Jun 10, The Paperback of the A Manual for Parents, Teachers, and Principals on Early Childhood Education by Mani Augustine Ph. D. Chilampikunnel.
Table of contents
- Seminal Books on Early Childhood Education
- Parents as Partners in Response to Intervention
- Engaging Families in Early Childhood Education
- Starting school: Further resources | leondumoulin.nl
Her program had a Parent Action Committee that included the program director and community members; its purpose was to work within the community to support families.
She reported having invited parents to participate and noted that: This respondent felt the engagement in community activities would not only support the families and the children in a positive way but would also have a positive impact on the community. The parents in her program were taking the lead on a recycling program and were engaged in committee work that directly impacted programming for their children and their community. She considered this kind of work to be parent involvement even though some of its related activities did not directly affect children or the program.
These parents did not necessarily participate directly in early childhood program activities, but their social networks in the community provided a structure to keep parents connected to the program HP1. Respondents who defined parent involvement broadly and who described high levels of parent involvement in their programs were more likely to express a positive view of their participants than those with narrower definitions. Even administrators with broader definitions of parent involvement e. For instance, three respondents reported that their preschool programs were in rural areas without access to public transportation, making it difficult for families to attend school activities HP1, HP2, HP4.
A respondent who had reported high levels of involvement offered her perspective on why some parents might be less engaged: I still believe that parents do care, but some are better equipped. They were dealt a better hand in life and [are more] emotionally equipped to respond to their children. Another respondent who reported low involvement and whose program was on a military base commented on the impact of family circumstances on parent involvement:. We are fighting a war right now. For example, participants who recognized challenges faced by families tended to also report having policies that were sensitive to parent needs.
Although some respondents seemed to imply that they avoided interaction with parents, others indicated that they believed their personal understandings of parent involvement and their attitudes toward the parents might positively influence parent engagement. Several reported that they developed relationships with parents regardless of level of involvement, and some indicated that they believed that parents who felt a strong relationship with a program were more likely to put additional effort into attending family involvement activities HP1, HP3, HP4, LP1, LP5.
The challenges to parent engagement reported by interviewees, such as low family income, limited resources, unemployment, and isolation, were similar across programs. Those who held broad understandings of parent involvement, however, were more likely to report that their programs made extensive efforts to engage families despite the challenges. For example, one respondent who reported high levels of parent involvement spoke at length about how parents did their best to participate, which she believed demonstrated how much they cared for their children even if they did not attend every school event HP1.
This respondent expressed the idea that the program has a responsibility to adapt its expectations and resources in order to support parents as much as possible. We noted that interviewees with broader definitions and more positive views of parents were more likely to have reported higher levels of parent involvement in the original Evaluation survey Hilado et al. Some respondents labeled the parents who did not attend parent engagement activities as proud, lazy, negligent, or irresponsible HP2, HP4, LP5.
Those with narrower definitions and understandings of parent involvement tended to express more negative views of their participants. Those with broader, more flexible definitions and understandings of parent involvement tended to perceive parents as more involved. Moreover, the perception of higher levels of involvement tended to be but was not always associated with a more positive view of parents.
Those with the less flexible understanding of parent involvement were less likely to see a need to adapt their practices. It just always goes down. This perspective did not appear to lead to more proactive approaches; the status quo—low levels of parent involvement—persisted. Some participants used a narrow definition of parent involvement, limited to parent participation in parent-teacher conferences, parent education programs, and volunteering in the classroom. Other administrators had broader definitions that included any activity in support of a child in school, the home, or the community, such as traditional parent involvement activities e.
Some programs in rural areas were unable to provide transportation to help families get to parent involvement activities. Consistent with the literature, for the 10 administrators participating in this study, holding a broad definition of parent involvement was consistent with offering a wide range of opportunities for parent engagement. We found that participating administrators with more inclusive understandings of parent involvement tended to view the families served by their programs in a relatively positive light. They reported parent involvement practices that were flexible and recognized a wide range of parental efforts to support children in and outside of the school setting, and they viewed lower parent involvement as evidence of a need to be more collaborative and flexible to support family engagement.
Administrators with narrower definitions of parent involvement and more negative views of parents whom they saw as less engaged tended to place responsibility for low involvement on the parent rather than the program; they were likely to also express less willingness to make changes to involve families because they believed that regardless of their efforts, the status quo of low involvement would be maintained. Despite efforts to define effective parent involvement and identify its indicators, more research is needed to identify parent involvement formats and implementation strategies that are effective across settings.
For example, there are very few resources to guide preschool programs interested in increasing parent involvement levels through innovative programming and outreach. The diversity of understandings about parent involvement noted here is an issue with implications for policy at both the federal and state levels. Federal definitions of parent involvement have become the basis for education policies across the country, thus some similarities in parent involvement guidelines can be found across states.
At the same time, Illinois also provides tailored definitions and guidelines for parent involvement in state-funded programs. For example, some Illinois programs related to children birth to 5 years old, including Prevention Initiative programs for birth to 3 and Preschool for All for ages 3 to 5 , have unique working definitions and understandings of parent involvement that may not align with those used in other states. Guidelines for best practices in supporting parent involvement must recognize the existing diversity in definitions and understandings at the national, state, local, and program levels.
Training for early childhood professionals on parent engagement strategies must acknowledge the range of definitions, helping administrators to consider characteristics of the program and the families to ensure that parent involvement goals and expectations are realistic and appropriate to those being served. Programs should be accountable for engaging parents and improving programs to meet the diverse needs of the families they serve. In turn, administrators need guidelines for defining parent involvement, as well as training on how to understand and engage parents in a manner that considers program and family characteristics.
This study examined the perspectives of 10 early childhood preschool program administrators in Illinois, thus the breadth of possible opinions among administrators is not entirely reflected in the sample. Additionally, important contextual factors vary among programs and among families; what works well in one center may not be useful in all programs. Despite these limitations, the sample used in this article was chosen because of their expert views on administering preschool programs for children at-risk for school failure. We present no child or family outcome data; however, our findings suggest possible directions for future research on potential correlations between particular definitions and practices of parent involvement and outcomes for children and families.
Research supports the importance of parent involvement during the early years. Despite its recognized value and the policies in place to encourage it across early childhood programs, varying definitions and understandings of parent involvement among program administrators may result in mixed messages regarding expectations for programs and families. Goals and implementation protocols for parent involvement vary from program to program. One purpose of early childhood programs is to prepare young children to begin school. Parent involvement is a critical component of preparation for school readiness; thus it is worthwhile to examine how to support parent engagement beginning at the programmatic level.
This support can begin with a solid understanding of what parent involvement optimally entails, awareness on the part of administrators of the importance of positive, empowering expectations for involvement, and openness to adapting those expectations for children and families who most need the support.
Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches 3rd ed. Recasting the role of family involvement in early literacy development: A response to the NELP report. Educational Researcher , 39 , — Redefining parent involvement in Head Start: Early Child Development and Care, , 23— Federation for Community Schools. The roles of parent and community engagement in student success: What works in Illinois. Supporting child welfare and parent involvement in preschool programs. Early Childhood Education Journal , 39 , — Illinois birth to three program standards. Illinois State Board of Education. The Illinois kindergarten individual development survey.
Preschool for All implementation manual. Models of parent involvement. Reading Teacher, 63 , — Pathways to self-esteem in late adolescents: The role of parent and peer attachment, empathy, and social behaviors. Journal of Adolescence, 27 , — An expanded sourcebook 2nd ed. National Center for Family Literacy. Report of the National Early Literacy Panel. National Institute for Literacy.
Programs for parents of infants and toddlers: Recent evidence from randomized trials. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 48 , — Father involvement in early childhood programs: Review of the literature. Early Child Development and Care, , — Families and community relationships: Even though these times can be tumultuous, don't miss out on opportunities to engage interested parents.
Greet with enthusiasm and when possible, acknowledge their arrival in some special way. For example, prompt the class by saying "look who's here - let's say hello to Sarah and Mr. Share a detail or two. When speaking with parents, be sure to add some specific information about their child's progress. Host a variety of special events. Try to plan activities such as informal breakfasts, picnics, class trips and fairs featuring educational books and toys throughout the school year.
Eliciting ideas for these events from parents may encourage them to be more involved in developing and planning. Be sure to consider whether parents have preferences about when during the day or evening these activities should take place.
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- Examining Understandings of Parent Involvement in Early Childhood Programs.
- Starting school: Further resources.
Whether in person parent-teacher conferences, , through printed materials flyers, newsletters, school bulletin boards or online school Web sites, group or individual e-mails , try to make frequent contact with parents. And be sure to ask parents whether the information being shared is useful and how it can be improved, both in terms of content e. Help make parents aware of the school's high standards for achievement, learning goals, curriculum and strategies for helping every child succeed.
Don't be reluctant to invite parents to become involved in decision-making and planning ways to help the school community meet these goals. Celebrate achievements though work sampling. Encourage peer networking among parents. A good way to start building parent networks is by creating a parent contact list. Be sure to include teachers, aides and other relevant school personnel. Eliciting help from a few parent volunteers may be especially helpful as this will encourage them to take ownership of this activity.
Identify and make useful resources available to parents. Some parents will need reassurance and guidance about behavior management. Some will have concerns about motor skills or language development. A few will have questions about signs of risk for learning disabilities, and others will want guidance about how to cultivate special skills and talents in their children. Try to be prepared to lead parents to these and other types of resources, either through a lending library in the school, through local agencies or via helpful resources on the Web.
Invite parents into the classroom. Extend frequent invitations for parents to visit their child's school and spend time in the classroom. Whether parents are invited to be silent observers or to help with activities, these visits can be most helpful and enjoyable. And think about how special a parent will feel receiving a note from the class thanking them for their visit! There are going to be times when early childhood professionals and parents will engage in stressful conversations. Sometimes these conversations are triggered by issues that are programmatic such as scheduling extra time for a child to learn and practice skills, reminding parents to return forms, sending in extra clothes, or being on time for pick up at the end of the day.
Seminal Books on Early Childhood Education
The most stressful conversations, however, are often those that have to do with a child's progress and how to respond when a child shows signs of frustration or when they evidence unexpected delays in learning. Most of the time parents and educators are reluctant to say or do things that create conflict, and when it comes to the best interest of our children parents and teachers alike , we often see all parties ready to engage in a "good fight.
Some teachers, on the other hand, wonder why parents are so protective of their child even when concerns are raised about their progress. However well-intentioned, sharing concerns about a child's status can be a tension-filled turning point in the parent-teacher relationship and well worth careful planning and introspection on everyone's part.
In a brief conversation at the end of the school day, Ms. Roth was told by her son Sam's teacher that his behavior at school was beginning to interfere with daily routines and that she might want to address this concern at home. Upset by this casual mention of her son's poor behavior, she replayed this brief encounter in her mind and became increasingly angry at the insinuation that behavior was also a problem at home and that she was being negligent about setting limits or parenting with proper discipline.
This potentially explosive situation was quickly diffused that evening with a phone call from Sam's teacher who explained how her concerns were about his enthusiasm to share information about his new pet iguana, and offered some suggestions about sharing photos or drawings, and even having a "show and tell" experience with the class. Be a good listener. There is much about a child's home situation and prior educational experience that can help you make good decisions.
Parents as Partners in Response to Intervention
As important is the way that you listen to what parents have to say. They often provide much more information than was asked of them, and offer cues about whether they need more information about a particular issue and whether they are prepared to hear what you need to say. For some parents, conversations with school personnel can be stressful, regardless of whether the discussion is about "good news" or concerns about learning. Try to deliver your message in more than one way, offering examples whenever possible. And ask the listener to confirm what they have heard and what they understand the implications of your message might be.
Having parents re-tell the major points in their own words can be a very helpful strategy to engage parents as partners and to avoid misunderstandings.
Engaging Families in Early Childhood Education
This will set a positive tone and help even defensive parents feel as though you appreciate the "good" in their child. In more cases than not, parents and teachers share the same impressions about strengths and weakness. The challenge is often how to initiate a conversation without pointing fingers at anyone about being overly sensitive or unnecessarily concerned.
She is very caring and plays well with the other children. She has a great sense of humor and usually 'gets things' other kids tend to miss at this age. I'd like you to know that I am keeping an eye on her verbal language skills. We understand her wants and needs most of the time, except when she gets excited. When this happens her words are sometimes difficult to understand.
Describe behaviors… do not diagnose, label or guess. Early childhood educators spend a lot of time with students in different settings playtime, circle-time, meals, etc. When concerns arise about a child's learning or behavior, the last thing you want to do is give the impression that you're jumping to conclusions!
Be sure not to think "diagnosis" or "label" but rather do everything you can to gather detailed information that could be helpful to parents and specialists who at some point might be called in to conduct screenings or targeted evaluations Monitoring children's progress is an essential and valuable component of the Recognition and Response system and there are many ways to incorporate this type of data collection and sharing into daily routines.
Try to look for patterns in these anecdotal records as they can provide clues to what might be interfering with learning. Jared loves to play with cars and often chooses this as a free-time activity. He enjoys sharing his toys with peers, but as just before lunch, he seems to get moody, sometimes preferring to play alone. At these times, when approached by other children, he tends to ignore them and on several occasions has used foul language and even pushed them away. This behavior can persist until lunchtime, but is rarely seen during rest time and in afternoon play. Allow time for parents to process hear, feel, think and respond.
Rossetti, in his book titled Communication Intervention: Birth to Three, has referred to the delivery of difficult news to parents about their child as "a loaded gun fired at the heart. Be sure to provide opportunities for parents to process and understand your concerns. Some helpful tips include:.
Starting school: Further resources | leondumoulin.nl
Make parents aware of helpful resource such as books, videos, DVDs, pamphlets and Web sites. Directing parents to information about "sensitive" issues can help them to increase awareness of important topics and even develop some level of acceptance, making it easier for them to partner with you and take positive action.
It's OK for educators to ask parents for feedback about their classroom program. Be prepared to hear good news and bad. And remember that child development is a moving target. Saying "I'm sorry" or having to having to make mid-course corrections in instructional style and content is part of the early childhood educational business. Your efforts and willingness to be a flexible, well-informed and enthusiastic partner will make your relationships with parents a success.
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This publication offers a Parent Involvement Checklist that can help schools develop and sustain partnerships among teachers, parents and administrators It focuses attention on such important issues as:. It asks parents to rate their skills, interests and abilities to:. Department of Education Studies, University of Oxford. Culturally responsive parental involvement: Building reciprocity with families: Case studies in special education. Getting Parents "Ready" for Kindergarten: The Role of Early Childhood Education. Harvard Family Research Project , April. Parental Involvement in the Classroom.
Journal of Instructional Psychology 32 1 ,