Family Involvement or Engagement?

            This past spring, I attended the Alabama pre-K conference in Montgomery. The closing session featured Luis Hernandez (Early Childhood Education Specialist at Western Kentucky University) who focused on the links between school readiness and family engagement. However, I have found that most schools and programs focus on family involvement versus engagement. There are some key differences, and I have spent quite some time since the conference thinking about these differences and how to promote engagement over involvement in programs for children.

            Most schools or childcare programs promote family involvement. Parents at a minimum are asked to complete questionnaires so teachers/caregivers can learn more about the unique needs of the child upon enrollment. For too many programs/educational settings this is the limit of information exchange from the family. Parents are often asked to come in once a year for a meeting to discuss the child’s progress. Sometimes parents come to these meetings, and when they do, the information about the child is given from teacher to parent with little request for information from the parent.

            Many schools/programs create opportunities for parents to be “involved” with their child’s education. Often these opportunities come in the form of “please send a box of tissues and gallon of hand sanitizer on Monday,” or “be sure to check your child’s folder weekly for important assignments/newsletters/etc.” Sometimes these opportunities come in the form of PTA meetings, school-wide assemblies, and an end of the year awards program.

            In all cases listed above, we are asking parents to know what is going on at school and contribute something back to the school. All too often parents are told that involvement is expected, but when a parent truly wishes to be fully involved or “engaged” in their child’s learning process and school activities, there are not true ways to do this or school personnel do not really know how to help a parent be engaged.

           

            There are two categories of family “engagement” in their child’s education setting. One is being an active consumer of the education program. The other is being an active partner with the child in his/her education process.

            This bears the question, “How are you helping families become engaged in their child’s education?” both at the macro and micro levels? To break this down, we can ask more questions of ourselves and the programs/schools we’re working in:

• How are you guiding families to be their child’s teacher?
• How do you encourage families to expand their own education?
• How do you help families nurture their child’s learning and development? How do you assist families in their child’s transition to school?
• How do you connect families to other families?
• How do you support families in advocating for their children?
• What barriers might there be for families that get in the way of their being active participants in the process?

            Here are some things to consider when designing/evaluating your family engagement policies and practices:

            

     √     Think about ways families can be an active part of the process (versus passive). There is a difference between asking parents to be sure their child is reading every night and asking parents to read to their children or come to the learning environment to share a reading experience.

     √     Be creative. Some families have work requirements or other family dynamics that make it difficult to be engaged in their child’s learning. A grandmother might be able to make smocks for the art center but never come inside the building due to a transportation or mobility issue. School programs may need to be held in the evening and during the school day (yes, that’s two separate times for the same program) due to differences in work schedules.

     √     Individualize engagement opportunities. Not everyone can contribute in the same way. If there is a language barrier, perhaps a non-English speaking parent could make flash cards of words and pictures in his/her home language to share with the class. The teacher could then add the English word and exchange cards with the family throughout the year.

     √     Be dynamic, sensitive, positive, and respectful. Not every family has had a positive education experience. Some parents may truly be afraid of schools or places where others have authority of their child. If a family is not involved much less engaged in their child’s education, think about outlying factors that could be at play and brainstorm ways to manage those factors.

            Engagement begins with trust and respect. There must be awareness of cultural differences (and this isn’t just about country of origin or ethnicity). Communication must be open for two-way interactions (be careful about being technology or non-tech dependent). We must be intentional and authentic with our practices and non-judgmental when working toward true family engagement. Think about families as learners themselves. We have awesome opportunities and responsibilities with all the children and their families in our programs!!

Dr. Ellaine B. Miller, PhD, is the Managing Director for the Family Child Care Partnerships program at Auburn University. www.humsci.auburn.edu/fccp

Dr. Miller on Showing our Love for Children

February is the month of love. In this month we often find ourselves helping kids make paper hearts and talking about dental health. February is a great month for talking with children and demonstrating how to show we care for one another.

The National Association for Family Child Care requires that an accredited provider demonstrate that she “cares about, respects, and is committed to helping each child develop to his or her full potential,” and “shows affection to each child in some way.”

Why is this important? We can find answers from the NAFCC Accreditation Standards Resource Manual (2006):

·         Learning is more likely to occur when children feel cared about and appreciated by the adults caring for and teaching them.

·         Children’s experiences with adults affect how they view themselves and how they will interact with others.

·         When adults are respectful toward the children they are teaching, they teach children how to be respectful to others.

·         Acts of affection can reassure and comfort children and help them relax.

·         Affection helps build a positive relationship between [teacher] and child and sets the tone for all of their interactions.

·         In displaying affections, [teachers] model behaviors that will help children learn how to interact positively with other children and adults.

Expressing "LOVE" to children: through eye contact + modeling

How can you ensure children feel cared about and respected and be committed to helping them achieve their full potential? There are many ways to show affection to children. Warmth and affection toward children can be expressed throughout the day as [teachers] protect, guide, care for, communicate and play with children.

Expressing "LOVE" to children: speak to them directly

·         Pay attention to individual children. Take time to talk to them, listen to them, and show interest in what they are doing. Try not to seem hurried or tense so you can focus just on them. Smile at them.

·         Use a warm, soothing voice. (NOTE: New research about boys’ brain development shows that women’s voices can actually cause pain to boys. Look for those signs and modulate your tone to accommodate individual needs.)

·         Express your affection through physical contact. Always use a gentle touch. Take your cues from the child; some children like physical contact and others don’t. Be sure any physical contact is “good” touch and does not border on sexual contact.

·         Respond to children with patience and understanding. Give children a chance to make amends by cleaning up the mess they have made or righting the wrong they have committed.

·         Let children know they are appreciated. Take time to recognize small acts of kindness children exhibit or the little tasks they perform to make your day, and the day of the other children, more enjoyable.

·         Be specific with praise. Tie it back to the behavior you are praising. For example, “ Thank you for getting the crayons down for Jack. It was so nice of you to notice he was having trouble reaching them, and you really helped him out.”

Expressing "LOVE" to children: give attention to their activity

In February amongst the Valentine making and celebrating and visits from dental specialist, etc., think about how you show affection to the children in your program.

Do you show EACH child in your program you care about him/her?

Do you treat EACH child with respect?

Are you committed to helping EACH child develop to his/her full potential?

Examine your feelings for each of the children in your program. Be sure you have affection for each child and show him/her you care during your interactions. If you find there are one or more children about whom you don’t feel affection (and this is NORMAL!), look for ways to resolve your negative feelings for the child.

Review the way you relate to each child in your program, especially during guidance situations. Be sure your interactions with each child are characterized by respect.

Think about the activities you provide for children and you relate to them. Decide if the activities and interactions you offer the children are helping them develop their abilities. If not, adjust what you offer and how you interact with the children.

Expressing "LOVE" to children: provide activity

To learn 60 Ways to Show Kids You Care, visit the website of Counseling Corner, Inc., at http://counselingcorner.net/parents/care.html.

-- Dr. Ellaine B. Miller

Information in this blog was excerpted from the NAFCC Accreditation Standards Resource Manual – Relationship Standards for NAFCC Accreditation. Principle Author – Beverly Schmalzried.

Blog entry by Dr. Ellaine B. Miller, PhD. Family Child Care Partnerships at Auburn University. www.humsci.auburn.edu/fccp

Looking Forward to a NEW Start

By Dr. Ellaine Miller

READY? GET SET...................... GO!!!!!!!!!!!!
For the final blog entry for 2011, I thought it would be appropriate to present a few New Year’s Resolutions to consider. When making changes in your life or program/classroom, I have found that people are more successful when they choose one thing at a time to change, master that task, and then choose another thing to change. Remember, as you progress through the year with your changes, you may have to backtrack and revisit a previously mastered task and re-master it. This is OK!!!

Many of the “resolutions” listed below can be broken down into smaller items to make change easier. Good luck and have the happiest and most successful New Year yet!

    Take care of your self.

      Do something to improve your own health and wellbeing so you have the energy and ability to care for others. When you are healthy and feeling good, you are more capable of attending to others’ needs. Try to make one or two small health-related changes as once. Pick one change, be consistent with meeting that challenge, then choose another. And, choose something realistic. Here are some suggestions that start out small and can grow into significant positive impacts on your wellbeing:

· 1. Stop drinking soft drinks (including diet drinks).

· 2. Walk purposefully for 10 minutes most days of the week. After mastery, walk 15 minutes and continue to increase until you are at 40 minutes/day most (5 out of 7) days of the week.

   3. Add one fruit or vegetable to your meal/snacks daily.

Source: barcelona.neighborhoodr.com via Debbie on Pinterest

+++Find one stress-causing thing in your life and eliminate or decrease its effect on you.+++

     Get moving. Offer as much active play and physicality to learning as possible. Let children stand up to do their “seat” work. Encourage cross-body motion activities (like painting at the easel) to build the brain’s corpus-collosum.  Play games to enhance and support learning that require children to move about the learning environment. Take children outside to play/learn. Remember, there is no bad weather, only bad clothes. (Dr. Thelma Harms)

Check out the Let’s Move campaign – http://www.letsmove.gov/ & Sesame Workshop’s Healthy Habits for Life -- http://www.sesameworkshop.org/initiatives/health/healthyhabits

Source: rainbowswithinreach.blogspot.com via Debbie on Pinterest

   

     Support children’s curiosity. Set up safe ways for children to explore and experience new things. Help children inquire about new things. Set them up to be scientists and explorers and “discover” new concepts. Check out Dr. Alison Gopnik’s research on infant brain development to learn more -- http://www.alisongopnik.com/

Source: rainbowswithinreach.blogspot.com via Debbie on Pinterest

  
Take/make time to talk with children daily. Have meaningful, relevant conversations. Use lots of words. Build their vocabulary. Teaching children how to read by sounding out letters (phonics) and decoding is important, but if they don’t know the meaning of the words they read, it is pointless.  

Check out http://www.sesameworkshop.org/inside/pressroom/tec/literacy for some compelling statistics about literacy. Our own Dr. Danny Brassell's article here earlier this month addresses this topic of parents supporting language in the everyday world of exploring together. His article is one for your files as well.

Source: prekandksharing.blogspot.com via Debbie on Pinterest

    Encourage children’s self-help and problem-solving skills. Our country and world continues to need people able to address important problems and resolve issues like global warming, poverty, famine, warring nations, diseases, etc., etc. It’s important to have worker bees, but without idea people and developers, the work will either be meaningless or nonexistent. Dramatic play opportunities are important for fostering this way of thinking with young children. For more information go to http://www.pbs.org/teachers/earlychildhood/articles/dramaticplay.html

Best wishes on your resolutions for 2012!!!

Dr. Ellaine Miller: Trusting Relationships for Young Children

I am so excited to be a part of the PreK + K Sharing blog!

I am a first time blogger and hail from the south.

I live in LaGrange, Georgia, and root for the University of Georgia Bulldogs while working as the managing director of the Family Child Care Partnerships (FCCP) program at Auburn University. I have been married to my husband Peter for 20 years and am mother to Charles, almost 18, and MaryAynne 14. On my personal time I enjoy volunteering as our church youth leader, a Girl Scout leader, and as the local ballet guild president. This is a very busy time for us with a senior in high school making his way to be out in the world soon as well as a star in the making who is involved in numerous holiday performances as a dancer and singer.

As Managing Director for FCCP, I supervise and oversee all personnel and programming for a state-wide professional development program for licensed family child care providers in Alabama. We offer in-home mentoring services that support providers in their efforts to enhance the quality of care they offer with an eye toward national accreditation (through the National Association for Family Child Care). I also enjoy being an NAFCC accreditation council member, part of the first cohort of Alabama Early Care and Education Leadership Academy, and a trainer for the Alabama Early Learning Guidelines.

I have a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from Auburn University and received training and expertise in attachment theory and quality environments and relationships both during my graduate school experiences as well as on the job with FCCP.  I am often consulted about challenges the mentoring staff have with adults who resist change as well as challenges staff and clients have with children who “misbehave.” I am excited to be able to share information with all of you about how to deal with challenges from adults and children in your lives.

I am passionate about the quality of caregiving and environments for young children. I spend most of my time providing programming, assistance, and support in the realms of adult-child relationships, interpersonal skills for adults (adult-adult and adult-child), children’s challenging behaviors and adult responses to them, the science and mechanisms of change, and recently healthy habits for children and caregivers (focusing on active play and proper nutrition). My practices are grounded in attachment theory, and I work from an attachment and brain development perspective.

I look forward to being able to provide the blog with insights and information and best practices for working with infants and toddlers, challenging children, and even challenging adults. I find that when a person understands the typically developing child and knows what to expect at each age and stage, it is easier to provide quality interactions and experiences and create a secure relationship with that child.

My “news you can use” tidbit today is to provide consistent, warm, responsive, nurturing caregiving that meets the needs of the child which will create a long-lasting trusting relationship. When this pattern of caregiving is offered during the first 18 months of a child’s life, s/he will develop a trust for adults and those who meet his/her needs that will last a lifetime. When this pattern of caregiving is not offered during the first 18 months of life, distrust is formed and influences all future relationships that child has.

For more in-depth information about Attachment, please access this article:  http://www.childtrauma.org/images/stories/Articles/attcar4_03_v2_r.pdf

I look forward to our interaction here and welcome your comments and questions.