Family and Community Involvement

Meridian International CenterPenMedia

Learning Objectives

• Parents and families are actively involved in preschool activities and child’s development

• Preschool establishes communication, coordination and participation with a variety of relevant community organizations

• Children are exposed to different community organizations and centers as part of learning about their community

• Preschool staff develop working relationships with a variety of social, cultural, recreational and support services to meet the needs of children in their class(es)

Why involve families

• Research indicates that children who attend preschool are more likely to succeed if their parents are involved in the child’s learning environment

• Children adapt, adjust, and cope better in preschool when their family are involved in attending meetings and sessions at the preschool

• Preschools and children are safer when families and communities are involved.

Social Networks

• There are a number of social networks that are important for enhancing children’s well being and development– The family– The health environment– The preschool– Recreational activities/centers– Community based institutions

Interactions

• In order to support child well being and development, four parties need to interact on a regular and timely basis:– The Child– Parents – attitudes, skills, and practices– The preschool – expectations, actions, and practices– The community – health workers, municipality,

police, parks/recreation centers, charitable organizations, etc.

Understanding Parents

• What are their attitudes on education and learning• What are their values on child behavior, discipline,

and education• What are their expectations regarding the preschool• What kinds of skills do they want their children to

have • What kinds of knowledge do they want their children

to have• What kinds of behavior do they practice at home with

their child

Shared Understanding between Parents and the Preschool

• Are parents aware of the preschool principles?• What are teachers’ expectations for the child

and parents?• What are the priority concerns of the

preschool?• What are preschool expectations regarding

parent involvement?

ParentsRelationship with child

Home – School RelationshipParticipation

Community - Sharing learning responsibilities

The child -SocialCognitive - Language

Protected and Stimulating

Learning Environment

School, Parents and Community Involvement

• Children provide:– Common ground for all– Motivation– Ideas for cooperation– Vision of the future

• Parents provide– Nurturing– Love– Care– Basic needs– Learning opportunities– Social interactions– Encouragement

• School provides– Safe environment– Stimulating environment– Social interactions– Learning activities– Developing new skills– Providing new information– Encouragement

• Community provides:– Contacts with services– Variety of services– Protection– Information– Places to visit– New people to learn about– Contact with others– Financial and economic support

Benefits of Collaboration between Parents and the Preschool

• Two caring parties (parents/families and the preschool) are in harmony on messages

• Both support the development of similar skills• Both understand and accept the values of the

other• Both share positive attitudes on the child and

his/her abilities• Both prioritize the child and his/her needs

Indicators of Success of Family, Community and Preschool Collaboration

• Students – Increased knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes– Acceptance of responsibility (including attending, following

directions and agree upon rules/laws)– Increased self-esteem and confidence

• Social and working relationships improve• Preschool evaluation and self-direction/regulation

– Physical functions of preschool enhanced– Health, maintenance, and environment of preschool

improved– Safe behavior practices applied

Indicators (continued)• Increased number of vulnerable and needy children attend preschool

on a regular basis• Families & communities improve coordination, exchange of

information, and share resources– Preschool offers increased social and emotional support for families– Preschool and community support family access to assistance and support

available.– Increased parent and community awareness on importance of early

childhood education and development– Increased number of family and /or community activities with the preschool

• Increased family/preschool collaboration – Number of parent visits to preschool increases– Number of teacher visits to home increases

Why Teachers Should Invest Time in the Community

• Provides opportunities to benefit from community resources – human, material, and financial

• Increases teacher awareness of what kinds of resources and services are available that can enrich the preschool and the child and his/her family

• Increased sense of safety and security for the preschool and children while in school or out of school

• Allows for greater diversity of activities within the preschool• Enhances teachers understanding of the world in which children live in

and how they can adapt• Allows teachers to understand negative practices that may need to

change• Allows teacher to introduce new services and programs into the

preschool environment

What kinds of services are available in the community?

Prevention Actions: Healthy Development, Safe and Protected Environment, Family and Community Ownership and Participation, Recreation and Sports,

Early Intervention: Raising awareness on disabilities, poverty, school and community support programs, student assistance, health related issues

Treatment: Emergency care,

special needs assistance, health

care support, protection and care

systems.

Entry Point for Parent-Preschool Interactions• During registration period (while school is still in session)

– Encourage parent visits to the preschool with the child– Introduction to teachers and key staff– Introduction to environment and resources available– Introduction to preschool learning curriculum– Sharing teacher’s expectations of the child and parents– Arranging means of contact between parents and teachers– Setting up informal meetings to provide parents with

opportunity to meet with other parents– Setting up meetings with parents of children in preschool to

share views

Ways to Help the Child Get Comfortable within the Preschool

• Before preschool begins– Parents should bring child to visit preschool– Observe other children at play– Allow child to spend some time interacting with

other children (opportunity to see positive interactions)

– Allow child to ask teacher and parent about the preschool

– Allow teacher to get to know the child and the child to become familiar with the teacher

Establishing Rapport with Parents

• Ask parents about their child– Is this their first child or have other children gone to preschool

before?– Do they have other members of the family living with them

(extended family support)?– Have they received information on early childhood development?– Are they interested in learning more about child development and

innovative ways of helping children to learn?– Will they have time to spend at the preschool:

• Participating on a regular basis• Assisting in the classroom• Meetings

Child-Parent-Preschool (continued)

– Allows parents and child to share personal information with the teacher on the child

– Allows child to ask questions and raise concerns about going to preschool

– Teacher should give parents a small briefing on what to expect on the first day of school• Child adjustment• Expected agenda• How to prepare the child for preschool• What the child needs to bring to preschool• What the parent expects• How to cope with any issues that may arise

Parent-Preschool InteractionsDay 1

• Start of school year– Send out invitations to parents to attend preschool for the first

day (a few hours)– Have an agenda set of what activities you will be doing on the

first day (making their own “name tags”, finding a place to sit, visiting all the rooms of the preschool, outdoor play games, safety measures, etc.)

– Have special activities that the parents can be doing with the child • Introducing children to one another• Playing games with the children• Helping children to make their name tags• Making a little clock to show when the parents will return

Child-Parent-Preschool ActionsDay 1

• Brief the child on what he/she is likely to see at the preschool• Remind them of their earlier visit to the preschool

– What did they like most– Who do they expect to see at the preschool– What kinds of games and fun things do they remember they could do– Remind them of their teacher – use her name

• Address any questions the child may have with honesty– Where will the parent be when the child is at preschool– Who will pick them up– Why do they have to go to preschool– How long will they be at the preschool– Will the teacher call the parent if the child wants to speak to her

Suggested parenting group sessions

Stages of early childhood developmentParenting skillsPreschool Educational and Learning CurriculumParental communicationChild disciplineChildren with special needsSocial development of childrenCommunity involvementHealthy lifestylesOpen sessions –to be agreed upon

Routine parent meetings and activities

• Set up 2 hours per month were parents can drop in for a cup of coffee and talk to teachers– School should be ready to have a teacher/assistant

on duty to watch over children as the other teachers meet with parents

– Structure the meeting as a whole group meeting to allow parents to share their issues or concerns with one another

– If a parent wants a private consultation arrange that time separately

Routine parent meetings and activities

• Set up sign up sheet for parents who want to participate in daily activities within the preschool– Encourage parents to attend and assist in carrying out activities within

the classroom– Find out what special skills or talents a parent may have – storytelling,

singing, making things, cooking, drawing, playing an instrument, etc. and encourage them to share their knowledge in the classroom

– Find out what kind of work parents do – take the children to visit them at their workplace• Fire station, police station, park worker, doctor, carpenter,

university• Have parents come to school and do show and tell about their jobs

Community Involvement by Preschool Staff• Principal of school can initiate list of various community organizations, centers,

and services that relate to health, protection, education, recreation, safety, economic and poverty assistance, etc.– Make visits to different centers to see what they know about the preschool,

kinds of programs they are currently doing with children and families– Introduce new ideas and suggestions on preschool – agency cooperation

and coordination (formal and/or informal agreements can be drawn up)– Identify key focal person within the agency who can be the contact person

for later meetings and visits• Invite members of various agencies to visit the preschool

– Provide them with information on the preschools objectives and which children are attending and those who are not attending

– Identify kinds of support the agency can provide for the preschool and/or family

– Identify key problems/strengths of children, families, community

Types of Community Based Programs

• Health (physical and mental)• Education (child, siblings, and parents)• Social services (protection, security)• Job and employment opportunities• Recreation (youth, parks, sports center)• Neighborhood/community improvement

Issues to Consider When Linking with Community Organizations

• Can the various community programs and services – Come to the preschool to provide services and programs– Can the children visit the community centers

• Does the community center currently have working relationships with families– Non existent – no contact– Information dissemination– Cooperating – provide assistance if requested– Coordinating – provide direct services and programs for child and family– Integrated – provide services and programs in home and/or preschool

• Which kinds of support can be further developed?– promoting healthy development of the child– Support the prevention of problems – financial, protection, health– Encourage early intervention support for families in need – mental, economic,

violence, problems

Other types of community services• Police and Fire Station• Library • Municipal agencies and bodies (e.g., parks and recreation, library, police,

fire, • courts, civic event units)• Family crisis and support centers, helplines, hotlines – psychosocial

networks • shelters, mediation and dispute resolution centers, private practitioners)• Other child care/preschool centers• Visits to universities and colleges• Religious centers• Museums

Expanding Circles of Collaboration

• Preschool becomes a hub for bringing the family and community together to support the child’s development, education, and safety

• Preschool becomes an educational site for family and community to increase their knowledge, skills, and contributions to child well being and development

• Preschool has increased access to a variety of different resources that can ensure the long term development and sustainability of the program