This chapter will provide the theoretical framework for training teachers for family engagement followed by a current and comprehensive literature review of: (1)
Importance of family engagement, (2) Family engagement and educational equity,
(3) Current state of teacher preparation for family engagement, (4) Teachers’ beliefs and attitudes towards family engagement, and (5) Best practices for teacher preparation. Following the literature review, the summary at the end of the chapter will propose the need for the study and possible research questions to guide the study.
Theoretical Framework This study is grounded in several universal theories. The scope and backdrop of the research study is based on Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems
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This leads to believe that providing quality training to preservice teachers will impact the learning environment to provide better outcomes for children entrenched in that environment. Additionally, building and embracing a relational, inclusive, and collaborative family engagement approach between schools, communities and families may help educational institutions move from a limited microsystems position that only focuses on child interactions with parents and home to the integrated approach of Bronfenbrenner Ecological System (Mapp & Hong, 2010). Epstein’s (2001) Home, School and Community topology. Epstein’s (2001) Home, School and Community topology also forms the backdrop of this study. Epstein’s topology consists of six types of family involvement practices for building a comprehensive home-school partnership: 1) Parenting: assisting families with parenting skills; 2) Communications: communicating with families about school programs and student progress; 3) Volunteering: improving recruitment, training, activities and schedules to involve families as volunteers; 4) Learning at Home: Involving families with their children in academic learning activities at home; 5) Decision Making: including families in school decisions, governance and advocacy activities; 6) Collaborating with the Community: coordinating the work and resources of community business, agencies, culture and civic organizations. Applying the above framework will help us teach
This is just some of them. Teachers will learn much that is applicable about the general characteristics of children at particular ages, stages and grade levels; but are effective with each child, additional information is needed. Each child comes to the classroom with a history-year of reactions, experiences, and characteristics styles of behaving that are unique. Teachers who blind effective communication with families are less likely to be frustrated while working with the many unknowns in children and are more likely to meet realistic goals for each child and support each family in reaching their own particular goals. When teachers are open to learning from families there is much knowledge about the particular aspects of living with children that can be learned. Because it is the children that bring families and teachers together, the benefits for children alone should be motivation enough to work to create effective partnerships. (Chapter 9: Informal Communication with Families)
Parental involvement is essential for the school’s effectiveness. We see ourselves as partners of the family, reinforcing parents' efforts to guide the intellectual, emotional and spiritual development of their children. We offer seminars and classes for personal enrichment of parents as they strive to become even more the kind of person they want their children to
Probably one of the most important issues when it comes to Family/Community Partnership is trying to get the families/community involved in what we are doing. By engaging parents, it will help us to see what we are lacking and what we need to do in order to have our families fully engaged. I feel that if our families/communities are not engaged in our program then we need to reevaluate in order to encourage their participation. By reevaluating our program we can further access what we need to work on. If parents/communities feel that they are not valued as part of our team, they won’t engage in our program. Both the parents and the community play a big role in the education of our children. Parents are their first teachers and the communities have valuable resources for the children.
During the placement I was able to spend time observing interactions between parents, children and staff. I witnessed many positive aspects in the schools approach to engaging parents and was particularly impressed by their open door policy for parents and the support provided to families in times of need by the learning mentors. As part of the admission process to the school, staff visit the parents and child at home and discuss the implementation of the home-school agreement (appendix 1.b). This agreement sets out the expectations of each of the parent, school and child in regard to their actions and attitude towards their time in school. This is often one of the first interactions teacher and parents have and Grayson (2011) suggests most teachers report these home visits to have a lasting positive effect on the child and parent-teacher relationship. During the school’s inspection in 2014 Ofsted identified relationships across the school and with parents as a key strength.
Improving communication between schools and home by providing teachers, parents, and other school staff with an opportunity to discuss individual student needs and strategies on how to appropriately meet them
The article Involvement or Engagement by Larry Farlazzo focuses on how to engage families, the school and the community to work together to promote both student and parent success within the school and the community. The article began with discussing the different between parent involvement and engagement. Larry Farlazzo (2011) states “A school striving for family involvement often leads with its mouth—identifying projects, needs, and goals and then telling parents how they can contribute. A school striving for parent engagement, on the other hand, tends to lead with its ears—listening to what parents think, dream, and worry about. The goal of family engagement is not to serve clients but to gain partners”. It’s important to understand the
(Bredekamp, 2009). I will show the parent that we can be in harmony in the program and with the family’s values. I need to take away the feeling that I am right and they are wrong and I need to see that neither one of us are right or wrong. I need to see that we are learning and trying to help their child to grow, learn and develop. (Bredekamp, 2009). The role of our local community is to provide a physical, emotional, and cognitive environment that helps in the development and learning of the child. We with community will build a foundation that is consistent, positive, and caring relationships with adults and children. (Bredekamp, 2009). We will build that relationship with teachers and children and families and teachers. We as community it is our responsibility to contribute to the well-being and learning of the child. I will get the child involved in the community and their families because it helps them to learn about themselves and the world around them. The community involved in my school helps children respect and be able to acknowledge their differences. I as a teacher will develop responsibility and help with self-regulation with the
In the book Early Childhood Education Today 11th Edition, we read that “Family-centered practice is one of the cornerstone features of early childhood special education. This follows the fundamental notion that children’s development is influenced by their environment: their family, teachers, school, town, media, governmental systems, and so on.” (MORRISON, 2009) The first thing we as teachers must do is acknowledge that the children’s families are the first and most important teachers of their children and recognize the long-term effect families have on the attitudes and accomplishments of their children . For the edification of today’s youth there are potential positive responses to be obtained through working with a child’s parents as
The most direct and meaningful impact on children’s education and advancement of social competence comes from parents and families. Students work harder, excel more, show attitudes and behavior that is positive, and feel at ease in new settings. Educators must connect to families so that they may develop relationships that employ them as active partners in their children’s learning
When an Individuals is invested in the well-being and success of a school and the students who are attending the school, they are considered a key stakeholder. Parents and family expect their child to receive a challenging and successful education. They want the education system to benefit their child's academic needs. As a future teacher, It will be my job to create a strong and positive communication with the student's parents and family. Our positive relationship will allow me to encourage them to integrate an at home learning environment. It will encourage them to speak to me about any issues. Allowing me to address them and help provides a fun and engaging learning environment inside and outside of school. Creating this bond will affect
Although it is important for families to be involved with their child’s school, school personnel should also strive to create a positive interaction with families of students. Carl Dunst (2002) states that school and parent collaboration is necessary, and if schools take on a more family-centered approach, it will help create a supportive environment and help to strengthen a family’s capacity to enhance and promote a child’s development and learning.
Parent and Community involvement does not occur overnight. I feel that schools must make parent and community involvement a priority, valuing and accepting each other’s differences. Schools, families and communities must work together to support all students in a learning environment to ensure every student is a successful learner. Positive family and school involvement fosters a partnership among my school encouraging students to reach their highest potential academically and in life. Parent and community involvement does not mean stay-at-home mothers coming to school to help as needed, or a businessman stopping by to see events occurring on campus. The role of school, family and community involvement is a partnership incorporating goal-oriented activities for all grade levels linked to academic success and student growth.
When families and school do great collaboration it is a greater chance for student success. According to Mizerek and Christenson (2005), the benefits of home-school collaboration are well supported in both academic and social-emotional areas. Forming partnerships with families is associated with increased student achievement, improved attitude toward school, higher attendance rates, and lower dropout rates. The authors state that children learn better when family, teachers and community are involve in their life, working together to encourage and support them. Mizerek and Christenson describes how beneficial are these collaborations between school and families in the children development and resolving conflict or issues in school and home.
Ever since I started working in the education field, I have always been a big advocate of family involvement and building partnerships between teachers, students, and families. When I started working as a teacher, I right away got involved with our parent engagement committee. Our school has done a wonderful job at meeting the standards that involve community and family involvement (Missouri Leader Standard 4, and Professional Standards for Educational Leaders Standard 8). We have a great partnership with our before and after school program, and part of that partnership was built the year before, as I worked for LINC, and knew I was going to be transitioning into the classroom. I worked on making sure that partnership was established, and as a LINC coordinator, I wanted to make sure our partnership would benefit the school, the program, and our families.
Guardian engagement in schools is characterized as folks and school staff cooperating to bolster and enhance the learning, improvement, and strength of kids and adolescents. Parent engagement in schools is a common obligation in which schools and other group offices and associations are focused on contacting connect with folks in important ways, and folks are focused on effectively supporting their kids ' and young people 's learning and advancement. At the point when folks are occupied with their youngsters ' school exercises, their kids show signs of improvement evaluations, pick more beneficial practices, and have better social skills. furthermore, school wellbeing exercises are more effective when folks are involved