Parent PresentationParent PresentationSondra PhelpsSondra Phelps

ECE 497ECE 497Instructor LevinsonInstructor Levinson

May 11, 2014May 11, 2014

Period of Development: Early Childhood

• Children pre-k through kindergarten, ages 3-6.

• Motor skills are refined (Berk, 2013).• Make believe play increases (Berk,

2013).• Language and thought expand (Berk,

2013).• Children begin to establish ties with

peers (Berk, 2013).• Children in this period of development

are making the transition from toddlers to more capable children. Their language, cognitive, motor, social, and emotional skills develop by leaps and bounds during this time allowing them more freedom and independence. Such development means that they also need home and school environments that are safe and supportive.

Role of the Child Development Professional

• Bridge the gaps between school, home, and community.

• Provide ideas about how to establish and maintain partnerships between families, the community, and school.

• Help parents, school personnel, and community members understand how these partnerships influence learning and development.

Why establishing connections is so

important:• Schools that are integral to the community are better

able to promote positive development (Griffin & Steen, 2010).

• Families that work in partnerships with schools and the community are better able to address barriers to learning (Griffin & Steen, 2010).

• School-family-community partnerships are “the ideal approach to support the growing needs of our nation’s students” (Griffin & Steen, 2010, p. 1).

• Establishing such connections helps keep parents involved in the education process, thus, promoting their sense of ownership of their child’s learning as well as actively engaging them in aiding their child’s development.

Bronfenbrenner’s Mesosystem

The mesosystem is the second level of Urie Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model (Berk, 2013). The microsystems of home, school, and community and the connections between them are encompassed within the mesosystem. All of these microsystems influence each and individual behaviors as well as vice versa (as cited in Wright & Smith, 1998). When there are links between each microsystem, each relationship is more likely to support development (Berk, 2013).

Epstein’s Six Types of Involvement

• Type 1: Parenting• Type 2: Communicating• Type 3: Volunteering• Type 4: Learning at Home• Type 5: Decision Making• Type 6: Collaborating with Community

Type 1: Parenting• This type of involvement influences a

child’s learning and development by helping parents to learn how to establish home environments that enhance student learning (Griffin & Steen, 2010).

• The school or community could implement family support systems to assist families with nutrition, health, and other services (Epstein, n. d.).

• Another idea that could be implemented right away to assist parents in learning how to establish effective home environments would be to send home newsletters in their native language for parents that provide information on accomplishing this task. For example, the newsletter could include specific examples of activities and supplies that parents and children could use to improve the home environment.

Type 2: Communicating

• When families, schools, and communities are engaging in effective communication they have an understanding what is expected of the students and how to support their development. For example, Dotson-Blake (2010) mentions that parents for whom English is their second language can feel isolated because they have no knowledge of the expectations or operations of the school. Thus, for them effective communication is key in order for them to actively support their children’s development.

• One way the school or community could aid communication immediately is to provide translators to assist families as needed (Epstein, n. d.).

• Another way to aid communication is to provide materials in the native language of parents so that they feel less isolated and pressured to learn a new language.

• Yet another way to aid communication is to ensure that when communicating with parents regarding grades, development, and other information sent home about children, it is in a format that is easy to understand and is presented in the native language of the parent.

Type 3: Volunteering• Parent and community member volunteering can provide children

with an “awareness of many skills, talents,”and “occupations (Epstein, n. d., p. 3). In other words, volunteers can help children learn about community and cultural traditions, histories, and occupations.

• Dotson-Blake (2010) recommends developing nontraditional engagement practices that allow parents and community members to engage with students and faculty in a more neutral environment. Ideas for such practices include culture fairs and oral history storytelling events (Dotson-Blake, 2010).

• Another way to include parents as volunteers might be to have them assist with enhancing cultural awareness. Encouraging parents to share traditional dress items and other cultural artifacts as well as an explanation of what they are used for can help involve parents and increase the children’s understanding of the different cultures present and how they are similar and different.

Type 4: Learning at Home

• This type of involvement influences child learning and development by continuing the learning at home. When parents are provided with ideas and information to help children learn at home, they are better able to aid teachers in the teaching process.

• An idea that the school could implement right away is to set up a regular schedule of homework requiring students and parents to discuss what students are learning in class (Epstein, n. d.).

• Another idea for aiding learning at home is to provide parents with specific examples and activities that they could engage in with their children to aid their learning and development. Such materials would need to be presented in an easy to understand format and in their native language.

• Educators could also make home visits, with the aid of a translator if necessary, to show parents how to engage children in learning activities. If a home visit is not feasible, hosting a parent workshop at the school may also prove useful for educating parents about how they can help.

Type 5: Decision Making

• By including parents in school decision making, family-friendly programs can be developed and implemented as well as community resources used (Griffin & Steen, 2010). When this occurs, children benefit from a reduction in behavioral issues and an increase in attendance which leads to a more effective learning environment at school (Griffin & Steen, 2010).

• One idea that could be implemented immediately is creating networks to link all families with representatives (Epstein, n. d.).

• Newsletters and questionnaires may also prove useful in helping parents become involved with decision making. Newsletters could be used to keep parents informed about changes and upcoming events. Questionnaires may allow parents the anonymity they need to feel comfortable in voicing their opinions or suggestions for change. Both the newsletters and questionnaires would need to be presented in the native language of the parents.

Type 6: Collaborating with the Community

• Integrating resources and services from the community strengthens school programs, family practices, and aids student learning and development (Epstein, n. d.). For example, providing families with information regarding services that support health and nutrition can help children from low socioeconomic households get the nutrition and care they need in order to develop properly and learn.

• An idea that could be implemented immediately would be for schools to provide information for families and students regarding community health, cultural, recreational, social support, and other programs and services (Epstein, n. d.).

• Another idea for collaborating with the community is to create partnerships with local companies to assist in fund-raising, community awareness, and to educate children about the companies and people who make up their community. Parents could aid this by asking their employers to cooperate or participate in one way or another.

ReferencesBerk, L. E. (2013).Child development. (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.Dotson-Blake, K. P. (2010). Learning from each other: A portrait of family-school-community

partnerships in the united states and mexico. Professional School Counseling, 14(1), 101-114. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/detail?sid=df42a612-84e5-4ba4-a6ea-4f90e4e5cb03%40sessionmgr114&vid=7&hid=102&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=afh&AN=54626962

Epstein, J. (n.d.).  Epstein's framework of six types of involvement. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/lac/Joyce_L._Epstein_s_Framework_of_Six_Types_of_Involvement(2).pdf

Griffin, D., & Steen, S. (2010). School-family-community partnerships: Applying epstein's theory of the six types of involvement to school counselor practice. Professional School Counseling, 13(4), 218-226. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/detail?sid=df42a612-84e5-4ba4-a6ea-4f90e4e5cb03%40sessionmgr114&vid=7&hid=102&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=afh&AN=49546318

Wright, G., & Smith, E. (1998). Home, school, and community partnerships: Integrating issues of race, culture, and social class. Clinical Child & Family Psychology Review, 1(3), 145-162. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=df42a612-84e5-4ba4-a6ea-4f90e4e5cb03%40sessionmgr114&vid=3&hid=102