Read Halgunseth (2009)
Family Engagement Halgunseth (2009)Watch TAPS Partnerships with Families: Part 1 (2012) (I suggest completing this handout as you watch the video)
Cite the reading and video in your answers to the questions below:
- Was your family involved in or engaged with your teachers and school staff (pre-K through high school)? Did you family have a partnership with your teachers and school staff? Explain specifically how you know.
- Whose responsibility is it to ensure families engage their baby’s program and that partnerships develop between the families and infant teachers? Why?
- How can infant teachers form partnerships with families who have babies? List specific ideas that no one has introduced yet!
- What could prevent families from engaging with or partnering with infant teachers and program staff? What can infant teachers do about those barriers?
Respond to 2 other comments!
Cite the reading and video in your answers to the questions below:
1. Was your family involved in or engaged with your teachers and school staff (pre-K through high school)? Did you family have a partnership with your teachers and school staff? Explain specifically how you know.
2. Whose responsibility is it to ensure families engage their baby’s program and that partnerships develop between the families and infant teachers? Why?
3. How can infant teachers form partnerships with families who have babies? List specific ideas that no one has introduced yet!
4. What could prevent families from engaging with or partnering with infant teachers and program staff? What can infant teachers do about those barriers?
1. Answer: I believe my family was involved in my teachers and school staff and also had a partnership in the video clip one the educators Janaf begins to say its a professional between one another , always honesty and respect. My mom was never a distrustful parent, always kept it on a professional bases. Share insights and perspectives about each child and engage in shared decision making.
2. Answer: In my opinion I do believe it should be a 50/50 but parents mostly should be responsible for the engagement in their child journey journey because it allows parents to establish strong home-school connections that support their children’s achievement long-term. As for teachers to engage the families it helps creates a deeper understanding of young children’s lives. ability to help children learn and develop well. They also understand and value the role of parents and other family members as children’s primary teachers
3. Answer: Provide opportunities for parents to connect with the school. Volunteer shifts, class activities, or parent-teacher committees these are all great engagement opportunities. Share your classroom goals or expectations openly with the parents, and ask them to do the same. Connect with parents in-person as much as possible.
4. Answer: Physical/mental condition for a parent for example one parent may be disable and feel he/she can’t help but overall, we would recommend that parent to still help and particapte. Lack of motivation some families may feel school isn’t that important especially day care setting so they don’t even pay attention but if I was caregiver at a day care I would let families know that these stages of a Childs life is important and we would recommend to participate.
Hey Janate,
I agree with you on number 2. At first I chose that it should be the teacher responsibility to create engagement between families and teachers. As you can see from my answer I also end up agreeing that it should be both ways because it takes the mother to get engaged because afterall she is the one who knows her child best.
Eunice — As infant teachers, we NEED that info from families to provide high-quality, seamless programming to babies. What if the family doesn’t speak the same language, has many responsibilities (work, other children, older parents to take care of, etc.) and are just overwhelmed?
On questions #2 I agree with you that its 50/50 with the parent and teacher. These two figures hold great influences and responsibility for the child.
Hi Janate, i agree with you answer for #4 because i know someone who have disabilities and feel as if she’s not giving her children the right amount for help that they need, however, she does try her best to take part in everything her children does in their education
Hi Janate, I agree with you on the responsibility being 50/50 between families and teachers. I feel it’s more of the families job because it’s for their children’s benefits. If a parent decides to not be involved with their children’s teachers, there’s limited things a teacher can do towards that action.
I agree with you 100 percent. The partnership between families and teachers should be 50/50 however it is more of the responsibility to show effort in their kids education.
1) Was your family involved in or engaged with your teachers and school staff (pre-K through high school)? Did your family have a partnership with your teachers and school staff? Explain specifically how you know.
During my kindergarten year my mother was involved in my education. She joined me with the breakfast routine and engaged with the teachers as well. She helped around during breakfast while putting out breakfast for the kids in my class. Helping during breakfast wasn’t the only time my mom was engaged in. My mom was involved with my classmates and I in all our trips. She was made top chauffeur for the year. I pretty much remember things from when I was little. Also there were pictures my mom snapped to keep as memories.
2) Whose responsibility is it to ensure families engage their baby’s program and that partnerships develop between the families and infant teachers? Why?
It is the teachers responsibility to ensure family engagement in their baby’s program. After watching the video on this week’s module assignment 3 for seminar, TAPS Partnership with Families, I learned the one who should enforce family engagement are teachers because as in the text, Early Childhood Education Programs by Linda Halgunseth, they are best who know about details and information about the program. For instance working with parents of different languages is something the teacher would know where that sort of resource could come from. This is what helps create a friendship with parents and that family engagement. Getting closer to parents and communicating with them every day. Also, teacher’s aren’t the only ones who are responsible for family engagement. So are the families. In the same video a caretaker expressed how she wasn’t allowed to bring her babies to her backyard because it wasn’t safe. One of the parents got everyone involved where they helped create a safe environment out in her backyard even included a fence around her backyard to protect the kids from running off away from the premises. Examples like this is what helps growth between families teachers. Therefore it is both the teachers and families responsibility to ensure there is family engagement.
3) How can infant teachers form partnerships with families who have babies? List specific ideas that no one has introduced yet!
In the reading, Family Engagement, Diverse Families, and an Integrated Review of the Literature provides 6 ways of how infant teachers can form partnerships with families who have babies which are also beneficial to the child.
-Teachers should encourage families to participate in the child’s program when it comes to decision making upon their education to help with development in the child.
-Consistent communication between families and teachers by providing information or any forms in their preferred language.
-Families and teachers should follow up on student’s progress and swap ideas on child’s knowledge.
-Teachers provide creative and knowledgeable activities for parents to do back at home to help with child development.
-Families provide a home environment that launches learning and supports the programs following up with families and teachers to come up with ways on how to cover and support children’s goals.
-Overall support and promoting family engagement to fully engage families.
4) What could prevent families from engaging with or partnering with infant teachers and program staff? What can infant teachers do about those barriers?
The ecological theory is one the things that could prevent families from engaging with infant teachers and program staff. This is something that is spoken about in the article, Early Childhood Education Programs by Halgunseth. There is a lack of motivation in family engagement between families and teachers to come together to work. Depending on the child’s and their families environment or backround is what’s making it difficult to create family engagement between families and teachers. Something that can be done for this issue to be resolved is provide an open environment space that supports the families culture and background by being creative and providing art or even speech in the families primary language.
For question #3 you give great options for the partnership of both parents and teachers.
Tamia — Thanks for your reply. Please say more — what do you think is great about the options for partnership?
Hey Eunice, your answer to #4 made me realize that’s what I believe was one of the other reasons why my mom was not really involved in school and my teachers especially in elementary were really persistent to get my family engaged. Good Point!
Patty — Thanks for your reply! I am sure you mom WANTED to be involved in your education, but she couldn’t. I wonder, what other barriers are we creating that prevent families from partnering and engaging with schools?
1) My mother had more connection to the teachers than my dad did. From pre-k to middle school my mother always had connection with the teacher, but the only time where she would really communicate with them would be parent teacher conferences that she only attended towards the end of school year. In my years in high school my mother and father seen that I never had problems in school and their were no complaints from teachers that they deemed parent teacher conferences non important since I always got good grades and no complaints.
2) It both the parents and teachers responsibility to engage in their babies programs and for both to engage in partnerships. In both of the child’s everyday environment from home to school, they can two adult figures who support and care for them. Having a partnership with both teacher and parents ensures the safety and care of the child. They both provide information on the child’s development and behavior and home and at school.
3) Creating activities and tools that involve connection if they are not able to attend. During the first day of school being able to communicate with the parent/caregiver that drops him off to answer questions and to get anything that the parent/caregivers have concerns on. Providing your phone number or email can be beneficial for them to have contact with you. Having activities, something other than just a check in for parents. There can be a sports day, or a day where parents/caregivers can have a day to join their children in a class.
4) What can prevent families from attending these beneficial activities is of course work or anything related to health problems or pregnancy and even cultural differences, but with opens arms we encourage the participation and if not emails and messages can be distributed.
Hey Tamia, i agree with your #2 its both the parents and teachers duty to to engage the baby program and build partnerships with each other.
Hey Tamia,
Good point on number 4. Health problems and pregnancy is definitely an issue that could prevent families from engaging with their children’s school activities.
1.Was your family involved in or engaged with your teachers and school staff (pre-K through high school)? Did you family have a partnership with your teachers and school staff? Explain specifically how you know.
Ans: my family was involved in my education and my family had a partnership with my teachers and school staff by having open communication, trust, respect and understanding towards what was best for me or when it come to my strengths and weakness they will discuss what they think they do to make me improve and do better.
2.Whose responsibility is it to ensure families engage their baby’s program and that partnerships develop between the families and infant teachers? Why?
Ans: its a 50/50 because it’s the families responsibility to choose a program that best fits for their baby and be apart of their learning process and create an educational environment at home. ” Families create a home environment that values learning and support programs” (Halgunseth, pg2.). As for the teachers they should explain to the family what their program is mainly focus on. Also invite the parents in the classroom to participate in activities, have families be part of the decision making in their child’s education. ” Early childhood Education programs and families collaborate and exchange knowledge” ( Halgunseth, pg2).
3.How can infant teachers form partnerships with families who have babies? List specific ideas that no one has introduced yet!
Ans: trusting and respecting one another, shared decision making, open and clear communications,
collaborate with the parents, support and promoting family engagement , provide creative and knowledgeable activities for parents to work on with their children.
4.What could prevent families from engaging with or partnering with infant teachers and program staff? What can infant teachers do about those barriers?
Ans: social exchange theory could prevents engaging with or partner with infant teachers because some parents aren’t as open or social or feel comfortable either to share details about their child with the teachers. According to the article ” if either family or teacher loses their sense of trust, the commitment to the relationship will diminish as well as their engagement”(Halgunseth,pg 3). Teachers should create a partnership by having trust, respect, open communication with the child’s parents, making them feel comfortable enough for them to want to open up. this will promote engagement and benefits between child/ parent and teachers. “When there is a strong program-family partnership in place families are engade which benefits the child” (Halgunseth, pg3). This will strengthen the bond between teacher and parent as well as the child and will improve the child and family outcomes with their education.
My family engaged with my teachers while I was in school but not so much involved. They attended parent/teacher conferences but did not participated in activities they had for us and our families. I also noticed the older I got, the less my family were involved with my teachers. The responsibility to ensure the engagement between the families and teachers falls on both families and teachers. I feel is more of the families responsibility in a way because the families are the ones who would want the best programs for their babies so they are able to develop in the best way possible. Infant teachers can form families partnerships by having the families participate in more activities with their infants along with their teachers. Also having a parent club to discuss anything that may help to gather families and teachers. Lack of communication can prevent the engagement of the families and teachers. Communicating can resolve a lot. If you do not communicate with one to another then nothing will go right and the infants will be affected the most by it. Communication is key.
I agree Grace, communication is key with every relationship you have especially with families. Communication can go a long way.
Hey Grace, this was my situation as well. My family did not really engage with school staff. Was there a specific reason for you why your family was not involved when you asked your parents now that you are older ?
1. Was your family involved in or engaged with your teachers and school staff (pre-K through high school)?
I think my parent was involved in knowing about my school and teachers but my mom had to work so she didn’t exactly participate in a lot of things. Growing up me and my cousins succeeded in school by overall just knowing we had a family to go home to and knowing we had to graduate.
2.Did you family have a partnership with your teachers and school staff? Explain specifically how you know.
As stated above, everyone knew who my mother was but she couldn’t always attend to events at school. But she went to parent teacher conferences.
3. Whose responsibility is it to ensure families engage their baby’s program and that partnerships develop between the families and infant teachers? Why?
I think it’s both parties responsibility to ensure engagement towards the infants school. Teachers should always include the parent in events and talk about the babies day to day. It’s important for a teacher to explain engaging in the program helps the Childs need and it’s important for a parent to stay involved the best they can.
4. How can infant teachers form partnerships with families who have babies? List specific ideas that no one has introduced yet!
Ways to form partnerships with families who have babies is talk about babies! Ask parents about their child, show interest. Communicate with the parents, show signs of trust. Show them a safe environment.
5. What could prevent families from engaging with or partnering with infant teachers and program staff?
Work can prevent families from engaging with teachers and program staff. Most parents/caregiver do not have the same flexibility as other parents. The point of finding a day care is because they need a safe and secure place to leave their child.
5.What can infant teachers do about those barriers?
Talk with the parent and offer words of encouragement. Communicate that you know how it feels to not be able to be there all the way because you know work helps you provide for the family. Infant teachers can try to accommodate working parents.
1:Was your family involved in or engaged with your teachers and school staff (pre-K through high school)? Did your family have a partnership with your teachers and school staff? Explain specifically how you know.
My family were only involved when it was time for report card. My mom did not have a relationship with my teacher unless it was for my IEP meetings or speaking about my academic skills. My teachers would know the name of my mother and would see her when it was mandatory for her to come in.
2:Whose responsibility is it to ensure families engage their baby’s program and that partnerships develop between the families and infant teachers? Why?
I feel like its a group effort to have families engage with their children’s program, not only are you leaving your new born child in a new place that you probably do not even know about. So I believe everybody has to make an effort at the program because the family is trusting us with their treasure and we need to provide the best care.
3:How can infant teachers form partnerships with families who have babies? List specific ideas that no one has introduced yet!
Infants teachers can form partnerships by having workshops in things that are an interested to the parents. As a program creating some sort of like camping night with families to bond and create relationships.
4:What could prevent families from engaging with or partnering with infant teachers and program staff? What can infant teachers do about those barriers?
Sometimes language barriers can prevent families from engaging it can be culture. Infants teacher need to make sure that at the beginning of the program they are communicating and make sure what are the needs of their families so they can provide that additional support to make a positive impact in their child development.
hi Patricia, I agree with you on question 4 that language can prevent families from engaging or partnering. I suggested that they use a translator to communicate with the parents.
Hi Patricia,
i agree with your #3 response. teachers have to make sure they connect with the parents by doing actvities that might interest parents. my school did this and i believe thats what made my mother so involved.
Janate — Thanks for your reply. I wonder, how will we know what families are interested in joining?
1. Was your family involved in or engaged with your teachers and school staff (pre-K through high school)?
My family was engaged with my teacher during elementary school. My grandmother was apart of the P.T.A (Parent Teacher Association). during middle school my Mom was involved in a lot of the shows i had and communicated with teacher when i was having trouble. During high school i feel like that connection faded.
Did you family have a partnership with your teachers and school staff? Explain specifically how you know.
During elementary my grandmother had strong relationships with my teachers, she would always check in on how i was doing especially when at the beginning of a new school year. My grandmother would be sure to call my teacher and communicate on my behavior and temperament.
2. Whose responsibility is it to ensure families engage their baby’s program and that partnerships develop between the families and infant teachers? Why?
Its the child’s care givers responsibility to engage parents into partnerships. But parents also have to respond to be apart of that relationship through communication and engagement. Because families who are respical of the their child’s development through teacher-family relationship provides caregivers with greater insight into a child’s life apart from their care. Using this information to better serve the needs of their children while in their care.
3. How can infant teachers form partnerships with families who have babies? List specific ideas that no one has introduced yet!
by communicating with parents daily about how the infants routine went while in the teachers care. Using those moments during pickup and drop-off to share and exchange information about the infant during their times in day care and at home.
1. setting up a monthly observation between child and family.
2. giving parents activity options to attend for engagement while in their child-care environment.
4. What could prevent families from engaging with or partnering with infant teachers and program staff? What can infant teachers do about those barriers?
Cultural differences such as language can hinder interaction between parents and infant teachers and staff. However, communication can be achieved through translation through out the classrooms and events or classes to offer those translations based on information to better help aid their children’s development through parent-teacher relationships.
Was your family involved in or engaged with your teachers and school staff (pre-K through high school)? Did you family have a partnership with your teachers and school staff? Explain specifically how you know.
– My family was involved with my teachers and school staff, they participated in events and meetings. Yes my family had a partnership with my tea hers and school staff. I knew that they were very involved because there were things that our teacher would tell us in the classroom and when I get home my mom already was explain in g to me what i had to do and helping me prepare for the task or project, my mom would be at the PTA meetings, she would help my teachers with the events we would have.
Whose responsibility is it to ensure families engage their baby’s program and that partnerships develop between the families and infant teachers? Why?
– I believe its both the parents and teachers responsibility to engage the babies program and partnership develop between the families and infant teachers because both parents and caregivers have a better understanding and can both help the babies development.
How can infant teachers form partnerships with families who have babies? List specific ideas that no one has introduced yet!
– Weekly calls to inform the parents about the activities that re being done in the classroom to help the the child development.
– Monthly meetings with each parent.
What could prevent families from engaging with or partnering with infant teachers and program staff? What can infant teachers do about those barriers?
– Language can be a barrier because some parents speak other languages. Have a translator on your phone to help communicate with the parent.
Hi Tamaris,
i do believe in weekly calls. just to keepvthe parents up to date with what is going on with the child every week in school. it may be over whelming but i believe that the parent may be satified. i dont think parent teacher conferences should be the only time a parent and a teacher should connect
Tamaris — Thanks for your comment. Relationships between families and teachers ensure babies recieve high quality, seamless programming. I wonder, would Halgunseth (2009), Rukmini, and Janani say your family was involved, engaged, or partnered with your teachers? Language can be a barrier to engaging or partnering with families. Families with babies are often overwhelmed — they have a baby, job, home, possibly another child or aging family member to care for, along with other responsibilities. Considering all that families are facing/ doing, how can infant teacher encourage families to engage and partner with infant teachers?
1. Was your family involved in or engaged with your teachers and school staff (pre-K through high school)? Did you family have a partnership with your teachers and school staff? Explain specifically how you know.
From what I can remember my parents and teachers/school staff had minimal engagement with one another. As far as partnership, my teachers would always communicate with my parents to ensure the best possible learning alternative for me. For example, when I was changed from a dual language class to a regular class, my teachers made sure to let my parents know all the pros and cons before making the switch.
2. Whose responsibility is it to ensure families engage their baby’s program and that partnerships develop between the families and infant teachers? Why?
I think the responsibility lays with both the parent and the infant teacher, because I feel like if only one person is holding all the responsibility it will not be sustainable. A partnership takes two for it to fully work and be able to provide the child with the care and attention they need.
3. How can infant teachers form partnerships with families who have babies? List specific ideas that no one’s introduced yet!
Some things infant teachers may do to form partnership with parents with babies are:
– Be committed in reaching out and involving families any chance you have.
– Make information and resources accessible to all different types of families.
4. What could prevent families from engaging with or partnering with infant teachers and program staff? What can infant teachers do about those barriers
Some things that could prevent families from engaging or partnering with infant teachers/ program staff are difference in cultural values and language(Halgunseth 2009). And a way to hurdle over these types 0f barriers is be more inclusive with the programs as well as make it more accessible for the families to know exactly what its all about.