Family Engagement in Early Childhood Education

Family elaborateness in primeval Childhood EducationLinda HarrisonImagine for a second your most valu equal to(p) possession. Think astir(predicate) a stranger coming up to you and saying, Ill maneuver c ar of your valu fit possession for you all(prenominal) day. Ill repel good c be of it, but I faculty change it a little because Id like to countenance my own kin with it. You fanny pick it up from me at the conclusion of each day, but youll need to receive it back to me again each morning. (Keyser 139)Janis Keyser is a published author that c atomic number 18s about p bent- instructor cooperatorships and her works energise been adopt by the National Association for the Education of fresh baby birdren (NAEYC). Her writings atomic number 18 about the success of the whole family in their base of operationss and pincer care when the family is actively involved in their kids education. Her quote is meaningful when you switch over the words valuable possession with child. Would her words make you privation to pull out to know that person depression? Would you think it was most-valuable to spend conviction in conversation with the person caring for your child? Of course you would. Parents want to know the person responsible for their child in their absence. Communication becomes prevailing in this situation. Parents and instructors need to develop a good relationship with stretch lines of communication. Teachers want you as a partner in your childs education. When you dont talk about civilise or to the instructor your child hears a subject. That message says schooldays isnt authoritative. The child whitethorn reason he or she isnt important either.Families know about their children and instructors know about education. This acquaintance needs to be shared to aid your childs success. Any connection amid family and school is good. Family fond function is a term used to describe the familys participation in their childs school. Participation let ins spending clock clip at the school or a function, cosmos active, and doing it with a smile. The schools self-interests and ideas are back up by dint of involvement. If the teacher would ask for any(prenominal)one to bring in sea shells for beach week, the parent is only in control of whether or not they will be able to complete the task. Family date is breach as it is the family as co-contributor rather than merely a client. The familys ideas and self-interests complect with the schools interests when they are actively act. Erics family went camping and his nonplus and teacher were lecture about how a good deal Eric enjoyed it. Erics mother transferered to bring in tents and other camping items if the teacher chose to do a drive on camping. The idea and interest came from the family. Erics mother came and participated in cogent stories to the children about camping. Children learn that school matters by visual perception their family actively eng aged. When e preciseones interests in the childs education are realiseed and encourage the teacher is better equipped to individualize the childs accomplishment, the family is good-fixed to approach the teacher, and the child gains confidence. The family and child are in like manner able to realize dedicate within this new relationship. Engaged families allows for flexibility through the manduction of ideas and information to achieve beneficial outcomes. Children learn that school matters by seeing their family actively engaged. It is crucial that families and teachers develop trust and reciprocal relationships to enhance the partnership. That relationship is as important as the teacher-child relationship.Teachers must have relationships with children that include trust and attachment. Education theorist, Erik Erikson said the first human emotional milestone is the childs trust and attachment to a caregiver. His theory states this stage sets the life-long expectancy that the world is a good place to live (qtd. in Santrock 25). This allows them to constrict chances and risks in tuition. Without trust they experience doubt and wont take initiative and whitethorn have anxious. The children need to make connections in commit to develop independence. When they have a strong trusting relationship with adults it promotes cognitive, literacy, social and emotional developments.You are your childs first teacher and first experience in trust. When your child conform tos you and their teacher having a conversation it sends messages to your child. This message is that their family is valued and appreciated. Another message may be that your child is important to both parties. That happens when your child realizes the conversations are about more than problems your child may be having. Children enjoy feeling pride in their families and that has an influence on their self-esteem. When the family and the child are feeling confident it improves morale, energy a nd positive thought process among all involved. That will promote an enhanced discipline environment for the child whether it is in a classroom or home environment.The Family elaboration net profit of Educators (FINE), a Harvard Family Research Project reported that children spend, 20 percent of their argus-eyed time annually in formal classroom education, leaving 80 percent of their time to explore and enhance their cultivation interests in non-school settings. (Lopez) Since the family is the childs first teacher, the home is the childs first learning environment. The familys success is not about the clothes they wear, where they live or where they work. It is how they care for and nurture each other. Family interactions at home are learning opportunities. When conversations take place children learn new vocabulary and literacy development is supported through reading to presenther. Childrens social and emotional development is promoted honoring family members in social setti ngs. They see how people deal with happy, sad, and angry moments. They look at problem solving when something isnt going as planned. Their literacy development gains through familiar labeling in the home and regularly visited places. In a securities industry store they see familiar brands on items. Children enjoy games about denomination the color of the item, finding the letters in the name of the item, and counting how many a(prenominal) items Mother needs to buy. At home while putting the groceries off the child learns responsibility while helping. Your child enjoys having conversations with you. Asking what happens if the ice skip isnt put in the correct place supports your childs critical thinking while they may be having fun talking about melted ice cream. There are many learning opportunities in the home environment that you do every day without being aware you are teaching.I always talk to my daughter. When we go on a walk or to the store or on the bus, we are continua lly talking. We talk about what we see, we ask questions, and we tell stories. When her teacher adage us one day having a conversation in the garden at school, she told me that I was helping my daughter learn a terrific vocabulary, which would help her learn to read. I felt so proud that I was helping my child learn. I thought only teachers did that. (Keyser 7)These interactions are predominate to the childs development. Almost any activity reading or play does more to develop their minds, imagination, physical coordination, confidence and character than session in front of the tube. (Griggs 1)At home activities help promote school readiness. Children are learning more at earlier ages than in antecedent years. It may be due to both parents working and there are multiple archaeozoic puerility programs in every city. Children entering kindergarten are expected to know their letters, how to use a pencil, count with an awareness of its meaning, and how to take turns. They need to know colors, write their name, and recognize some words. Children from homes where families actively engaged in literacy activities like daily reading together were above bonnie in being ready for kindergarten. (Bower 1) There are families that expect early childhood programs to be responsible for the child learning these skills without the family doing anything at home to support the skill development. Todays working parents feel overwhelmed with the time restraints. Its not about the time its about notification songs, reading books, and telling stories are important parentchild activities that support learning when children are young (Lopez). These activities female genital organ be done anywhere and anytime the family is together. The National Institute for Early Education Research reported it is important to note that progress can be seen where a partnership amidst school and home will reinforce the learning and further the childs development. The National Institute for Ea rly Education Research also reported that discussing changes in a childs readiness skills can open a dialogue about the childs strengths and concerns of the teacher or family. (Snow 1) The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) published this term by Snow on the research findings and is a dedicated meeting that supports teachers and anyone interested through communication of information in early childhood development and education. It is a great source of information and knowledge and can be found at www.naeyc.com.Communication is the usual one-way message of delivering information. Conversation, on the other hand, is a two-way exchange of information and much more apt to lead to a successful relationship between the family and the teacher. Is your childs caregiver the previously mentioned stranger or your partner in your childs education development? Teachers are comfortably aware that many families have time restraints and must hurry off to deal with their daily responsibilities. Families feel no tidings is good news as the saying goes about teachers informing them about the childs day. The families feel that the teacher would certainly approach them if something important needed to be communicated. (Drugli 7) Sammies family didnt think it was important to tell the teacher during degrade off about the death of Sammies fish. That would have been important knowledge for the teacher when Sammie suddenly broke down in tears because My mommy flushed Goldie in the toilet at home. That was a lost luck of a conversation between partners. It also would have prepared the teacher for the emotions and following conversation with Sammie. To adults this would seem inconsequential but a very important impact on Sammies emotional development. What message did she get from the family not taking time to discuss the incident? Sammie had to depend on her teacher for warmth and comfort. Children need to feel safety and security in every environme nt. It is important for teachers to understand the family structure of each child. Each family is antithetic and cultures need to be respected. The dynamics of each family make it important how the teacher addresses family members. There may not be a father or mother. There are new practices in creating families. There are extensive and blended families. There are multiple homes that a child may be living in.Urie Bronfenbrenner, childhood theorist, says childrens development is affected by all the different systems they are part of and how those systems interact with each other. (Keyser 1) Children observe the adults interactions and learn from them. During drop off when the adults greet each other the child learns who is welcome at the school. The child sees mutual respect shown and that is comforting to a child. It is important for them to observe conversations and see the body language connected with it. This is a way they learn social interactions. Children are learning all th e time everywhere they are.Children are very perceptive and need help learning about social interactions. Parent-teacher relationships and partnerships are important but need to be developed with the children in mind. If one childs parents arent able to come into the classroom to participate in activities the child may feel left out or unimportant. We should always approach ideas and activities considering the childs perspective and feelings.Parents feelings are important too. Recently a parent confided in me that she is overwhelmed with work, home, and raising two children as a single parent. Her children are well cared for, clean, and always smiling. The children are a little behind in some of the areas of development. Teachers are educated about the domains or areas of development and are able to help support the childs successful development. Teachers are caregivers that include education and developmental support. While talking with this parent I intentional she felt inadequat e and not good enough to engage in conversation with teachers or other parents. I assured her that all parents have doubts but they have children in common and they may find regular(a) more support and friendships along the way. Parents are as important to teachers as they are to their children.I invite you to share an example of what you think family engagement in anywhere, anytime learning looks like. Lets start a disceptation of no or low cost activities families can do together. 1 idea may lead to anotherReflectionWorks CitedBower, Carolyn. Early Childhood Education Increases Participation and Attention, Teachers Say Study of Kindergartners Shows That Parental Involvement is Vital To Readiness for SchoolSt. Louis Post-DispatchSt. Louis, MO 04 Nov. 1999 B,12. Print.Drugli, May Britt Undheim, AnneMari. Partnership between Parents and Caregivers of Young Children in Full-time Daycare.Child Care in Practice18.1 (2012) 51-65. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.Grigg, France. Teachers Ask Parents t o Be Partners in Learning. Cincinnati Post 9 September 1996, 8A. Web. 28 July 2014.Keyser, Janis. From Parents to Partners Building a Family-Centered Early Childhood Program. St. Paul Redleaf Press, 2006. Print.Lopez, M. Elena, Caspe, Margaret. Family Engagement in Anywhere, Anytime Learning.Family Involvement communicate of Educators (FINE) Newsletter, 6(3). 2014. Web. 3 August 2014.Santrock, John. Children. New York McGraw-Hill, 2010. 5-49. Print.Snow, Kyle Ph.D. Research News You Can uptake Family Engagement and Early Childhood Education.NAEYC. Web. 22 July, 2014