1. The Why and How

2. Ask yourself these questions: 1.What do I do everyday to involve parents in their child’s learning experience? 2.In what ways are parents already contributing to my program? 3.What do the parents see as their needs and interests? 4.Who are the parents I never hear from? 5.Who are the children I feel need extra help adjusting to the child care program? 6.How can parents help me? 7.Where can I find additional resources to support my parent involvement activities?

3.  Daily Informal Activities that Involve Parents * chats at drop off and pick up * daily sheets  Ways In Which I Support Parents * monthly newsletters * parent bulletin boards  Ways In Which Parents Support Me * providing activities for the classroom parties

4.  Use Parent Profiles/ Questionnaires  Make Home Visits  Visit work location (if possible)

5.  Find out their hobbies  Ask how they would like to help  Parent Availability  Special talents they have  Limitations

7. 1.Be honest and nonjudgmental let them know they are important to the success of the program and their child’s learning 2.Be an active listener 3.Offer clear descriptions and expectations 4.Clarify any preconceived notions or assumptions 5.Be considerate

8. You have read and discussed the value of parent involvement. There has been information presented about how to involve parents in their child’s learning. Your time to practice has now arrived. On the following slides are two problems that are often an issue in any child care setting. You will choose one of the problems and prepare a parent meeting to discuss one of the issues. Please include all of the information that is necessary for a successful parent teacher exchange. Good Luck.

9. Problem 2: You are the lead teacher in the toddler room (12 months to 18 months). One of the children is having some trouble adjusting to solid foods and family style eating. The parent approaches you and wants to bring in their own food (jarred baby food) and wants you to feed their 14 month old child. As you meet with these parents you will need to provide developmentally age appropriate food information, the reasoning as to why this is/isn’t possible and action steps to help the child adjust to the new textures and family style serving. In your classroom you have a young child that has bitten several times. Several different parents have approached you with concerns. Now a parent has asked that you remove the child from the classroom and the center. At your parent meeting you will discuss this issue and present parents with developmentally appropriate information, discussion time, and action steps for the classroom.

10. You will need to submit your action plan, written documentation of resource material provided for the parents and your action steps for solving one of these problems.