Read Keyser (2017)
Keyser (2017)Watch TAPS: Partnership with Families Part 4 (2012); complete this handout as you watch the video
After reading Keyser (2017) and watching TAPS: Partnership with Families Part 4, answer the questions below, using evidence from both the reading and video:
- How should infant teachers communicate with families with infants to engage and build partnerships with the families? Why?
- What is Rukmini negotiating with the family about? What is the resolution of the negotiation?
- How is the negotiation Rukmini had with the family similar to negotiations your family had with your teachers/ school staff? How is it different?
- Is negotiation important when working with families of infants? Why?
Respond to 1-2 other comments!
1.How should infant teachers communicate with families with infants to engage and build partnerships with the families? Why? Providing a family with openness to visit the facility and feel welcomed and share the experience that we give their children because we want to give the family that sense of belongness.
2.How is the conversation Rukmini had with the family similar to conversations your family had with your teachers/ school staff? How is it different? Rukmini conversation with the family was similar to the conversations that my mom had with my teachers because the teachers spoke very clear and kind but also explained the daily activities and what I enjoyed, what I didn’t enjoyed and what I struggled in. This is somewhat different because in Rukmini conversation it was based on the daily routines and how the children engaged in each activity and their experience overall in the class setting but in my parents conversation it was based on what I basically need to improve on or how well I am doing overall.
3.Is negotiation important when working with families of infants? Why? I think negotiation is important when working with families of infants Because This can make connections among instructors and understudies more grounded in that understudies feel like they are heard and regarded as educators educate and model great relational abilities to understudies. It is also great to build an openness with parents and discuss what we can accommodate and what we can’t accommodate because you want to be respectful and have a great outcome on both ends.
Hi Selanie, I agree on your opinion of negotiation, it being important because it definitely helps both parents and teachers to communicate more frequently and build a bond within.
Selanie — Thanks for your comment in this activity. Making sure families feel heard & understood is critical when working with families of infants; I wonder how can infant teachers ensure families feel heard and understood? Having an open door policy, where families can visit any time they would like, facilitates communication. Some families may not be able to drop in and visit or stay for periods of time. After reviewing ways to communicate from the Keyser (2017) reading, I wonder, which ways listed in the reading should teachers use to communicate with families of infants? In the video, Rukmini asked the family their opinion about what should happen to their child regarding their educational placement; I wonder, did you teachers ask your family those types of questions? I wonder, how does your comment connect to the Keyser (2007) reading?
1) Teachers should always be open with parents and make them feel welcomed. In the video one of the teachers mentioned she tells the parents to call her at any time. This will make a parent feel secure allowing them to call and check in on their child through out the day will put their mind at ease.
2)I do not think my school experience relates to way rukmini spoke to the parents . from what I can remember my teachers were not very good at communicating with my mom there were even times where my mother called and the teachers did not return the call when it was time for parent teacher conference they would let my mother know how I was doing academically . I believe rukmini was very detailed about the routine and how the child interacted and how the react in a classroom environment.
3)I believe negotiations are very important. Including parents in their child’s education allows them to feel as if they are their while their child is in school.
Brittney — Thanks for your comment in this activity. When teachers are open with families it builds trust and enables communication. Not responding to a family member’s outreach — like when a family member calls — does not foster trust or communication. There is more to a child then their academic/ developmental functioning. I wonder, how did Rukmini negotiate with the family in the video and why was that important? Allowing families to call and check-in can increase their level of comfort; I wonder, how should infant teachers communicate with families? I wonder, how does your comment connect to Keyser (2017)?
1)How should infant teachers communicate with families with infants to engage and build partnerships with the families? Why?
Teachers should always be in consistent communication with the families so that way the family can always be updated on what’s going on with their child in a classroom. The families should have a clear understanding of what is happening with their child and what they can do at home to gain improvement.
2) How is the conversation Rukmini had with the family similar to conversations your family had with your teachers/ school staff? How is it different?
The conversation Rukmini had with the family was similar to conversations my family had with my child because the conversation would be clear and relating to the topic being discussed. My family would leave with a clear understanding. I did not see any differences.
3)Is negotiation important when working with families of infants? Why?
Negotiation is very important because you want to make sure that the family is involved in their child’s development and education as much as you (the teacher). You want the family to feel as if they are in the classroom with their child even when they are not in the classroom. You want the family to trust you in teaching and caring for their child when the child is in your classroom.
Hi Diamunique, I agree with you that negotiation is very important because you want to make sure their child feels welcomed and comfortable in the classroom.
Hello Diamunique
I agree with you because as future educators we should always have a constant communications with the families, as you stated we can keep them updated about the child progress. I would like to add that we should find the ways to engage and build partnerships with the families by maintain daily communications which can happen orally or in writing. For example, some parents who don’t like to have verbal communication can write notes, send us emails or text messages. Is our job to encourage them to text us or call us anytime during the day so they can feel welcome and comfortable.
DIamunique — Thanks for your comment in this activity. Consistent communication with families of infants is important; I wonder, what methods should teachers use to communicate with families? Negotiation with families is important as it acknowledges that the family is the expert on their child. I wonder, what did your family negotiate when they engaged in similar conversations with your teachers? I wonder, how does your comment connect to the Keyser (2017) reading?
1)According to the video the way infant teachers communicate with families with infants to engage and build partnerships with families would be to make the families welcomed, and also to call them anytime. Keeping the parents updated on their day.
2)The conversation Rukmini had with the family similar to conversations with my family because when it came to my school work they would try their best to explain since my mom didn’t understand English, would get a translator. They would also let her know if I engaged with the rest of the classwork for that day and what I needed more help in which would be math I remember them telling my mom to get a tutor and they provided with all the information.
3)Negotiation is important when working with families of infants because It allows both ends to meet on informing about the child.
Hi Lesly,
I agree with your point about negotiation for a child. It benefits everyone in that situation.
Hi Lesly, I agree with you because it is really important to make parents feel welcome and to offer them different ways to contact us if they have any concerns or suggestions for us as caregivers. Keeping up with everything is the key
Lesly — Thanks for your comment in this activity. On-going, open, and consistent communicating with families builds trusts, foster engagement and enables partnerships to form. Negotiating with families of infants is important as it recognizes that the families are experts on their babies. You connected material from the video to your comment. I wonder, how does the Keyser (2017) reading connect to your comment?
1.- In order to engage and build partnerships with the families, infant teachers should maintain daily communications which can happen orally or in writing with the families. “Many families and teachers talk in person or on the phone to check in on the day-to-day life of the child at home and in the program. Face to face communication gives partners opportunities to read nonverbal cues and offers children the chance to observe or be included in family-teacher communication…Some people are much more comfortable writing notes, journal entries, emails, chat, or text messages than they are talking in person or on the phone…Written communications also allows families and teachers who don’t see each other or don’t have enough time to talk. Family – teachers’ partnerships are nurtured and maintained through to all these kinds of daily communications” (Keyser 2017, pg. 60).
In addition, notes and emails offer parents and teachers a chance to communicate with others… Notes to the whole family group may include information about the curriculum planning, updates, appreciations, reminders information and requests from either parents or teachers “(Keyser 2017, pg. 62). Finally, “Some programs have a daily announcement board, either electronic or in the classroom. You can give parents online editing rights to contribute, or you can provide extra pens and papers or a dry-erase board, so families can add their own announcements” “(Keyser 2017, pg. 62)
In the video “TAPS: Partnership with Families Part 4”, the experts exposed that everyday practices help to build partnerships. Some of the things that we can do are: Encourage parents to text, call anytime during the day, so they can feel comfortable. In addition, during the arrival, we can make them feel welcome and at the end of the day we can shared about the child performance as well as the observations that we have taken. These are ways to make families feel that their children are with them, even though they are not.
2.- The conversation that Rukmini had with the family is completely different to the conversation that my family had with my teachers or the school staff because in this case, Rukmini shared about how she makes the families feel welcome and as if they were part of the program. She mentioned that she “has openness” and invite families to actually witness her practices as much as they parents want. In addition, she said that she “shares physical space with the families” and invite families during the day. On the contrary, my teacher never invited my parents to observe her work in the classroom or during the day. As soon as my dad dropped me off, my teacher said hi to us, my dad gave me a goodbye kiss and left right away.
Finally, Rukmini said that she shares the programming methodology with the families, so they can engage in the process. As opposed of it, my teacher never made an effort to engage my parents in program planning, for they never felt involved or were able to provide information about it.
3.- Negotiation is very important when working with families of infants because as teachers we can engage as much as we can in decision making with the families. In the video “TAPS: Partnership with Families Part 4,” I observed Rukmini talking with a parent and trying to negotiate an issue about moving the child up to another room. Rukmini mentioned that one of the ways is to share outcomes that suits both parties by having an open and honest conversation with the parents, so they can build an effective partnership. Finally, she said that we should have a comprehensive understanding of all the issues that might arise, so we can base our professional judgment on that.
Marcela — Thanks for your comment in this activity. You wove material from the reading & video into your response. There are many ways to communicate with families of babies; I wonder, which way do you think is “best”? Why? Comparing what you observed Rukmini do and your experience, I wonder, what do you think it would have been like to have your teachers engage your family the same way Rukmini did? Negotiation is important with families of infants because it gives families space to share their insights/ opinions and acknowledges that they are the expert on their child.
1) Teachers should communicate openly with parents that have infants. It’s important that the parents feel like they’re at ease when they drop their child off at daycare. If you have a parent who seems to be extra anxious about leaving their child, it’s nice to have that openness with them.
2)The conversation that Rukmini had with a parent is similar to conversations my parents and teachers had because she was making sure that she could accommodate whatever the parent needed. They both worked together to come up with a solution so they both felt they were helping the child and the parent. The conversation was different that ones my teachers and parents had because I don’t think I ever had such a detailed plan as Rukmini had for that child.
3) I think negotiationg is important because not everything is going to be the same as it is at home in daycare. It’s also important because a teacher may not have quite the same relationship as the child and mother. That way everyone can do what they can at the pace the feel is right for that child.
Hey Zoe! I agree with you about negotiation being important. The way the parents do at home will not be the same for the babies because they know we are not their parents they will notice.
Zoe, Thanks for your comment in this activity. On-going & open communication with families of infants can foster trust with families, enabling them to feel more comfortable in the infant classroom. You bring up an important point about Rukmini’s plan for the child; I wonder, why did she have such a detailed plan for the child? Negotiating with families of infants is important because decisions have to be made about the child, bringing the families into the conversation acknowledges their expertise and gives them power. I wonder, how does your comment connect to the Keyser (2017) reading?
1. How should infant teachers communicate with families with infants to engage and build partnerships with the families? Why?
-Infants teachers should communicate with families and infants by offering them different ways of communication either daily check ins, letters, phone calls, visits, daily reminders, etc because daily communication provides opportunities to strengthening partnerships. Keyser (2017) states “Both oral and written daily communication offer an ongoing way to learn about each other’s knowledge and expertise, to engage in two-way communication”.
2. How is the conversation Rukmini had with the family similar to conversations your family had with your teachers/ school staff? How is it different?
-The conversation that Rukmini had with the family is similar to the conversations my family had with my teachers / school staff because if my parents or teachers were worried about me or my behaviors, they talked with honesty about it and found a solution.
3. Is negotiation important when working with families of infants? Why?
– Negotiation is important when working with families of infants because even if we as teachers cannot do what parents want us to do, we must respect, understand and try to find a solution.
Daniela — Thanks for your comment in this activity. You wove the sources from this activity into your comment. Oral & written communication is important when working with families of babies; I wonder, do you think 1 method of communication is better? Why? Sharing concerns about a child with the family is important; I wonder, did your teachers ever engage in a negotiation about what would happen to you in school with your family? Negotiation is important when working with families of infants because when we have to come to a decision, when we involve families we acknowledge their expertise on their child and help them to feel empowered.
1.How should infant teachers communicate with families with infants to engage and build partnerships with the families? Why?
Infant teachers should make them feel welcome when they visit the classrooms. Infants teachers should also try to make a bond with the parents by exchanging phones to be able to communicate with each other about their baby.
2.How is the conversation Rukmini had with the family similar to conversations your family had with your teachers/ school staff? How is it different?
The conversation Rukmini had with my family was the same because my teachers would talk to my mom very nice and made sure my mom understood the activities we did in class. It was different because my teachers would tell my mom what i need to improve in class.
3.Is negotiation important when working with families of infants? Why?
Negotiation is important when working with families of infants because there are things we cannot do what the parents ask for. We can find a way to make things work between teachers and families.
Madelin — Thanks for your comment in this activity. Open and ongoing communication with families of infants can help them to feel welcome in infant classrooms and create bonds between infant teachers and families. Being respectful and polite when communicating with families is always important. You make an important distinction — it is a very different conversation when teacher “tell” families information versus when teachers engage families in decision making/ negotiation about a child’s education. Making things work for families is important and when we negotiate issues we acknowledge that families are the expert on their child, which helps them to feel powerful. I wonder, why can’t teachers do what families ask for? I wonder, what methods of communication should infant teachers use with families? I wonder, how does your comment connect to the Keyser (2017) reading?
1, How should infant teachers communicate with families with infants to engage and build partnerships with the families? Why?
Infant teachers should communicate with families and infants because it is important to build a partnership with mutual respect. You can communicate with them by sending out letters, inviting them to class activities, short conversation to discuss about their child. It’s important for there to be communication both ways too.
2, What is Rukmini negotiating with the family about? What is the resolution of the negotiation?
Rukmini is negotiating with the family about their childs experience, moving up the child to another room. The resolution of the negotiation was for David to stay and to be more engaged.
3. How is the negotiation Rukmini had with the family similar to negotiations your family had with your teachers/ school staff? How is it different?
The negotiation Rukmini had with the family was not as similar to my parents experience because the teachers lacked communication. Rukmini had a conversation with the parent and made sure to touch all bases and made sure the parent felt respected and knew what was going on.
4. Is negotiation important when working with families of infants? Why?
Negotiation is very important when working with families of infants because you can not do things without the parents consent because they will feel disrespected. It is best to get together and talk about it to come to an understanding and have compromised ideas. Make sure the families always feels respected and that their thought matters too.
Brenda — Thanks for your comment in this activity. Negotiation with families if infants is important for many reasons — including to gain consent & so the family feels respected. In most US schools teachers do not engage in communications in the way that Rukmini did with the family in the video. I wonder, how would your education have been different if your teachers involved your family in making decisions about your education?
1. Infant teachers should communicate with the family about the daily activities and share visits with them to see what the care experience is like.
2. Rukmini is negotiating the interactions with families by sharing the program planning and involving the family by providing information about the child while in their care.
3. Rukmini’s negotiations with the family is standard to the interactions my family had with my teacher and student staff, working together for a great learning experience for me.
4.Negotiation is incredibly important. It is one of the landmarks of communication between the infant teacher and the family.