Parent Involvement

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Parent Involvement

• Chapter 31 WWYC

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• parent involvement- refers to patterns of
  participation in educational programs by parents
• Always welcome parents
• Include them in program functions
• Can volunteer, guest speakers, resource, observe

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• Objectives
• Develop understanding of child growth and
  development
• Gain confidence in parenting roles
• Learning about Childs experiences at enter
• Understanding children by observing others
• Learning new ways of positive interacting
• Becoming informed about community resources
• Fostering children and parents ability to
  interact with each other
• Extending learning from the center into the home
• Understanding how partnership between center and
  home can promote child's development

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• Written communication
• 1 newsletters- most often include information
  concerning a variety of subjects
• May include
• Review of special activities or upcoming events
• Activities for home or Guidance tips
• Recognition for parent contributions
• Meet the staff section
• Short articles of interest
• Summaries of books or articles on parenting or
  Child development info
• Nutritious recipes or reminder of center policies
• Want-ad section or help-wanted section
• 2 letters- most often address only one subject
  and are sent out as needed
• 3 daily news flash- contains bits of news that
  parents can discuss with their children

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• Class videos
• Checked out a watched at home
• Parent-teacher conferences
• Three phases
• Planning
• Objective review of child's development
• Gather developmental data
• Use planning sheet to help
• Divided into sections
• Daily routines, types of play, motor skills,
  relationship with others, eating sleeping
  habits
• Share childs portfolio
• Parent Availability
• Need to accommodate all parents schedules

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• First Impressions
• Is important
• Be prepared
• Stay calm
• Questions
• Plan ahead of time
• Ask open-ended questions
• The Setting
• Private area
• Cozy grouping of chairs
• The Conference
• Begin and end with positive comment
• Avoid general statements eg Tommy is doing
  fine.
• Watch for emotional signs watch how say things
• Reassure that all information is confidential

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• Questions parents ask
• is my child happy in child care?
• How can I help at home?
• Do they get along with others?
• Do they respect others property rights?
• Do they eat snack?
• Are they making progress in developmental
  areas?
• Who do they play with?
• Do they have special abilities or needs?
• Answer with positive comments
• Listening
• give parents time to finish, show interest
• never interrupt
• focus on areas of agreement

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• Working with parents
• Reassure parents
• Handle all parents carefully
• want to encourage shy and worried parents
• want to not hurt egotistical parents
• listen with neutral face to the critical parent
• Professional behavior
• Do not respond to comments about other teachers
• Do not respond to negative comments about other
  children or parents
• Ending a Conference
• Summarize what was said
• State how much enjoy working with child
• Follow-up
• Touch base with parents
• Make sure actions agreed in conference are being
  followed
• Record notes in childs folder
• Send note home showing progress

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• Discussion Groups
• Help parents learn about development concepts
• Notice points in family circle
• Need several people
• Helps to discuss new ideas
• Other Methods of Involvement
• Lending Library
• Traveling Backpack
• traveling backpack- rotating basis children
  choose favorite things to take home and share
  with family
• Problem-solving file
• problem-solving file- file that contains
  information on issues that parents face
• Bulletin Board
• Sunshine calls
• sunshine call- telephone call made to praise and
  support child
• Theme bags
• theme bags- filled with activities and letter
  explaining what it is and the purpose of it along
  with directions for use

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• Volunteers
• Recruiting
• Ask for volunteers
• Ask if have specific interest
• Orientation
• Let them know what you want
• Schedule
• Give them the class schedule
• Thank-you notes