maryland family network: fsc parent satisfaction survey · 2014-12-08 · as tempting as it may be,...
TRANSCRIPT
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November 2013
Survey Confirms FSC Success
Maryland Family Network’s Family
Support Centers survey participating
parents to measure progress in areas
from family functioning to
knowledge of child development. This year, based on what they
learned at the Family Support Center
(FSC):
89% reported that they are
better able to parent their children.
93% reported that they have a better understanding of
how their child grows and develops.
83% reported that they listen to and communicate more
effectively with their family.
Parenting skills are much
improved.
______________________________
Republican gubernatorial candidates
were invited to MFN to share their
views on early
childhood. Democrats have been
invited for Nov. 13.>>
______________________________
“I no longer yell at my child. I now talk to her with a better
understanding that she is still learning, as am I. And hitting will
do her no good,” wrote a parent from one FSC.
Read more parent comments and survey analysis.>>
How Do They Do It?
From birth, children are intensely
engaged in learning how to
learn. They begin by focusing
attention on the faces and voices of
their parents, insatiably gathering
information about them. When they become toddlers,
curiosity and memory begin to
support exploration and testing as
their information gathering expands in scope and
duration. Children devote themselves to learning using an array of
attitudes and approaches that caring adults can support.
How do infants take on the task of
learning about the world?
New Assessment Guides MFN's Early Head
Start Family Support Centers
How can early childhood education
programs ensure that they are
helping young children develop the
full range of skills that they will
need to succeed in kindergarten and
beyond?
If a child loves books, enjoys arts
activities, and makes friends readily,
is it easy to overlook her lack of engagement with pre-math
activities?
These questions led MFN’s Early Head Start Family Support
Centers to adopt a comprehensive new assessment system. Read
more>>
The goal is school readiness.
Conferences promote advocacy and
professional development for child
care providers.>>
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Maryland Family Network: FSC Parent Satisfaction Survey
http://mfn.convio.net/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5512[9/26/2014 12:17:51 PM]
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FSC participants learn good parenting practices by seeing staff members model nurturing interactions and by participating in
parenting classes.
Survey Data and Parent Comments Combine to Show Robust Success at Family
Support Centers. “I have learned to take a deep breath and not get mad at my
baby.”
MFN coordinates 21 Family Support Centers (FSCs) statewide that serve pregnant women, young children, and their parents. FSCs
are generally located in neighborhoods characterized by poverty, high unemployment, low levels of academic achievement, and high
rates of teen and single parenting.
This year, 477 participating adults (out of 699 who were offered the survey in April 2013) completed the annual satisfaction survey,
the largest number ever. The survey covered parents receiving services in the FSCs as well as those who received services at home
from FSCs.
The survey asked parents about their growth and functioning in key areas of FSC program focus, grouped to align with components
of the Strengthening Families framework:
Family Functioning/Resiliency,Social/Emotional Support,Concrete Support,Knowledge of Parenting/Child Development, andNurturing and Attachment.
Maryland Family Network: FSC Parent Satisfaction Survey
http://mfn.convio.net/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5512[9/26/2014 12:17:51 PM]
The results of the survey indicate that a large majority of participants improved their knowledge and function in all focus areas.
In the area of parenting and knowledge of child development, the report confirms that FSCs are succeeding in helping disadvantaged,
often single parents do a better job of raising their young children. A total of 93% of respondents reported that they had a better
understanding of child development based on what they learned at the FSC or from their home visitor. As one parent wrote, “I have
learned that my daughter is not bad. She is just being a kid and testing what she can and can’t do.”
Many parents wrote that they had learned disciplinary methods that are alternatives to physical punishment. “I learned that discipline
is teaching my child right from wrong, setting rules, and explaining to my child what he did wrong. Spanking, hitting, and beating
are all the same thing – just punishments.”
Most parents wrote comments about major aspects of parenting such as patience, bonding, and communication. Other comments
revealed that at the FSCs, parents are also realizing some of the simple joys of parenting an infant or toddler:
“I have learned that my child enjoys walking around outside…even if we never make it to the park.”
“…I have also learned that my child is very smart.”
“I learned that my child has an interest in singing. So, now we sing more songs.”
The survey report includes data on the adult respondents. The primary demographic of parent respondents is age 20-25, with a 9th to
11th grade education.
The growth and improved function documented in the area of parenting was also evident in the other areas of FSC program focus.
Read the findings for all program areas in the online report.
1001 EASTERN AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21202-4325 tel: 410.659.7701 fax: 410.783.0814
Maryland Family Network: "Approaches to Learning"
http://mfn.convio.net/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5511[9/26/2014 12:18:37 PM]
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Experts Call This “Approaches to Learning”
The drive to learn is innate. And children involve themselves in learning propelled by motivation, attitudes, habits, and learning
styles that child development experts call “approaches to learning.”
Approaches to learning is the “how” rather than the “what” of learning. It encompasses attention, curiosity, information gathering,
memory, persistence, and problem solving.
Parents and child care providers can help children develop these habits and traits. By pointing to objects and naming them, for
instance, an adult can help a young child learn to focus and expand her attention span.
Adults can support curiosity by allowing exploration, even when it involves activities that may seem tedious such as digging in the
sand or emptying a cabinet of pots and pans. These unhurried activities allow the child to learn that he can pose a question in his
mind and seek out an answer.
Memory is critical to learning, and adults can nurture development by talking about past experiences and asking questions about
recent events. Adults can build predictability and repetition into routines, as these allow children to succeed in memory tasks. And,
as tempting as it may be, adults should not discourage repetition. Toddlers want and need to practice doing things over and over.
When they repeat activities, they are doing so because they are still learning from that experience. And they are learning to be
interested and persistent.
Persistence and problem solving go hand-in-hand. As children attempt new and more challenging activities, they inevitably confront
failure. The experience of failure presents the opportunity to learn to handle frustration and to try again. Adults can assist by
acknowledging the effort and by resisting the urge to jump in with the solution – offering just enough help to keep the child from
giving up.
Maryland Family Network: "Approaches to Learning"
http://mfn.convio.net/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5511[9/26/2014 12:18:37 PM]
Young children who develop strong assets in the areas of attention, curiosity, information gathering, memory, persistence, and
problem solving are primed for success in school. Starting kindergarten with these traits firmly established is every bit as important
as having a big vocabulary or understanding basic math concepts.
Additional resources:
Child Development Tracker from PBS Parents provides age-specific suggestions for nurturing your child’s curiosity, persistence,
problem solving, and imagination. Select your child’s age and then click on “Approaches to Learning.”
Although intended for its teachers, Head Start’s “Approaches to Learning” offers clear explanation about why each approach to
learning is important and suggests ways to nurture its development.
It’s interesting to note that “approaches to learning” captures the essence of the “plan, do, review” process that is the core of the
teaching method developed by High Scope at the reknown Perry Preschool Project.
1001 EASTERN AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21202-4325 tel: 410.659.7701 fax: 410.783.0814
Maryland Family Network: TS Gold Assessment
http://mfn.convio.net/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5513[9/26/2014 12:19:19 PM]
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TS GOLD Has Improved Teaching. Parent Engagement is an Unexpected Bonus.
A year ago, MFN’s Early Head Start Family Support Centers (EHS FSCs) started using Teaching Strategies GOLD to assess the
development of each enrolled child and to use the aggregate data to monitor classrooms, programs, and MFN’s entire EHS program.
TS GOLD is aligned with the state’s Healthy Beginnings and with the Maryland Model for School Readiness assessment framework
used by child care programs and publicly funded pre-K.
Using an online system, EHS FSC teachers and home visitors create a developmental profile for each child. Observations about the
child’s physical, cognitive, language, and social development are entered into the TS GOLD software with great frequency. Notes,
photos, or videos are added almost daily by classroom teachers, home visitors, and/or their supervisors. Parents are encouraged to
share their observations, which staff members then enter into the profiles.
Three times during the school year, each child’s profile is used to create a snapshot of his development at that time. As a child’s
online profile collects multiple snapshots over time, it becomes possible to see where he started, where he is now, and what
milestones are expected to come next. Based on this, teaching staff engage the child in activities that foster development in areas of
unmet goals and prepare learning experiences to support the child’s strong and emerging areas of development. TS GOLD calls for
assessments in all areas of learning, so that no area is overlooked.
Parents find the profiles engaging and easy to understand. The profiles include activity ideas, so parents can learn what activities are
developmentally appropriate for each age. (It may be hard for parents to imagine math activities for a two-year old.) In this way, the
profile enhances learning at home as well as in the classroom. Parents’ real engagement with their children’s developmental profiles
has been an unexpected bonus of the new system.
Although the children are being assessed, the improvement effort is focused on the teaching staff. By examining the aggregated data,
a supervisor can see if a particular area of knowledge or skill development (perhaps math or problem solving) needs more attention.
And she can provide her staff with more training and support related to enhancing learning opportunities in this area.
The push to use data to improve instruction is part of the overall movement to make Head Start a data-driven program, whether the
concern is school readiness or parent engagement or attendance. To learn more about Head Start, visit the online portal for parents
and professionals.
1001 EASTERN AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21202-4325 tel: 410.659.7701 fax: 410.783.0814
Maryland Family Network: Republican Gubernatorial Candidates at Public Policy in October
http://mfn.convio.net/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5514[9/26/2014 12:20:10 PM]
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MFN Executive Director Margaret Williams welcomed two Republican gubernatorial candidates.
Pre-K Takes Center Stage in Gubernatorial Races
Two Republican candidates for Governor, Delegate Ron George, representing District 30 in Anne Arundel County, and Charles
Lollar, former Chairman of the Charles County Republican Central Committee, addressed MFN’s Public Policy Committee on
October 9. They shared their views on the future of child care, family support, and early childhood education.
Democratic gubernatorial candidates have been invited to give their views at the next MFN Public Policy meeting on November 13 at
1 p.m. at 1001 Eastern Ave., 2 Floor, Baltimore, Maryland. The meeting is open to all. Please email Debbie Moore if you plan to
attend.
To see platforms for the Maryland gubernatorial candidates, visit their websites:
Republican candidates:
David R. CraigRon GeorgeCharles Lollar
Democratic candidates:
Anthony BrownDoug GanslerHeather Mizeur
nd
1001 EASTERN AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21202-4325 tel: 410.659.7701 fax: 410.783.0814
Maryland Family Network: Child Care Conferences in Fall of 2013
http://mfn.convio.net/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5515[9/26/2014 12:21:01 PM]
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Family child care providers enjoyed workshops and networking. See more photos.
Child Care Associations Hold Fall Conferences
The Maryland State Family Child Care Association held its 21 annual conference in Ocean City, October 18 and 19. It was
attended by 200 family child care providers.
MFN’s Senior Policy Analyst Debbie Moore was part of a keynote panel that discussed legislative advocacy. She also co-presented
workshops on:
how a bill becomes law; andwhat is CCDGB and why family child care providers should care.
MFN’s Deputy Director for Resource and Referral Steve Rohde presented workshop sessions on:
working with children with developmental disabilities; brain growth and children’s development; andbuilding relationships with parents.
The Maryland State Child Care Association (an association of owners and directors of child care centers) held its annual leadership
symposium on October 24 in Columbia. The theme of the gathering, attended by 100, was “Advocacy in Early Childhood Begins
with You. Value Your Voice.”
MFN’s Debbie Moore was joined by State Senator Jim Rosapepe in rallying the audience with a presentation on legislative advocacy
– and the power of citizens’ voices.
MFN’s Steve Rohde led a session showcasing Parent Cafés and Strengthening Families. He was assisted by MFN staffers Cara
Bethke and Jennifer Lentz.
st
Maryland Family Network: Child Care Conferences in Fall of 2013
http://mfn.convio.net/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5515[9/26/2014 12:21:01 PM]
The Maryland School-Age Child Care Alliance held its fall conference on October 5 in Columbia. The event focused on professional
development and preparation for Maryland EXCELS, the state’s new quality rating and improvement system.
1001 EASTERN AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21202-4325 tel: 410.659.7701 fax: 410.783.0814