Childhood Education” and watch the video “Head Start? Reflect What are the benefits to having families sign a contract committing to involvement in the school? Respond Brainstorm some creative options for increasing the level of involvement for a family that is currently not involved in their child’s school.