Parent Presentation Evan Baubles ECE 497 Child Development Capstone Instructor Kara Bullock April 5, 2015

INTRODUCTION When it comes to the development of our children, we want to take every step possible to ensure they receive the very best resources that are available. There are numerous factors that go into the development of children, we want to be very thorough, and be sure no stone is left unturned. In this presentation, I will cover several factors that are critical in child development. Some of the various topics I will cover are ecological theory, parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with the community. Being a parent is an extremely difficult task. After reading and carefully reviewing this handbook, you will have a solid understanding of influences and be comfortable in making choices for your children.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Getting your child out of the house and into Lincoln Elementary school will help them develop immensely. At home, children are limited by space and stimuli. At a Lincoln, they will be somewhere designed specifically for young children and surrounded by various different stimuli. This will help them develop the ability to make choices, and cooperate with others. They will be involved in activities where they will be challenged to learn and grow through intense instruction. This environment will enhance your child’s creativity, communication, and all other areas of child development.

ROLE OF THE TEACHER Teachers play a monumental role in the development of children. Not only do teachers give subject matter, but they shape the lives of young people. Teacher have to assume many roles. These roles vary from parental figure to counselor. At any given time, an issue can come across where teacher have to respond quickly. They serve as role models for children as they spend more time with their teachers than they do with their parents. Teachers can be called on to respond to the emotional needs of children. Teachers must be great listeners and have to pick up on issues before they happen. This is a serious responsibility, as some of the issues as miniscule as they seem to us can become matters of life and death to children. Teachers are primary influencers in the lives of our children and must be shown a degree of gratitude and respect.

ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM Urie Bronfenbrenner explained children’s development within a series of interacting systems in his ecological model (Bojczyk and Shriner, 2012). In the middle of the systems is a child who is influenced by their experiences. The system is explained through five interlocking systems, ranging from intimate to very broad. The systems are the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. Of the five systems, the first four deal with direct interactions of the child. The chronosystem is the historical events that have a comprehensive effect on other systems. Throughout a child’s lifetime, they experience each system which influences their behavior. Microsystem- It is the direct setting we have in our lives. Your family, friends, classmates, teachers, neighbors and other people who have a direct contact with you are included in your micro system (Explorable.com). This is where we have direct social interactions with these agents. The microsystem is unique in the fact that every person has their own specific microsystem. Mesosystem- This is the direct relationships between the microsystems and one’s life. The relationships of the microsystem are directly related. Each experience in the microsystem can shape the development of the other microsystem.

EPSTEIN’S TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT Dr. Joyce L. Epstein, the director of the National Network of Partnership Schools, which is connected with Johns Hopkins University established the six types of involvement. The six types of involvement are Parenting, Communicating, Volunteering, Learning at home, Decision Making, and Collaborating with the Community. The framework enables educators to develop effective programs designed to bring school, family and community together in a positive manner. Using the structure as a guide, according to Epstein, is the key to educating students and supporting families. This kind of joint effort contributes to the educational success of children that carries over into adulthood. It takes a village to raise a child. By connecting each aspect of the community into the educational process will provide a greater sense of belonging and involvement providing better results for your children.

PARENTING This is the foundation of success for families and children at your school. By establishing home environments for supporting children as students will help the school and community thrive. Providing parenting workshops at Lincoln Elementary School will help parents understand what the goals are for their children and develop relationships with the families. Family support groups will provide the families with information concerning health, nutrition, and important services. This is critical as the parents will feel support from the school and other parents as well. This allows the teachers to gain a better understanding of the families background, cultures, concerns, goals, needs, and their views of children. Understanding the diversity of students and families at Lincoln Elementary School is critical for their success. By implementing these two ideas, the teachers, students, and families can learn more about each other and develop a certain comfort and healthy relationship.

COMMUNICATING In every successful relationship there is constant communication. This allows the family and school know about programs and children's progress. For Lincoln Elementary School this would mean having yearly conferences with parents and follow ups when needed. Included in these conferences would be translators to assist the families when needed. This allows for both parents and teacher to be on the same page and make sure that all of the important information is understood such as courses, activities, programs, and policies. This is extremely beneficial for both parties due to the fact that the children's progress and needs will be constantly monitored and communicated. This allows for immediate action to be taken to act on any issues that may occur before they become worse. This also allows for trust and appreciation to happen as both the teachers and parents understand exactly what is trying to be accomplished.

VOLUNTEERING This allows the school to recruit and organize parent help and support. This is critical because it allows parent to have an important role in the function of children's development. Lincoln Elementary School can create a family center in which parents volunteer to help as resources for families in need. A parent safety patrol can also be used at Lincoln to give the parents a leadership role while covering an important aspect in safety. This is critical for the parents because they gain a better understanding of the teachers job and become much more comfortable with the school. It also allows the parent to feel important because they are an important part of the school’s function. The teachers are in turn able to spend more individual time with the students because they have others there to help them. This is critical because they are able to better understand their students and learn how to implement strategies for them to reach their overall potential.

LEARNING AT HOME This is a great way to provide information to families to use with their children at home. At Lincoln Elementary School you can use monthly activity packets to be completed at home with their parents. For parents this is important because it shows that they are involved and care about what is going on in their child’s education while also learning about the materials that are being covered at school. When parents have an understanding about what is going on at home they are in a much better position to support and encourage their children. For teachers this allows them to design activities and assignments to ignite parent and student cooperation. This is not only important for the aspect of education but also encourages positive family information and bonding time. Respecting family time is critical during elementary years as the relationships build during this time will set the tone for the rest of their lives.

DECISION MAKING Decision making allows the parent to be a part in school decision and develops leaders and representatives. At Lincoln Elementary School a independent advocacy group would be beneficial for school reform and improvements. For parents this gives input into policies that affects their child's education. This also give the parents a sense of ownership of school. This is critical for parents because this gives them the proper forum to discuss and fight for their children. This also allows parents to understand school, district, and state policies. For teachers, this makes them aware of the of parents perspective. This is essential because knowing the concerns of the parents makes working with them much easier and allows for opportunities to communicate. Communication is critical for teachers because it helps them form a relationship with the families that will benefit both them and their children.

COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY This allows the integration of community resources to strength the school programs, family practices, and student learning and development. At Lincoln Elementary School information about community programs should be distributed to every family. This will allow the families to take full advantage of every resource possible and provide their children with opportunities to grow and develop away from school. Parents can become aware of great opportunities for their children that they may not have previously known about. It is also important to show the parents how important the school and its children are in the community. Teachers can use these resources in their daily lessons and have to opportunity to include important members of the community. Having knowledge of available community resources puts teachers in a better position to refer an help their students and families become involved in a program or activity that will help their overall development.

REFERENCES Berk, L. E. (2013).Child development. (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Bojczyk, K. E., Shriner, B. M., & Shriner, M. (2012). Supporting children’s socialization: A developmental approach. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Turner, P. & Welch, K. (2012). Parenting in contemporary society (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Explorable.com (2013). Retrieved from