8: Partnering with Families
- Examine effective relationships and interactions between early childhood professionals, children, families, and colleagues, including the importance of collaboration.
This chapter examines how we, as early childhood professionals, create important relationships with families to build effective home-school relationships. As a professional, we need to include families at the center of the work we do with their children. Valuing the input of families creates a sense of belonging that promotes success in school and home.
I dreamed I stood in a studio
And watched two sculptors there,
The clay they used was a young child's mind
And they fashioned it with care.
One was a teacher; the tools she used were books and music and art;
One was a parent with a guiding hand and a gentle loving heart.
And when at last their work was done
They were proud of what they had wrought.
For the things they had shaped into the child
Could never be sold or bought.
And each agreed she would have failed
If each had worked alone
For behind the parent stood the school,
And behind the teacher; the home.
-Anonymous
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- 8.1: Standards and Competencies
- This page outlines key standards and competencies related to early childhood education as presented by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and California Early Childhood Educator Competencies. The NAEYC standards focus on promoting child development, building family and community relationships, curriculum development, and professionalism. California competencies emphasize child development, diversity, dual language, and community engagement.
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- 8.2: Working with Families
- This page emphasizes the importance of recognizing the role of families in early childhood education. While professionals often enter the field to work primarily with children, it's crucial to understand the significant impact families have as the child's first teachers. The text highlights Bronfenbrenner's Ecological model, which stresses external developmental influences such as family and community. Building partnerships with families is essential to support the child's development.
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- 8.3: What is a Family?
- The page discusses the concept of family, highlighting that it is more than just a legal or genetic bond, and can be complex. It emphasizes the diversity of family systems and the importance of these units in shaping individuals. The passage encourages reflecting on one's family of origin, considering how it has influenced personal development, and relates this to understanding and working with the families of children in educational or caregiving roles.
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- 8.4: Ethical Responsibilities to Families
- The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct emphasizes the vital role of families in children's development and highlights the shared responsibility of families and early childhood practitioners to ensure the child's well-being. The code outlines ideals and principles aimed at fostering communication, cooperation, and collaboration between home and early childhood programs. It encourages professionals to support, respect, and build partnerships with families.
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- 8.5: The Diversity of Today’s Families
- The landscape of families has evolved significantly, with increased recognition and inclusion of diverse family structures in society. Types of families now include dual and single-parent families, grandparents or other relatives as guardians, adoptive and foster families, same-sex parents, bi-racial and multi-racial families, and more. Early childhood professionals are encouraged to respect and understand these diverse family systems to better serve children's families in educational settings.
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- 8.6: Parenting Styles
- Diana Baumrind's research identifies four parenting styles: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and neglectful. Authoritarian parents enforce strict rules without fostering independence. Authoritative parents set boundaries while allowing decision-making. Permissive parents act more like peers, providing few limits. Neglectful parents lack interaction and limit-setting. Authoritative parenting is associated with better child outcomes.
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- 8.7: Stages of Parenting
- Ellen Galinsky identifies six stages in parental development corresponding to a child's growth: Image-Making (planning and pregnancy), Nurturing (infancy), Authority (toddler and preschool years), Interpretive (middle childhood), Interdependence (adolescence), and Departure (early adulthood). Understanding these stages helps those working with children and youth to gain insights into parental needs and concerns, assisting them in supporting parents effectively.
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- 8.8: Valuing Families through Reflective Practice
- This page discusses the necessity of reflection for early childhood professionals when working with diverse families. It highlights the importance of understanding one's own values and biases, fostering respect for all family structures, and building strong relationships with families. The text suggests asking reflective questions to better connect with families and emphasizes the balance of expertise between educators and parents.
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- 8.9: Planning Partnerships
- Planning to include families in early childhood programs is crucial, as discussed in Chapters 6 and 7. Teachers can collaborate with families by setting a welcoming tone, maintaining ongoing communication, involving families in the program by leveraging their expertise and experiences, and fostering home-school connections to extend learning experiences. These strategies ensure families feel included and comfortable, enhancing the overall educational experience.
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- 8.10: Behavior as it Relates to Family
- The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct emphasizes respecting families' unique childrearing values and decision-making rights. It highlights the importance of understanding diverse parenting methods and cultural differences in behavioral expectations to provide more effective educational experiences. Early childhood professionals are encouraged to respect these differences and reflect on their own judgments about behavioral expectations, considering their impact on relationships with families.
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- 8.12: Communicating with Families
- The NAEYC???s fifth guideline for effective teaching emphasizes establishing reciprocal relationships with families through communication based on respect. Teachers should foster a collaborative environment by valuing families as team members, encouraging open communication, and understanding diverse perspectives. Teachers provide information about children's development and curriculum, while families share insights into the child's temperament and cultural background.
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- 8.13: In Closing
- The importance of involving families in early childhood education is emphasized, highlighting that including them at the center of such work fosters a sense of belonging and promotes success both at school and home. By understanding each family's unique dynamics, professionals can collaborate effectively, thus enhancing their combined expertise. The quote underscores the significance of skills and meaningful family involvement in children's development and learning.