I
immersed myself in the early childhood field because I recognized early on what
a blessing it is to teach and learn from young children. Young children have so
much to offer and they are a joy to be around. As a scholar practitioner, it is
my responsibility to be knowledgeable and understand the importance of program
evaluations and keep my staff and families (stakeholders) informed about the
process. I will make the necessary decisions such as delegating tasks to help
the evaluation process become more effective and successful.
When
leading program evaluations, the biggest barrier I foresee is family
involvement/engagement. I have over twenty
years of experience as a preschool teacher and have discerned that most
families do not understand nor do they have information about the assessment
process, data driven decisions, or program evaluations. I find that the reason
families do not understand is because they are not given the opportunity to be
involved in these tasks however, as valuable stakeholders in early childhood
programs, families have the right and should be involved in decisions and
program evaluations. Engaging families should be a shared responsibility (Weiss,
Lopez, & Stark, 2011) within school districts, and early childhood
programs.
My
responsibility to minimize this barrier is to intentionally encourage families
to actively engage in their children’s educational learning. I will design my
curriculum with family engagement as a component, implement family workshops,
and share information with families regarding school readiness, student
achievement, outcomes, and goals (Weiss, Lopez, & Stark, 2011). The purpose
is to collaborate with families, share information, encourage families to join
school boards, parent- teacher organizations, and provide families with
resources to help their children succeed.
Reference:
Weiss, H. B., Lopez, M. E., & Stark, D. R.
(2011). Breaking new ground: Data systems transform family engagement in
education [Issue brief]. Harvard Research Family Project. Retrieved from
http://www.hfrp.org/publications-resources/browse-our-
publications/breaking-new-ground-data-systems-transform-family-engagement-
in-education2%20
Hi Danita,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Family Engagement is a key element in early childhood education. I have been working on this aspect as well at my school. Incorporating family engagement as part of the curriculum is a wonderful idea, and I know you will have success with that component. My school will be introducing a new family engagement opportunity this year. We will be opening our doors to an after school activity once a month for preschool parents and their kiddos. We anticipate a solid turn-out.
~Shelly
Hi Danita
ReplyDeleteI find the same barrier with evaluation and program planning: family engagement. I feel they have so much to offer, but either lack the time or the understanding that their perspective is valuable. I also agree that they don't really understand the impact they can have on a programs success. During our initial family orientation we inundate them with the value they have within our program. We discuss the accomplishments and participation of previous families on our Policy Committees. It has also been beneficial to have former families that have participated come back and speak at these orientations. Thank you for your insightful post.
Chen (2003) suggests that early childhood education programs should advocate for families. In addition, encourage family participation in decision making related to their children’s education. Families should act as advocates and participate in the needs of their children. In addition, families of early childhood education programs can actively take part in decision-making opportunities.
ReplyDeleteEvidence-based practices for schools
Communication
· School info packets given by hospital at birth
· Website for district and school with current events
· Automated phone system
· Text messages
· Newsletters and e-mail
· Monthly meetings
· Parent Ambassadors
Invite parent volunteers to help with phone calls to families
Parent and Family Activities
Frequent opportunities for parents to come to school
· Multi-cultural events
· Movie Night
· Open House
· Summer Family Enrichment Program
· PTA’s, PTO’s, Booster Clubs
· Ice Cream Socials
· Bingo for Books (district)
· Open door policy for lunch
· Watch Dogs – Father Volunteers (campus)
· Smiling dads – program where dads open the doors in morning and greet students
Community Education Classes for Parents
· Adult education options on campus on evenings or Saturdays
รจ ESL, computer skills, GED, career planning, financial planning
· Technology trainings in partnership with Attorney Generals office
· Financial Aid – partner with Chamber of Commerce or other community agency
· Arts and crafts
· Nutrition classes
· Parent cooking class
· Preschooler Day – day with librarian & mother reading books (campus)
Family Support
Parent Resource Center
Health and Resource Fairs with parents, businesses, community
Sister Schools (district) partner affluent with low-income schools
Clothes Closet (district)
Holiday Assistance
Food Bank or Closet
Back Pack Programs
~ Fran Hjalmarson ~ Lessons from TurnAround Schools © 2011 ~ www.TurnAroundSchools.com
Chen, D. W. (2003). The Multiple Benefits of Service Learning Projects in Pre
Service Teacher Education. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 70(2), 31-36