1. Jalongo & Isenberg, Exploring Your Role, 3e Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. 11.1 Chapter 11: Exploring Your Role in Supporting Families and Communities

2. Jalongo & Isenberg, Exploring Your Role, 3e Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Respect differences in teachers’ and parents’/families perspectives Meet standards for working with parents/families Confront your own biases about working with families Learn more about cultural differences Expand your definition of caring to include out- of-school contexts 11.2 Guidelines for Working Effectively with Families

3. Jalongo & Isenberg, Exploring Your Role, 3e Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Recognize that early childhood educators are in a unique position to identify children’s needs and inaugurate families’ interactions with schools Appreciate the importance of effective communication and professionalism in interactions with families Reach out to families and communities 11.3 Guidelines for Working Effectively with Families, Continued

4. Jalongo & Isenberg, Exploring Your Role, 3e Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Communication Cohesiveness Adaptability Clear roles Shared time Shared values Social support 11.4 Characteristics of Well-Functioning Families

5. Jalongo & Isenberg, Exploring Your Role, 3e Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Schools are expected to meet more than academic needs Confront your own biases about families Teachers bear the responsibility for reaching out to parents, families, and communities Explore the many dimensions of your role in working with families and communities 11.5 Communicating Effectively with Families

6. Jalongo & Isenberg, Exploring Your Role, 3e Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Parenting Communicating Volunteering Learning at home Decision making Collaborating with the community 11.6 Six Types of Family Involvement

7. Jalongo & Isenberg, Exploring Your Role, 3e Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Try to ease families’ concerns about children’s adjustment Strive to communicate by keeping professional jargon to a minimum Keep it easy for the family to stay informed Offer opportunities for families to gather informally and network 11.7 Ways to Build Rapport with Parents/Families

8. Jalongo & Isenberg, Exploring Your Role, 3e Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Schedule meetings at various times Use a variety of strategies to enhance communication Strive to identify with and meet the special concerns of families Be sensitive to some family members’ discomfort in the school setting 11.8 Ways to Build Rapport with Parents/Families, Continued

9. Jalongo & Isenberg, Exploring Your Role, 3e Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Keep a problem-solving focus instead of blaming Focus on all families Give parents latitude to contribute in their own ways Admit when you need to seek outside assistance 11.9 Ways to Build Rapport with Parents/Families, Continued

10. Jalongo & Isenberg, Exploring Your Role, 3e Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Flexible conferencing schedule Enough time for the conference A prepared child A welcoming atmosphere Teacher preparation and organization Cultural appropriateness and sensitivity 11.10 Features of a Productive Conference (Seplocha, 2004)

11. Jalongo & Isenberg, Exploring Your Role, 3e Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Positive opening to the conference Encouraging family members to share their perspective Restraint Avoidance of jargon Shared suggestions for at-home activities Positive closure to the conference Reflection and documentation 11.11 Features of a Productive Conference, Continued (Seplocha, 2004)

12. Jalongo & Isenberg, Exploring Your Role, 3e Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Your role following the conference: Make a note of important points discussed Review conference notes and share as needed Summarize follow-up responsibilities 11.12 Features of a Productive Conference, Continued (Seplocha, 2004)

13. Jalongo & Isenberg, Exploring Your Role, 3e Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Did I share a positive anecdote? Did I start by stating the purpose? Did I share information about the child’s strengths? Did I share work samples? Did I encourage parental information and questions? 11.13 Evaluating Your Role in the Conference (Seplocha, 2004)